|
High blood pressure is a disease that occurs when increased resistance to blood flow
through small blood vessels (arterioles) forces the heart to work harder. This condition is
characterized by a systolic pressure reading higher than 140 mmHg, and diastolic
pressure higher than 90 mmHg. High blood pressure is also called hypertension, and
often requires drug therapy and heart-healthy nutrition to keep blood pressure within
normal limits.
High blood pressure may not cause symptoms, which is why high blood pressure is often called the "silent killer." According to recent estimates, one in four U.S. adults has high blood pressure, but because there are no symptoms, nearly one-third of these people are unaware they have hypertensive illness. The only way to tell if you have hypertension is to have your blood pressure checked. High blood pressure is dangerous because it causes the heart to work extra hard. When the heart is forced to work extra hard for an extended period of time, it tends to enlarge and function less efficiently. Over time, hypertension causes blood vessels to clog or become weak, and damages the arteries. It can lead to arterial disease and an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and other illnesses. This disease can also injure the kidney and its blood vessels, and is a major cause of kidney failure (renal failure), which may require dialysis. For the majority of high blood pressure cases, there is no clear cause that can be identified. While it is known that constriction of the small arterioles causes a marked decrease in the amount of blood flow through the body, it has not yet been determined what causes the initial narrowing of those arterioles. In a few patients (approximately 2 percent), high blood pressure may be traced to other secondary causes. Patients with a family history of high blood pressure, males, African- Americans, and women taking oral contraceptives are at elevated risk for hypertension. It is very interesting to note that, while the incidence of high blood pressure is low in Japan, it is higher in Japanese who migrate to America. This fact underscores the idea that adopting an American lifestyle and diet may increase the chance of developing this disease. Lifestyle choices that put individuals at an increased risk for hypertension include being overweight, eating a high sodium diet, exercising too little, and drinking more than two alcoholic drinks daily. Hypertension can be treated. Mild cases of hypertension can be treated with a healthy diet and increased, regular exercise. More severe cases of hypertension require medications like diuretics, which rid the body of excess fluids, and beta blockers, which reduce the heart rate and the heart's output of blood. If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart, brain, kidney, and eye damage, and increases the likelihood of stroke and congestive heart failure. These risks are significantly reduced with proper treatment. |
| MORE INFORMATION ON FIBROMYALGIA AND... |
| Social Security Disability Workers Compensation Attorney, Nevada |