What Is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. Blood is carried around the body in tubes called blood vessels. The pumping of the heart keeps blood moving through the blood vessels. Blood pressure is the force of blood against your artery walls as it circulates through your body.


Blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day, but it can cause health problems if it stays high for a long time. High blood pressure if left untreated can be very dangerous and will lead to Heart Disease and stroke - leading causes of death in the United States.

In the United States, approximately 85 million people have high blood pressure - about 1 in every 3 adults over 20, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

What Is The Normal Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure varies from moment to moment. It is affected by many factors including breathing, body
position, emotional state, exercise, sleep, medicines and alcohol. It is expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

Blood Pressure is recorded as two numbers, usually one written above the other. The top number is the systolic blood pressure. It is the highest pressure in blood vessels, which occurs as the heart contracts (heartbeat). The lower number is the diastolic blood pressure. It is the lowest pressure in blood vessels and occurs between heartbeats, when the heart muscle relaxes.

Normal adult blood pressure is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 120 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure of 80 mmHg (120/80 mmHg). High Blood Pressure is defined as a systolic blood pressure equal to or above 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure equal to or above 90 mmHg (140/90 mmHg). Normal levels of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure are particularly important for the efcient function of vital organs such as the heart, brain and kidneys and for overall health and well-being.

What Are The Causes Of High Blood Pressure?

The heart is a muscle that pumps blood around the body.

Blood that has low oxygen levels is pumped towards the lungs, where oxygen supplies are replenished. The oxygen rich blood is then pumped by the heart around the body to supply our muscles and cells. The pumping of blood creates pressure.

If a person has high blood pressure, it means that the walls of the arteries are receiving too much pressure on a constant basis.

The causes of high blood pressure are divided into two categories:

1. Essential high blood pressure: This has no established cause.
2. Secondary high blood pressure: There is an underlying cause.

Even though there is no identifiable cause for essential high blood pressure, there is strong evidence linking some risk factors to the likelihood of developing the condition.

Most of the causes below are risk factors for essential high blood pressure. There are also examples of secondary high blood pressure:

1) Age

Studies have shown that the older you are, the higher your risk of having high blood pressure.

2) Family history

If you have close family members with hypertension, your chances of developing it are significantly higher. An international scientific study identified eight common genetic differences that may increase the risk of high blood pressure.

3) Temperature

A study that monitored 8,801 participants over the age of 65 found that systolic and diastolic blood pressure values differed significantly across the year and according to the distribution of outdoor temperature. Blood pressure was lower when it got warmer, and rose when it got colder.

4) Ethnic background

Evidence indicates that people with African or South Asian ancestry have a higher risk of developing hypertension, compared to people with predominantly Caucasian or Amerindian (indigenous of the Americas) ancestries.

5) Obesity and overweight

Both overweight and obese people are more likely to develop high blood pressure, compared to people of normal weight.

6) Some aspects of gender

In general, high blood pressure is more common among adult men than adult women. However, after the age of 60 years both men and women are equally susceptible.

7) Physical inactivity

Lack of exercise, as well as having a sedentary lifestyle, raises the risk of hypertension.

Smoking

Smoking causes the blood vessels to narrow, resulting in higher blood pressure. Smoking also reduces the blood's oxygen content so the heart has to pump faster in order to compensate, causing a rise in blood pressure.

9) Alcohol intake

People who drink regularly have higher systolic blood pressure than people who do not, according to researchers. They found that systolic blood pressure levels are about 7 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) higher in people who drink frequently than in people who do not drink.

10) Too much salt intake

Researchers reported that societies where people do not eat much salt have lower blood pressures than places where people eat a lot of salt.

11) Poor diet

Many health professionals say that a diet high in fat leads to a raised high blood pressure risk. However, most dietitians stress that the problem is not how much fat is consumed, but rather what type of fats.

Fats sourced from plants such as avocados, nuts, olive oil, and omega oils are good for you. Saturated fats, which are common in animal-sourced foods, as well as trans fats, are bad for you.

12) Mental stress

Various studies have offered compelling evidence that mental stress, especially over the long term, can have a serious impact on blood pressure. One study suggested that the way that air traffic controllers handle stress can affect whether they are at risk of developing high blood pressure later in life.

13) Diabetes

People with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing hypertension. Among people with type 1 diabetes, high blood sugar is a risk factor for incident hypertension - effective and consistent blood sugar control, with insulin, reduces the long-term risk of developing hypertension.

People with type 2 diabetes are at risk of hypertension due to high blood sugar, as well as other factors, such as overweight and obesity, certain medications, and some cardiovascular diseases.

14) Pregnancy

Pregnant women have a higher risk of developing hypertension than women of the same age who are not pregnant. It is the most common medical problem encountered during pregnancy, complicating 2 to 3 percent of all pregnancies.

pregnancy increases the risk of High Blood Pressure

What Are The Signs and Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure?

Most people with high blood pressure will not experience any symptoms. It is often known as the "silent killer" for this reason.

