Your genetics, age, and whether you are facing a few specific health conditions are all the core factors that have their role to play in elevating your blood pressure. Taking the right measurement of your blood pressure considers the amount of blood that passes through your blood vessels and the amount of resistance blood meets when the heart pumps. High blood pressure or hypertension takes place when blood forces its way through your vessels at a higher speed; in our post, we are going to cover the real fundamentals of hypertension, including the symptoms, causes, the way it gets treated, and more.
Narrow blood vessels, also known as arteries, create greater resistance to blood flow. The greater the resistance, the narrower your arteries become, as your blood pressure should be high. The increased pressure causes different health issues, including heart disease, over the longer term.
Hypertension is a common issue prevailing across the masses these days. The guidelines notably changed in 2017, when about half of American adults were diagnosed with this kind of condition. Typically, hypertension develops over the time of numerous years. Mainly, you fail to notice any of these symptoms; however, without any noticeable symptoms, high blood pressure causes significant damage to the blood vessels and the organs, mainly the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.
Detecting the signs of high blood pressure is essential. Regular blood pressure readings can effectively help you and your doctor to check out the changes. When your blood pressure increases, your doctor might have to check for your blood pressure over the weeks to find whether the number is increasing or generally falls back to its normal levels. Treating this condition includes making healthier lifestyle changes and prescription medication. Whenever the condition is not treated then, it can lead to health issues that include stroke and heart attack.
How to Understand High Blood Pressure ReadingsTwo numbers make the blood pressure reading or through the blood pressure chart. The top number or systolic pressure reads the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats and pumps out blood. Diastolic pressure, or the bottom number, marks the pressure in your arteries between the beats of your heart. The blood pressure readings for the adults are defined through five categories:
- Healthy: A healthier blood pressure reading that is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg)
- Elevated: The systolic number stays between 120 and 129 mm Hg, and the diastolic number is often less than 80 mm Hg. Doctors normally do not treat high blood pressure with medication. Here, you would get advice on making the necessary lifestyle changes that help to lower the numbers.
- Stage 1 hypertension: The systolic number is generally between 130 and 139 mm Hg or between 80 and 89 mm Hg for the diastolic number.
- Stage 2 hypertension: Typically, the systolic number is 140 mm Hg or higher, with the diastolic number which is 90 mm Hg or higher.
- Hypertensive crisis: The systolic number that is over 180 mm Hg or the diastolic number that is over 120 mm Hg. Blood pressure reading in this range need emergency medical attention. If you find any symptoms such as headache, chest pain, shortness of breath, or visual changes taking place when blood pressure is higher, call for emergency medical care.
A blood pressure reading is mainly taken with a pressure cuff. To get an accurate reading, it is essential to have a cuff that fits. An ill-fitted cuff will deliver inaccurate readings. Blood pressure readings are different for teenagers and children. If you have asked to monitor your kid's blood pressure, ask the doctor about a healthier range for your kid.
Typically, hypertension is a silent condition. People will never experience any high blood pressure symptoms. It often takes years or even decades for this kind of condition to reach a serious enough level that the symptoms are noticeable. These symptoms are attributable to different issues.
The following are the symptoms indicating serious hypertension:
- flushing
- blood spots in the eyes (subconjunctival hemorrhage)
- dizziness
As noted by the American Heart Association, contrary to popular belief, serious hypertension never typically leads to headaches or nosebleeds other than when someone is in a hypertensive crisis. The ideal way to understand if you are having hypertension is to get regular blood pressure readings. Several doctor's offices will take the reading at each appointment to get your normal blood pressure.
If you have an annual physical consultation with your doctor about the possible risks of hypertension and other readings you may require that help you watch your blood pressure.
For instance, if you have a family history of heart disease or have risk factors to develop this condition, your doctor would often recommend that your blood pressure gets checked twice each year. It can help you and your doctor to remain on top of the possible issues before they become problematic.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
There are two forms of hypertension, and each comes with its cause.
Essential (primary) hypertension
Essential hypertension is every considered as the primary hypertension. It is the kind of high blood pressure that builds over time. This type of high blood pressure occurs in numerous types of people. The combined factors will generally play a notable part in the development of essential hypertension:
- Genes: A few people are genetically predisposed to hypertension. This condition is caused by gene mutations or genetic abnormalities that are inherited.
- Age: People over 65 years of age are at greater risk of hypertension.
