What Is High Blood Pressure?


by Eric Hartwell - Date: 2007-02-20 - Word Count: 495 Share This!

High blood pressure is also commonly known as hypertension. It describes the medical condition whereby the pressure of the blood is elevated to a chronic level. On a formal level, high blood pressure is referred to as arterial hypertension. More strokes and heart attacks come as a result of high blood pressure than any other disease. It is one of the major risk factors for heart failure and arterial aneurysms. High blood pressure is also the leading cause of chronic renal failure.

High blood pressure is classified as essential or secondary. The former describes the condition wherein no medical cause can explain the presence of high blood pressure. The latter term describes high blood pressure that happens as a result of another condition like tumors or kidney disease.

Adults whose blood pressure is over 140/90 mm Hg are afflicted with hypertension and are more likely to have strokes and heart disease. It is advisable that those afflicted with this condition see their doctors immediately and start planning on how best to manage their high blood pressure. There are no symptoms for high blood pressure; indeed, a vast majority of Americans afflicted with high blood pressure are not even aware of it. This is why it is important to have one's blood pressure checked on a regular basis.

While we do not know why high blood pressure occurs, we do know of some factors that contribute to it and can thus heighten the risk of strokes and heart attacks. These include eating too much salt, obesity, lack of exercise, stress, and excessive use of alcohol and other illicit substances. Then there are some hereditary aspects that cannot be controlled. For example, individuals of African descent are more likely to develop high blood pressure. They also get it at a younger age, and often in more severe forms.

In recent years, the condition of "prehypertension" has been defined by the medical establishment as blood pressure between 120/80 mm Hg and 139/89 mm Hg. The category of prehypertension is meant to identify patients who are at high risk for developing high blood pressure.

Normal blood pressure rates at below 120/80 mm Hg. The most ideal blood pressure rating is around 115/75 mm Hg.

Those patients afflicted with kidney disease or diabetes should try to keep their blood pressure below 130/80 mm Hg.

Generally, high blood pressure is found incidentally by doctors. Since it has no symptoms, it is not easy to diagnose. Malignant hypertension - the late phase of the condition - may bring the patient blurred vision, headaches, and damage of end organs. Those suffering from high blood pressure should avoid stressful situations, which have been known to worsen the condition. Occasionally, high blood pressure can be confused with anxiety, mental tension, and stress. Chronic anxiety does not cause high blood pressure, although it may irritate it in people in whom the condition is already present.

The risk of complications resulting from high blood pressure is increased for hypertensive nephropathy, cerebrovascular accident, hypertensive retinopathy, and heart attacks.


Related Tags: blood pressure, high blood pressure, hypertension, bp

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