Hypertension » Silent

Hypertension-a Silent Killer

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:00:23 +0000

Hypertension a common disease that result from the consistent constant elevation of the systolic or diastolic pressure above 140/90 mmhg , the diagnosis of hypertension requires that elevated readings be present on atleast three occassions during several weeks .Hypertension causes no symptoms to motivate a person to seek treatment . When symptoms do occur , they signify either secondary causes of hypertension or effects of sustained elevation of Bp on target organs . When you consider the types of hypertension , it is of two types – primary hypertension and secondary hypertension .

PRIMARY HYPERTENSION :
It accounts for more than 90% of all cases and has no known case , although it is theorised that genetic factor , hormonal changes , and alterations in sympathetic tone all play a role in its development .

SECONDARY HYPERTENSION :
It develops as a consequence of particular underlying disease or condition . Now let us see the major risk factors of hypertension according to its types ,

Primary hypertension – The identified risk factors in primary hypertension are as follows :
1 , age – onset between 30 – 50 years of age , increases over 65 years of age .
2 , sex – males in young adulthood and early middle age , females after the age of 55 years .
3 , race – African-Americans as in caucasians .
4, family history .
5 , obesity .
6 , smoking .
7 , high salt diet .
8 , elevated serum lipids .
9 , alcohol .
10,sedentary life style .
11 , diabetes mellitus .
12 , socio-economic status .
13 ,emotional stress .

Secondary hypertension – Major risk factors of secondary hypertension include the following ,
1 , Coarctation or congenital narrowing of the aorta .
2 , Renal disease such as renal artery stenosis parenchymal disease and reno vascular disease . 3 , Endocrine disorders such as pheochromocytoma , cushing syndrome , hyper and primary aldosteronism .
4 , Neurologic disorders such as brain tumours , quadriplegia and head injury .
5 , Sleep apnoea .
6 , Medications , oestrogen replacement theraphy , oral contraceptive pills , and non – steroidal anti – inflammatory drugs .
7 , Pregnancy – induced hypertension . These are the major risk factors of hypertension which should be known to all , to prevent the hypertension

Originally posted 2009-11-18 10:34:37. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Hypertension – A Silent Killer

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:00:20 +0000

Hypertension in its simplest sense means ?high blood pressure’. Medical science calls this condition, ?arterial hypertension’, but hidden beneath the apparent simplicity of the term is the face of a silent killer. This silent killer can invariably trigger a heart attack, stroke, arterial aneurysm, eye damage, or a complete renal failure out of the blue, and no one will have any hint or clue that something was boiling inside for a worst outcome. Hence it is important that hypertension be diagnosed and treated at the earliest, before things get out of hand.

The important question is how to find out if a person is suffering from arterial hypertension. The biggest roadblock in diagnosing hypertension is the virtual absence of any solid symptom as it may normally be called a characteristic of high blood pressure. In other words, a person, even if suffering from hypertension, may not show any apparent symptoms. Every thing will look normal and the person may be as cheerful and healthy as a child. It is only when something happens that one might take note of the developments. In some cases unfortunately, things might have gone to the anvil by then.

Of course that does not mean that all types of hypertension are without any symptoms. Severe cases of hypertension may be accompanied with headache, sleeplessness, dizziness, and in a worse case, coma. In such instances, diagnosis will be a lot easier and quick, but again timely treatment is very crucial.

On the basis of the causes leading to hypertension, this medical condition can be classified into primary hypertension – or essential hypertension – and secondary hypertension. The causes for primary hypertension are mostly unknown. And to make matters even more complex, it is such cases that are reported the most. On the other hand, secondary hypertension will have some definite underlying causes, which in most cases may be a medical issue such as alcohol abuse, endocrine tumors, hormonal problems or kidney disorders. Again, if the exact causes are known, hypertension can be treated and contained easily, but it will be more of a gamble in the other cases.

Treatments for Hypertension

The treatments for hypertension mostly include a mix of medication and a disciplined lifestyle. Here it must be noted that none of this will work if taken independently. Someone with hypertension needs to follow the prescriptions punctually meanwhile adopting a health lifestyle marked by a controlled diet and regular workout/physical exercise.

Finally, one must also realize that an existing issue of hypertension could be aggravated by activities like smoking, drinking, and medicines containing steroids. Therefore, take care to avoid such things as well from one’s daily activities.

After all, remember the age old adage that health is wealth!

Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop – Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs – Visit Hapa Health for more articles.

Originally posted 2009-11-07 06:34:22. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Hypertension – a Silent Killer Rises Due to Rise in Blood Pressure

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:00:18 +0000

Hypertension is often known as a silent killer. Hypertension is the increase in blood pressure inside the arteries, caused due to high pressure exerted by the heart to pump the blood into the system. The higher your blood pressure, the higher your risk of stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and even, new research has found dementia. Hypertension contributes to heart attacks and strokes by damaging the inner walls of the arteries and by speeding up the inflammatory process. Hypertension is the number one risk factor for strokes.

