Hypertension

Hypertension

Some people experience high blood pressure for years without feeling any symptoms. For this, we will discuss in detail what is high blood pressure and how its symptoms are and how to control it.

Definition of Hypertension

Is the force of blood pushing through the blood vessels; As the heart works harder and the blood vessels pressure more; Which makes it a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and other serious problems, and the amount of pressure is determined by the amount of blood pumped by the heart and the size of arterial resistance to the strength of flow and blood flow. Early blood pressure to control it.

Causes of high blood pressure

This depends on the type of disease, as there are two types of hypertension:

• Primary hypertension (major): In 90% - 95% of cases in adults, the cause cannot be identified. This species tends to evolve gradually, over several years.
• Secondary hypertension: At the remaining 5% - 10%, this type is born as a result of another disease, and it usually appears suddenly and causes blood pressure higher than that caused by the primary.

Other causes include several diseases and medications, including:

• Kidney disease
• Adrenal gland tumors
• Certain birth defects in the heart
• Certain medications such as birth control pills, anti-cold drugs, decongestants
• Over-the-counter pain relievers and a number of over-the-counter medications
• Drugs such as cocaine and amphetamine (Amphetamine).

Symptoms of high blood pressure

The symptoms of high blood pressure do not appear in most of the people who suffer from it, as well as in cases where the blood pressure records high values to the extent that they constitute a danger. In some patients, the following symptoms appear in the early stages of the disease:

• Mild headaches
• Dizziness
• Excessive bleeding from the nose.

Complications of high blood pressure

Excess blood pressure on the walls of the arteries may cause damage to blood vessels and other organs in the body. The higher the blood pressure, the higher, and the longer it remains untreated for a longer period of time, the greater the damage. Failure to treat high blood pressure may lead to:

• Vascular damage
• Aneurysm (localized expansion of the walls of blood vessels - Aneurysm)
• Cardiac arrest
• Blockages or rupture of blood vessels in the brain
• Weakness and narrowing of the blood vessels in the kidneys
• Condensation, narrowing or wounding of blood vessels in the eyes
• Memory or comprehension problems.

Treatment

Based on the diagnosis, a treatment plan will be developed that includes: a lifestyle change such as physical activity, and a healthy diet. Medications to control high blood pressure. The doctor may resort to drugs in advanced stages.

References

Role of the renin-angiotensin system in vascular inflammation/ DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2008.05.003

Hypertension/ Prof Neil R Poulter, FMedSci / Prof Dorairaj Prabhakaran, DM/ Prof Mark Caulfield, FMedSci/ Published:March 29, 2015/ DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61468-9

BMJ 2020; 368 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m315 (Published 25 February 2020)