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Hypertension
Hypertension can be described as high arterial blood pressure. It increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and peripheral vascular diseases. It is a major cause of renal failure and cerebral accidents. About 15-20% of the population will have secondary hypertension (Benhagen, 2005). Race is a leading factor of hypertension, as African Americans are more likely to have high blood pressure than other races. Other factors include family history of high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, eating a diet high in fats and salt, stress, aging and lack of exercise. It can be caused by other diseases or medical conditions such as atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, alcoholism, cocaine use and medications such as birth control pills, some cold medications, migraine medications and appetite suppressants (Zieve & Eltz, 2010).Sometimes, the cause of hypertension cannot be established, a situation known as essential hypertension.
What makes hypertension one of the most dangerous diseases is the fact that in most cases, the patient does not exhibit any symptoms. This means that he or she will not seek early treatment. However, in some cases, some symptoms such as fatigue, irregular heartbeat, confusion, headaches, vision changes and nose bleeding are experienced. Most people experience these symptoms as signs of some other body condition but they do not seek treatment. When measuring blood pressure, the systolic and the diastolic readings are usually taken. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The systolic reading is considered high when it is over 140 and the diastolic reading is high if it is over 90. The systolic blood pressure refers to the maximum pressure as the heart beats and diastolic blood pressure is the minimum pressure as the heart relaxes. When performing the test for hypertension, the medical examiner usually measures the blood pressure a couple of times. He may also look for blood in the urine, and complications in body organs including the heart and the kidney (Zieve & Eltz, 2010).
It is recommended that people with conditions such as stroke, heart problems and kidney problems have a lower blood pressure than those with no preexisting condition. Most cases of hypertension can be treated by using medicine and changing unhealthy habits. In some of the cases however, the disease results to death. This is because although the drugs used to treat hypertension may lower the blood pressure, they do not do anything to prevent damage to the affected organs. High blood pressure increases as the cardiovascular system ages. Some of the complications that can arise due to hypertension include loss of vision, heart attack, stroke brain damage and pregnancy complications among others (Zieve & Eltz, 2010).
Pulmonary hypertension affects the heart and the lungs. It occurs due to the narrowing of the pulmonary vessels, which in turn increases the pressure in the pulmonary arteries. It affects the balance in the pulmonary circulation, thus causing an overload in the right ventricle Benhagen, 2005). Hypertension is common during pregnancy. The increasing trend has been brought about by the fact that more women are getting children at an older age. As noted above, the risk of hypertension increases with age. Some women who have hypertension when they are pregnant will give birth to children who have a low body weight. In cases where the woman has severe hypertension, it results to maternal death. When administering medication, the doctors aim to achieve low blood pressure, and reduce the risk of cerebral hemorrhage associated with hypertension. They also have to ensure that the medication does not interfere with the blood flow to the placenta because it would cause complications (Benhagen, 2005)
People can reduce their chances of getting hypertension by maintaining a healthy body weight, reducing their alcohol intake, smoking and salt intake. They can also reduce the risk of hypertension by avoiding a sedentary lifestyle and medications that can cause this condition. People should seek treatment early so that they can avoid complications. Hypertension is a treatable and preventable condition, although some of the factors, such as age, cannot be prevented.
References:
Benhagen, F. E. (2005). Hypertension: New research. New York, NY: Nova Publishers
Zieve, D., & Eltz, R. D. (2010). Hypertension. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001502/
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