Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure can be considered as an elevated pressure of the blood and arteries. Hypertension results from two major factors independent or combined which is the heart pumping blood with excessive force and/or the body's smaller blood vessels (known as the arterioles) narrow, so that blood flow exerts more pressure against the vessels' walls. When defining Hypertension, it is essential to know how blood pressure is measured and the numeric values used to classify and determine this disease. First, there is a systolic reading of a blood pressure, which is the top or first number and is when the heart is contracting to pump the blood around the body. Then, there is the diastolic reading of …show more content…
The causes for this disease would be kidney disease, adrenal gland disease, narrowing of the aorta, and pregnancy causing pre-eclampsia.
Primary hypertension consists of the remaining 90 percent of all cases and has many risk factors and causes. However, in most cases of this disease, the exact cause is unknown. Early in the disease the individual normally has no symptoms. The risk factors include hereditary, race, sex, age, obesity, sodium sensitivity, alcohol consumption, oral contraceptives, physical inactivity, diet pills or amphetamines, smoking, caffeine, and diabetes.
Hypertension is usually diagnosed when an individual has a routine visit with their family physician, eye doctor, or dentist. Once the doctor has measured a high blood pressure they will check the blood pressure two more times before diagnosing the patient with hypertension. To rule out any secondary causes, the physician will perform a blood test, urine test, or eye …show more content…
However, when an individual is experiencing extremely high blood pressure they may feel dizziness, headaches, or alterations of vision.
There are two methods in treating Hypertension. Once way is through non-drug therapy and this method mostly includes lifestyle changes such as reduction if alcohol intake, smoking, and stress, losing weight, exercise, and healthy diet. The second method is through drug therapy and includes medications such as diuretics, beta blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and calcium-channel blockers.
Prevention of this disease simply includes lifestyle changes. These changes consist of regular aerobic exercise, limiting your intake of salt and alcoholic beverages, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fats, avoid smoking, maintaining a desirable body weight, and most importantly, having your blood pressure check