- Race: Black or non-Hispanic people have greater chances of facing hypertension.
- Living with obesity: Living with obesity can lead to a few cardiac issues, including hypertension.
- High alcohol consumption: Women who consume more than one drink each day and men consuming more than two drinks each day are at a greater risk of hypertension.
- Living a very sedentary lifestyle: Reduced amount of fitness that is connected to hypertension.
- Living with diabetes or metabolic syndrome: People who get diagnosed with diabetes or metabolic syndrome are prone to the risk of facing hypertension.
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High sodium intake: There is a smaller link between daily high intake of sodium and hypertension.
Secondary Hypertension
Secondary hypertension takes place rapidly, and it takes a serious term instead of primary hypertension. Numerous conditions are causing secondary hypertension, including:
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Problems with Your Thyroid
- Side Effects of Medications
- Use of Illegal Drugs
- Chronic Consumption of Alcohol
- Adrenal Gland Problems
- Certain Endocrine Tumors
Diagnosing High Blood Pressure
Diagnosing hypertension is the simplest way to take blood pressure readings. Different doctor's offices check blood pressure as part of a routine visit. If you are not getting a blood pressure reading at your next appointment, then you should request one. Whenever blood pressure rises, your doctor will request that you have more readings over the next couple of days or weeks. The hypertension diagnosis is often given right after a single reading.
Your doctor should check out for evidence of the highly sustained issues. It is because your environment contributes to the rise in blood pressure, like stress, where you may feel like being at the doctor's office. Additionally, the blood pressure levels would fluctuate throughout the day. If the blood pressure stays high, then your doctor will often conduct further tests, ruling out the underlying condition. The following are the tests that are included:
- Cholesterol Screening and related blood tests
- Testing the electrical activity in the heart using an electrocardiogram or ECG
- Ultrasound of your kidneys or heart
- Home blood pressure monitor monitoring your blood pressure over the 24-hour time at home
The tests will help your doctor identify any possible secondary issues leading to a spike in blood pressure. They will even look at the impacts of high blood pressure on your organs. It is at this time that your doctor starts treating your hypertension, as treatment started early would reduce the risk of lasting damage.
Treatment Options for High Blood Pressure
Different factors aid your doctor in determining the ideal treatment option. These factors include the kind of hypertension you have and the causes behind it.
Primary Hypertension Treatment Options
Whenever your doctor is diagnosing you with primary hypertension, then, lifestyle changes can aid in reducing your high blood pressure. Bringing about positive lifestyle changes is never enough, or if they stop being effective, your doctor will prescribe you the best medication.
Secondary Hypertension Treatment Options
After your doctor discovers any underlying issues causing hypertension, the treatment aims toward the other condition. For instance, if you start taking any medication that causes elevated blood pressure, your doctor should try other medications that do not have any side effects.
At times, hypertension remains persistent, irrespective of the treatment for the underlying cause. Your doctor often works with you to develop lifestyle changes and prescribe medications that help reduce blood pressure. Treatment plans for hypertension evolve. Whatever worked initially becomes less beneficial over time. Your doctor continues working with you to refine your treatment.
Taking the Best Supplements
Your health is better brought under control in different ways with the help of the best supplement present in the market. If your blood pressure is high or low then you can take the necessary dietary supplements you are taking to help bring about the proper regulation. If your blood pressure is high, then you require the medicine, and you should consider taking a supplement like the Right-Pulse Complex Blood Pressure Supplement. But it would be best if you always remembered that natural supplements are not a substitute for high blood pressure medication.
There are a few beneficial ingredients used for making these supplements. Potassium is a mineral that plays a pivotal part in regulating proper blood pressure. Blood pressure often spikes whenever too much salt or sodium is added to food, while potassium helps to remove sodium from your body. Sodium causes high blood pressure since it stops the kidneys from removing water from your body. Carrying greater water leads to your blood pressure to rise. Magnesium is yet another mineral that plays a key role in regulating blood pressure. It can help in supporting numerous bodily processes, including muscular and nervous functionality, leading to protein synthesis. The supplements are rich in potassium, magnesium, and even folic acid, which helps reduce blood pressure.
Home Remedies for High Blood Pressure
Making some healthier lifestyle changes can help you control your blood pressure. Here are a couple of suggestions.