However, once blood pressure reaches about 180/110 mmHg, it is considered a medical emergency known as a hypertensive crisis. At this stage, symptoms will show, including:

headache
nausea
vomiting
dizziness
blurred or double vision
nosebleeds.
palpitations, or irregular or forceful beating of the heart
breathlessness

Anybody who experiences these symptoms should see their doctor immediately.

Children with high blood pressure may have the following signs and symptoms:

headache
fatigue
blurred vision
nosebleeds
Bell's palsy, or an inability to control facial muscles on one side of the face.

Newborns and very young babies with high blood pressure may experience the following signs and symptoms:

failure to thrive
seizure
irritability
lethargy
respiratory distress

People who are diagnosed with high blood pressure should have their blood pressure checked frequently. Even if yours is normal, you should have it checked at least once every five years, and more often if you have any contributory factors.
What Are The Risks Of High Blood Pressure?

If the high blood pressure is not treated or controlled the excessive pressure on the artery walls can lead to damage of the blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), as well as vital organs. The extent of damage depends on two factors; the severity of the hypertension and how long it goes on for untreated.

Below is a list of some of the possible risks of high blood pressure:

stroke
heart attack and heart failure
blood clots
aneurysm
kidney disease
thickened, narrow, or torn blood vessels in the eyes
metabolic syndrome
brain function and memory problems

How Can I Prevent High Blood Pressure?

You can take several steps to maintain normal blood pressure levels:

Get your blood pressure checked regularly.
Eat a healthy diet.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Be physically active.
Limit alcohol use.
Don’t smoke, if you are already smoking then think of quitting.
Prevent or manage diabetes.

How Is High Blood Pressure Diagnosed?

People measure two types of blood pressure:

Systolic pressure: This is the blood pressure when the heart beats.
Diastolic pressure: This is the blood pressure when the heart rests.

If you are told that your blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg, it means you have a systolic pressure of 120 mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 80 mmHg.

Sphygmomanometer

Most lay people have seen this device. It consists of an inflatable cuff that is wrapped around the upper arm. When the cuff is inflated it restricts the blood flow. A mercury or mechanical manometer measures the pressure.

A manual sphygmomanometer is often used together with a stethoscope.

With a digital sphygmomanometer all measurements are carried out with electrical sensors.

With advances in new wearable technology, people can now keep track of their blood pressure at home. You can read our review of the best home blood pressure monitors currently available to buy.

One blood pressure reading is not enough to diagnose hypertension in a patient. People's blood pressure can vary during the day, a visit to the doctor may spike the reading because the patient is anxious or stressed, having just eaten may also temporarily affect blood pressure readings.

As the definition of hypertension is defined as "repeatedly elevated blood pressure" the primary care physician will have to take several readings over a set period. This may require three separate measurements one week apart - often the monitoring goes on for much longer before a diagnosis is confirmed.

On some rare occasions, if the blood pressure is extremely high, or end-organ damage is present, diagnosis may be made immediately so that treatment can start promptly. End-organ damage generally refers to damage to major organs fed by the circulatory system, such as the heart, kidneys, brain or eyes.

Kidney disorder: If the patient has a urinary tract infection, urinates frequently, or reports pain down the side of the abdomen, they could be signs and symptoms of a kidney disorder.

If the doctor places the stethoscope on the side of the abdomen and hears the sound of a rush of blood, it could be a sign of stenosis. This is a narrowing of an artery supplying the kidney.

Additional tests for high blood pressure

The doctor may also order the following tests to aid in diagnosis of high blood pressure:

Urine and blood tests: Underlying causes might be due to cholesterol, high potassium levels, blood sugar, infection, kidney malfunction, etc. Protein or blood in urine may indicate kidney damage. High glucose in the blood may indicate diabetes.

Exercise stress test: More commonly used for patients with borderline hypertension. This usually involves pedaling a stationary bicycle or walking on a treadmill. The stress test assesses how the body's cardiovascular system responds to increased physical activity. If the patient has hypertension this data is important to know before the exercise test starts. The test monitors the electrical activity of the heart, as well as the patient's blood pressure during exercise. An exercise stress test sometimes reveals problems that are not apparent when the body is resting. Imaging scans of the heart's blood supply might be done at the same time.

Electrocardiogram (ECG): This tests the heart's electrical activity. This test is more commonly used for patients at high risk of heart problems, such as hypertension and elevated cholesterol levels. The initial ECG is called a baseline. Subsequent ECGs may be compared with the baseline to reveal changes which may point to coronary artery disease or thickening of the heart wall.

Holter monitoring: The patient carries an ECG portable device that is attached to electrodes on their chest for about 24 hours.

Echocardiogram: This device uses ultrasound waves which show the heart in motion. The doctor will be able to detect problems, such as thickening of the heart wall, defective heart valves, blood clots, and excessive fluid around the heart.

How Can High Blood Pressure Be Treated?

Treatment for high blood pressure depends on several factors, such its severity, associated risks of developing stroke or cardiovascular, disease, etc.

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