Causes of hypertension: In 90 percent to 95 percent of high blood pressure cases, there is no identifiable cause. This type of high blood pressure, called essential hypertension or primary hypertension, tends to develop gradually over many years.

The other 5 percent to 10 percent of high blood pressure cases are caused by an underlying condition. This type of high blood pressure, called secondary hypertension, tends to appear suddenly and cause higher blood pressure than does primary hypertension. Various conditions can lead to secondary hypertension, including kidney abnormalities, tumors of the adrenal gland or certain congenital heart defects.

Certain medications ? including birth control pills, cold remedies, decongestants, over-the-counter pain relievers and some prescription drugs ? also may cause secondary hypertension.

Alcohol intake, smoking and cocaine intake can cause hypertension through varied mechanisms.

In addition to the appropriate medications, with correct lifestyle interventions (the right diet, losing weight, regular exercise, stress management and yoga), one can get hypertension under control and significantly lower one?s risk of developing life-threatening diseases.

Tips to maintain healthy blood pressure:

* Maintain a healthy weight; if you are overweight, lose some. Being overweight increases your risk of high blood pressure by six to eight times.

* Be more physically active. Fit some light activity into your daily routine like taking a walk at lunchtime or dinner, using the stairs instead of the elevator etc.

* Choose foodstuffs lower in salt and sodium.

* Check food labels for information of sodium in the food. Look for products with “unsalted” or “sodium free” labels.

* Buy fresh poultry, fish and lean meat, and fresh, or canned with “no salt added”, vegetables.

* Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, canned soups, broths and salad dressings, which are high in sodium.

* If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation (maximum 1-2drinks per day). If you have no more than 2 drinks a day, your risk of high blood pressure is low.

* Stop smoking.

* There is evidence that inclusion of few of the foods rich in calcium, potassium, omega 3 fatty acids, magnesium etc , may help prevent hypertension.

For more information on Hypertension, Diets for Hypertension, and Weight Loss Diets please visit Nutrition Consultants

Originally posted 2009-12-23 06:49:06. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Hypertension – Symptoms, Complications of This Silent Killer

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:00:07 +0000

Have you ever felt your heart to be pumping so hard especially when you are at the height of extreme emotions like anger or happiness? Have you ever felt a sudden rush of blood when you are nervous or excited? Are these conditions related to hypertension?

What is Hypertension?

Commonly referred to as high blood pressure, hypertension is a medical condition characterized by the elevation of blood pressure. There are different kinds of hypertension but the most common is the arterial hypertension. This condition could also be classified into two – essential and secondary.

Essential hypertension refers to the condition when there is no specific medical cause that could explain the occurrence. On the other hand, secondary hypertension is caused by secondary conditions like kidney malfunctions or adrenal tumors. When not treated immediately, this condition could become persistent and could cause a lot of other ailments especially those that concern the heart. It has known to be the common risk strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm. It is also said to be the leading cause of chronic renal failure. As an effect of hypertension, a person who frequently suffers such is known to have lesser life expectancy.

Though medicine poses specific ranges of blood pressure that are considered to be at the level of hypertension, the condition is still relative to a person. Sometimes, hypertension is dependent on how a patient can sustain certain blood pressures. When the blood pressure rises 50 percent above what is known to be the normal to a person, it already calls for a treatment.

Signs and Symptoms of Hypertension

Hypertension is only determined through a blood pressure measurement equipment and reads the systolic and diastolic of the blood. There is actually no identified sign of hypertension; rather, it varies from one person to another. Some people report to have experienced headaches, fatigue, dizziness, blurring of vision and facial flushing.

One of the misconceptions of hypertension is its association with stress, mental tension and anxiety. These conditions may affect the flow of the blood but those could not alone cause the imbalance condition of the blood flow. However, accelerated hypertension is closely associated with somnolence, confusion, visual disturbances, nausea and vomiting.

Being in a hypertension condition is not permanent; and it could not be severe enough to cause symptoms. Symptoms only surface when signs of end-organ damage are determined or are possible; otherwise, the condition is still considered accelerated hypertension. Malignant hypertension, on the other hand, is caused by increased intracranial pressure. These could be diagnosed through retinal examination.

Another misconception is that hypertension is known to be only experienced with people in old age. However, this condition could also occur in children and teenagers. Obesity in children is known to be a factor of developing the occurrence of such phenomenon. The detection and intervention in childhood hypertension could be determined though early evidence of the development of atherosclerosis. Aside from that, temperature could also affect the condition in children especially that they are in the height of an active lifestyle.

Complications of Hypertension

Hypertension , as mentioned earlier, could cause a lot of complications. Alone, it is not considered as illness since it is temporary. However, this condition increases the risk in developing other health conditions. Complications include cerebrovascular accidents or strokes, heart attack, heart failure, damage to the retina of the eye and renal failure.

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Originally posted 2009-11-01 06:22:32. Republished by Old Post Promoter