Developing a Heart-Healthy Diet
Having a healthier diet that is good for the heart is important in terms of helping in reducing blood pressure. It is also essential to manage hypertension that is under control while reducing the scope for any complications. These complications include heart attacks, stroke, and heart disease. A heart-healthy diet focuses mainly on:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole Grains
- Lean Proteins Like Fish
Increasing Physical Activity
Performing physical activities or exercises can help you naturally lower your blood pressure, strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system, and lose weight. Try getting around 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week, which is around 30 minutes to 5 times each week.
Reaching an Optimal Weight
If you are dealing with obesity, then it is important to maintain a moderate weight with a heart-healthy diet while increasing physical activities that help reduce your blood pressure.
Managing Stress
Exercise is the ideal way for effective management of stress since other activities are beneficial too, and these include:
- Meditation
- Deep Breathing
- Massage
- Muscle Relaxation
- Yoga or Tai Chi
It would be best if you also got adequate sleep to minimize your stress factors.
Quitting Smoking and Limiting Alcohol
If you smoke regularly and get diagnosed with high blood pressure, then your doctor will advise you to quit. The chemicals present in tobacco smoke would damage the tissues of your body while hardening the walls of the blood vessels. If you are consuming alcohol excessively or have a greater dependency on alcohol, then search for ways to reduce the amount of drink you are consuming. Consuming alcohol excessively raises blood pressure by age.
What Are the Effects of High Blood Pressure on the Body?
Since hypertension is a silent condition, it would damage your body for years before the hypertension symptoms become obvious. If you leave hypertension untreated, then you may encounter serious or fatal complications. Complications leading to hypertension include the following:
Damaged Arteries
Healthier arteries are stronger and more flexible. Blood freely flows and is unobstructed through healthier vessels and arteries. Hypertension makes your arteries tight, tough, and less elastic. The damage makes it easier for dietary fats to deposit in the arteries and limit the flow of blood. The damage eventually leads to elevated blood pressure, blockages, and a stroke or heart attack.
Damaged Heart
Hypertension will make your heart work harder. The elevated pressure onto your blood vessels will force the muscles of your heart to pump frequently with greater force than a healthier heart. It leads to an enlarged heart that increases the risk of the following:
- Heart Failure
- Arrhythmias
- Sudden Cardiac Death
- Heart Attack
Damaged Brain
Your brain would depend on a healthier supply of oxygenated blood to work appropriately. Untreated high blood pressure would reduce the supply of blood to the brain, leading to the following conditions:
- Temporary blockages to the flow of blood to the brain are known as TIAs or transient ischemic attacks.
- Significant blockages to the flow of blood cause death to brain cells, leading to stroke.
- Uncontrolled hypertension impacts your memory and your ability to learn, speak, recall, and reason. Treating hypertension will never erase or reverse the impacts of uncontrolled hypertension. However it will reduce the risks for future issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Feel When BP Is High?
High blood pressure is characterized by moderate or serious headaches, shortness of breath, anxiety, palpitations, nosebleeds, or the feeling of pulsations in the neck.
What Is the First Thing to Do When Blood Pressure Is High?
If your blood pressure starts rising, stop every physical activity, drink water, lie down flat, and take deep breaths that can calm you down. If your blood pressure does not drop in a couple of minutes, then contact your physicians.
What Is the Main Cause of High Blood Pressure?
Adding a lot of salt into the diet, consuming alcohol excessively, or having a family history of high blood pressure are the causes behind it.
How to Treat Hypertension Immediately?
Deep breathing exercises, lying flat, taking cold showers, and drinking water will help in reducing your blood pressure. However, whenever your blood pressure is about 180/120 or the other symptoms, never make it safe to wait at home as it is a medical emergency that calls for immediate attention.
Takeaway
High blood pressure or hypertension is a common health-related issue prevailing in the United States. If you get diagnosed with high blood pressure, then your treatment plan varies depending on numerous factors. It includes the seriousness of your high blood pressure and the type of medication your doctor may find will work best for you the best.
The best news is that in numerous instances of high blood pressure, lifestyle changes can be potential tools for effective management or reversal of your diagnosis. These changes include adding more nutritious veggies and fruits to your diet, getting more physical activity, restricting the amount of sodium intake, or limiting the consumption of alcohol.
It is often essential to get your blood pressure checked during your annual physicals since hypertension often comes without any symptoms. Serious hypertension leads to severe health issues, so the sooner you get it diagnosed, the sooner you can manage it or reverse it.
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