Hypertension (high blood pressure) occurs when the pressure in a person’s blood vessels is too high (140/90 mm Hg or higher). It is a common disease and can have serious consequences if left untreated. People with high blood pressure may experience very few or no symptoms. The primary way to detect it is by checking your blood pressure. Factors that increase the risk of high blood pressure include genetics, being overweight, old age, and lack of physical activity.
Types of Hypertension:
Blood pressure is determined by two things: the amount of blood the heart pumps and how hard it is for the blood to move through the arteries. There are two main types of high blood pressure:
1. Primary hypertension: This type of high blood pressure is also called primary hypertension or essential hypertension.
2. Secondary hypertension: This type tends to come on suddenly and causes higher blood pressure than primary hypertension. Some causes include:
- Problems with the adrenal gland
- Congenital heart defects (present at birth)
- Cough and cold medicines, some pain relievers, birth control pills, and other medicines
- Drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines
- Kidney disease
- Obstructive sleep apnea¹
- Thyroid problems
Symptoms:
Hypertension is often called the “silent killer” because it typically has no noticeable symptoms but can lead to serious health issues if untreated, including heart attacks, strokes, and kidney damage. People with very high blood pressure (180/120 mm Hg or higher) may have severe symptoms. The symptoms are as follows:
– Severe headaches.
– Chest pain.
– Dizziness.
– Difficulty breathing.
– Nausea.
– Vomiting.
– Blurred vision or other vision changes.
– Anxiety.
– Confusion.
– Ringing in the ears.
– Nosebleeds.
– Abnormal heart rhythm.
If you have the following symptoms, you can find out if you have hypertension at home. Just measure your blood pressure for two or three days in a row, and if it is consistently above 140/90, you probably have hypertension.
Treatment:
In the presence of hypertension, leading a healthy lifestyle can help. It is necessary to eat healthy food, stop smoking, engage in physical activity, and lose weight if you are overweight. Treatment of hypertension is also carried out with medications that are individually prescribed by a doctor.
