Hypertension - High Blood Pressure |
OverviewHypertension (high blood pressure) is abnormally high pressure in the arteries. One out of every five Canadians has high blood pressure. After the age of 45 the number goes up to one in three. Hypertension is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart and kidney disease. CausesThere is no known cause for primary or essential hypertension the kind that most people have. A variety of changes in the heart and blood vessels are to blame although why those changes occur only in some people is not fully understood. However certain factors are known to increase the risk of hypertension many of which you can control. Uncontrollable risks Family history: If one or both of your parents have high blood pressure you are twice as likely to develop it yourself. Age: Your risk of high blood pressure increases as you get older especially after the age of 45. Race: Blacks experience hypertension more frequently than any other racial group. Researchers suspect this may partly have something to do with the way the body handles salt. Sex: Hormonal changes in women who use oral contraceptives or who are pregnant can increase their risk of high blood pressure. Women over the age of 60 are also at a slightly higher risk. Controllable risks Weight: Obesity is a major risk factor for hypertension. Indeed the fact that more and more young people are experiencing high blood pressure may in part be due to the fact that 37% of Canadian children are either overweight or obese. The simple matter is excess weight puts more strain on the heart. Inactivity: Your risk of being overweight is higher if you do not engage in regular physical activity. As well inactive people generally have higher heart rates as the heart muscles are forced to work harder. This also increases pressure in the arteries. The greater body mass you have the more blood you need to supply oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. The volume of blood circulated through your blood vessels increases and creates extra force on your artery walls. In addition fat cells produce chemicals that circulate and affect your blood vessels and heart. Smoking: The chemicals in tobacco can damage the lining of your artery walls causing the arteries to accumulate fatty deposits that contain cholesterol (plaques). Nicotine also constricts your blood vessels and forces your heart to work harder. Salt: People who are sodium sensitive retain sodium more easily leading to fluid retention and increased blood pressure. Low potassium intake: Potassium is a mineral that helps balance the amount of sodium in your cells. If you don't consume or retain enough potassium you can accumulate too much sodium. Excessive alcohol consumption: Exactly how or why alcohol increases blood pressure isn't understood. But over time heavy drinking can damage your heart muscle. Stress: High levels of stress can lead to a temporary but dramatic increase in blood pressure. Stress also can promote high blood pressure if you then try to relax by eating more using more nicotine or drinking more alcohol. SymptomsHigh blood pressure is called the silent killer because while some people do experience shortness of breath dizziness headaches or vision problems in most cases there are no symptoms at all. Hypertension is usually diagnosed when a doctor takes a blood pressure reading during a regular medical check up. TreatmentYour heart beats up to 100000 times a day pumping blood into your arteries with each beat. If you make a fist you will feel pressure on your hand. That's just like the pressure on your arteries when your heart forces blood throughout your body. Relax your hand. The pressure eases just as it does in your arteries in between heart beats. To measure this doctors use two numbers·one measuring the pressure when the heart beats (systolic) the other when the heart relaxes (diastolic). Desirable blood pressure for healthy adults = 120 systolic 80 diastolic or as your doctor might say 120 over 80. If you have high blood pressure your doctor may prescribe a drug or combination of drugs that work best for you. These may include: Diuretics work on the kidneys to increase urine output and reduce the amount of circulating blood. Beta-blockers counter stress hormones by slowing the heart beat and reducing its force. This makes it easier for the heart to pump blood through the body. ACE inhibitors block the formation of angiotensin a hormone that contributes to a narrowing of the blood vessels. Calcium channel blockers cut the amount of calcium in artery walls relax the muscles and help widen blood vessels. Alpha-blockers also help widen the blood vessels and slow the heartbeat so that less blood is pumped through the body. In addition to these drugs simple lifestyle changes can help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of complications. If you do not currently have high blood pressure they can help you stay healthy.
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