Written by: Keerthana Venkatesh
What is it?
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a common condition where the force of the blood against the arteries is too high. Regular blood pressure is 120/80, hypertension is considered to be above 140/90 blood pressure, and 180/120 is considered severe. Hypertension can be dangerous if left untreated because it can lead to health problems such as heart disease, stroke, and more.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis begins at yearly checkups, where a doctor may use a blood pressure machine to check and measure blood pressure. Blood pressure measurement, which contains systolic and diastolic pressure, is then rated based on how severe it is. If the measurement is high, the doctor will most likely record the blood pressure on three other appointments to ensure that this measurement is a norm rather than a one-time reading. Additionally, the doctor may ask the patient to self-monitor their blood pressure by taking and recording readings at their home as a part of managing their hypertension. If the patient tends to have a higher blood pressure than normal, the doctor may also diagnose them using various tests that can confirm hypertension. These tests include ambulatory monitoring, which is monitoring one’s blood pressure for 24 hours, lab tests, which are basic tests such as urine, blood, and cholesterol tests, electrocardiograms, a quick test to measure your heart’s electrical activity, and echocardiograms, which uses sound waves to produce images of the heart in order to give further information if the patient has heart disease.
Causes
There are two types of hypertension: primary and secondary. Primary doesn’t have any identifying cause of the condition, while secondary does. Some underlying conditions that cause secondary hypertension include the use of illegal drugs, certain medications, certain defects, kidney disease, sleep apnea, and more. Some risk factors for hypertension, in general, are age, race, family history, being overweight, stress, and the consumption of too much salt.
Symptoms
Most people with high blood pressure feel little to no side effects of the condition. However, some people do experience headaches, shortness of breath, and nose bleeds, but only if they experience high blood pressure at extreme levels.
Treatments
Treatments include taking prescribed medicine from a doctor. Some commonly prescribed medicine includes diuretics, calcium channel blockers, alpha-blockers, and central-acting agents. Along with taking the medication regularly, it is important to maintain a healthy diet with less salt, engage in regular physical activities, and limit alcohol consumption. Some future treatments that doctors are planning to implement are “catheter-based ultrasound and radiofrequency ablation of the kidney’s sympathetic nerves”.
Prevention
One way to prevent hypertension is maintaining a healthy weight through dieting and physical activity. Additionally, limiting one’s smoking and drinking can be significantly beneficial to having normal blood pressure. Also, having a regular sleep schedule can help lower stress, which is a cause of high blood pressure.
Bibliography
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High blood pressure (hypertension). (2021, January 16). Retrieved April 7, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=abstract&utm_content=Hypertension&utm_campaign=Knowledge-panel
Prevent High Blood Pressure. (2020, February 24). Retrieved April 7, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/prevent.htm
V. (2021, March 24). Hypertension: Signs, Symptoms, and Complications [Shows a diagram with the symptoms of high blood pressure and where in the body they occur]. Retrieved April 12, 2021, from https://www.verywellhealth.com/thmb/iLUOJQt5uIt8eelg1jpEWa8NbSo=/1000x1000/smart/filters:no_upscale()/hypertension-symptoms-5afedc4da9d4f90036e90344.png