Good morning nairalanders! starting today, we're discussing 'The 3 part exposé;- compilations that will leave you better informed about hypertension'

Drop your opinions and commentary, let's learn.

In every healthcare institution nationwide,
patients with a high blood pressure are regularly
encountered.

A senior colleague, told me during
his externship training that hypertension
medication, were always being requested for at
the community pharmacy where he was then.

In most extended families, there are one or two or more individuals managing a high blood pressure
condition.

Some manage it effectively, sustaining
a good quality of life. Others manage it poorly and
as a result show no signs of progress and are
lucky to still be alive.

Sadly, a lot of people don't
understand how to handle the condition
optimally.

In our various offices, we are subjected
to a high amount of work load, different from
individual to individual, depending on the the work
place and various working conditions.

As a result,
we are always constantly under stress.

Coupled
with hectic living and the typical hustling lifestyle
of a typical Nigerian, the stress eventually causes
us to break down.

Genetically, some of us aren't
'favoured' so to say, seeing that there's a link between genetics and hypertensive tendencies. Therefore, a person with a family history of
hypertension, ought to be on guard.

Environmental factors, ranging from lifestyle to dieting, and amounts of physical activity, also
determine who gets to
be hypertensive or not.
But then, is hypertension a death sentence?

The answer is 'It doesn't have to be!'

This brings us to today's question;

What Is Hypertension? (part 1)

"Hypertension is a medical condition
characterized by an elevated blood pressure
reading— The force exerted on the blood vessels,
as a result of the pumping action of the heart.

Blood moves through arteries and veins, from the
lungs to the heart and then from the heart to the body, travelling a long distance, and carrying a lot
of substances.

When blood is moving with a higher pressure than normal, the occurrence is known as hypertension.

Clinically, the optimal
blood pressure value is 140/90 mmHg.

The upper figure (140mmHg) is the systolic pressure—the
force with which blood leaves the heart to the
rest of the body.

The lower figure (90mmHg) is the diastolic pressure— the force at which blood enters the heart, from the rest of the body.

This means that generally, a blood pressure reading
that's above this, is considered as a high blood
pressure, and anyone with such blood pressure
readings, is hypertensive.

Hypertension is
generally of two types, though it occurs in other
special cases.

(a) Primary hypertension, that is
nonspecific and due to an interplay of genetic and
environmental factors;

(b) Secondary hypertension, that is specific to an already
existing disease. Kidney diseases and hormonal disorders are the commonest causes.

Hypertension generally, is caused and/or worsened by excessive salt intake, alcohol intake,
tobacco smoking, obesity, depression, certain
drugs and genetic factors.


part 1; compiled by The Blue Pharmacist ff fb @thebluepharmacist. www.thebluepharmacist..com/