High blood pressure (hypertension): Causes, symptoms & treatment 2024

Millions of individuals throughout the world suffer from hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. Though it’s sometimes called the “silent threat,” it poses a major risk to health since, in its early phases, it rarely shows any signs. Frequent examinations are essential for early discovery and therapy because there are no warning signals present.

High Blood Pressure Classifications
Good blood pressure is defined as 120/80 mmHg or less, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). This is an explanation of the classification system for blood pressure:

Blood Pressure Category	Description
Normal	Less than 120/80 mmHg
Elevated	Systolic 120-129 and diastolic below 80 mmHg (prehypertension)
Stage 1 Hypertension	Diastolic 80-89 mmHg or systolic 130-139 mmHg
Stage 2 Hypertension	Systolic 140/90 mmHg or higher

• Extremely high blood pressure readings, like those above 180/120 mmHg, require immediate medical attention. Don’t hesitate to call emergency services if you experience this.
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure can silently increase your risk of serious health problems down the road, such as heart attacks, strokes, and even kidney issues.
• Early detection is key! Get your blood pressure checked by your doctor regularly. Most adults should aim for at least one checkup every two years, starting at 18. Depending on your health, your doctor might recommend more frequent monitoring.

DISCLAIMER: Expert medical advice should always be consulted before acting upon the material presented; it is solely intended for educational reasons. Kindly get advice from your physician regarding diagnosis and personalized treatment regimens. Instead of being a naive believer, be an informed person.

Causes of high blood pressure:

Even while the precise cause of primary hypertension, or high blood pressure, is occasionally unknown, several variables might greatly raise your risk:

Lifestyle Choices:
Unhealthy Diet: Eating too much salt (sodium), not enough fruits and vegetables, and unhealthy fats can all raise blood pressure.
Physical Inactivity: Getting regular exercise helps control blood pressure and weight. Living a sedentary lifestyle raises the danger.
Smoking: Smoking causes blood pressure to rise and blood vessels to be damaged.
Overindulgence in Alcohol: Consuming alcohol in excess can raise blood pressure.

Medical Conditions:
Obesity: Carrying too much weight increases blood pressure and strains the heart.
Diabetes: Diabetes can alter blood pressure regulation and cause blood vessel damage.
Kidney Disease: Blood pressure is regulated by healthy kidneys. When they’re not working correctly, blood pressure levels may increase.
Sleep apnea: This sleep apnea disorder can cause breathing difficulties, which can elevate blood pressure.

Extra Risk Elements:
Family History: Your risk is increased if you have a close family who has high blood pressure.
Age: As people age, their risk of high blood pressure often rises.

Symptoms of high blood pressure:

The fact that high blood pressure, or hypertension, is frequently undiagnosed is one of the main problems with it. It is sometimes referred to as the “silent threat” since, in contrast to many other medical disorders, it rarely exhibits symptoms in its early stages. This highlights how crucial it is to see your doctor frequently to detect high blood pressure early and avoid problems.

On the other hand, extremely high blood pressure (usually more than 180/120 mmHg) might occasionally present with some clear warning indicators:

Symptoms of Extremely High Blood Pressure (Usually Above 180/120 mmHg)

Symptom	Description
Severe Headaches	Throbbing or pulsating headaches that can occur anywhere in the head
Blurred Vision	Difficulty seeing clearly or experiencing temporary vision changes
Chest Discomfort	Tight or crushing chest pain that may resemble angina or a heart attack
Breathing Difficulties	Shortness of breath or difficulty catching your breath (dyspnea)
Vomiting or Nausea	Feeling sick to your stomach or throwing up
Anxiety or Confusion	Unusual feelings of anxiety or confusion
Ear Buzzing	Persistent or intermittent ringing or whooshing sound in the ears
Nosebleeds	Sudden nosebleeds

High blood pressure treatment:

A cooperative effort between you and your physician is essential to controlling high blood pressure. They’ll keep an eye on your development, make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan, and listen to any worries you may have. Keep in mind that consistency is essential. You can successfully manage high blood pressure and have a long, healthy life by living a balanced lifestyle and doing as your doctor prescribes.

If you are at an early stage of high blood pressure, well… congrats you can manage it with lifestyle modification

• Embrace a heart-healthy diet: a well-balanced meal low in sodium is lucrative in high blood pressure. Give special attention to entire grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein sources. Reduce your intake of added sweets, bad fats, and processed foods. Blood pressure can be lowered with the help of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet.
• Move Your Body Regularly: Blood pressure control is mostly dependent on regular physical activity. Aim for 150 minutes or more per week of moderate-to-intense activity or 75 minutes or more of vigorous exercise. Little increases in activity can have a significant impact.
• Keep Your Weight in Check: Carrying too much weight puts stress on your heart and blood vessels. Even a small amount of weight loss can have a big impact on blood pressure management.
• Handle Stress Effectively: High blood pressure may be a result of chronic stress. For successful stress management, experiment with relaxation methods like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing.

Sometimes controlling blood pressure with lifestyle changes alone isn’t enough. But no worries…To lower your blood pressure, your doctor could recommend certain medications. Certain medications function in different ways, such as assisting your kidneys in getting rid of extra salt from your body or relaxing blood vessels.

• Diuretics: By assisting your kidneys in eliminating extra fluid from your body, these drugs can help reduce blood pressure.
• ACE inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors): these are drugs that relax blood arteries by preventing the synthesis of a chemical that causes constriction.
• ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers): function similarly to ACE inhibitors but prevent the constriction of blood vessels by blocking the activity of an alternative chemical.
• Beta-blockers: These drugs lower blood pressure by slowing the heart rate and heart contraction force.
• Calcium channel blockers: These drugs cause your blood vessel walls’ muscles to relax, causing your blood vessels to enlarge and reduce blood pressure.

REMINDER: The information offered should not be used in place of expert medical advice; rather, it is meant purely for educational reasons. For a diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to your unique requirements, please see your physician. Be a thoughtful person rather than a naive believer.