Over 74 million people in the United States suffer from hypertension or what is known as high blood pressure to the general public. It is the leading cause of stroke and a major cause of heart attack.
Blood pressure is the pressure that blood creates as it travels throughout the body and pushes against artery walls. It is reported in two numbers—usually expressed as a higher number over a lower number. The higher number is the pressure that is exerted on the arteries when the heart beats and the arteries are filled with blood. The lower number is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is between beats.
It is important to remember that blood pressure is not a static reading. As activity or emotional states change, so does the blood pressure. If the pressure did not increase for a person running a race or for someone experiencing a highly emotional situation, sufficient oxygen would not be supplied to the body and fainting would occur.
The problem arises when the blood pressure remains at a high level when the person is resting. Hypertension is diagnosed when an individual has readings of 140/90 or higher on two separate occasions. Immediate treatment should be sought for an individual who has a blood pressure reading of 200/120. Diabetics require treatment for readings of 130/80 because of a diabetic’s increased risk of stroke and heart attacks.
Many people with hypertension are not aware they are at risk because frequently there are no symptoms there is a problem. For that reason, it is important to have blood pressure checks. Getting a blood pressure taken has become fairly easy. Most drug stores have blood pressure machines that people can use without charge. Also, people can go to a fire station and ask for someone to take their blood pressure.
Mayo Clinic physicians recommend that a person have a blood pressure reading at least every two years beginning at age 20. Children 3 and older should have their pressures checked as part of their yearly checkups.
So who is at risk? People who: have a family history of hypertension, heart disease or diabetes; are black; are older than 55; are overweight; are not physically active; drink excessively; smoke; eat foods high in saturated fats or salt; or use medications such as anti-inflammatories, decongestants, and illicit drugs such as cocaine.
The cause of hypertension in 95% of cases cannot be determined. This condition is called essential hypertension. It is believed to be sensitive to diet and life style. It is associated with high salt intake, obesity, stress, insufficient intake of potassium, calcium and magnesium, lack of exercise, and long-term alcohol consumption.
The most common cause of secondary hypertension is kidney disease but it can be a result of adrenal gland tumors. Birth control pills containing estrogen can increase blood pressure as well as medications that constrict the blood vessels. Weight loss drugs are also able to cause blood pressure to rise.
The first step in treatment usually involves changes in life style—lowering salt and fat intake, losing weight, increasing activity, and learning to manage stress. If life style changes are not sufficient to control hypertension, it may be necessary to add a medication regimen. There are a number of drug classifications that are used to treat high blood pressure. For some people diagnosed with hypertension, more than one type of medication may be ordered. The important issue is to make sure medications are taken as ordered every day.
According to medical research, the probability is that if a person lives long enough, he/she will experience hypertension. It is strongly associated with aging. But, it is treatable and people live long and productive lives even after a diagnosis of high blood pressure.
http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-MADS00100/High-blood-pressure-hypertension?q=hypertension+prevention
http://hypertension-facts.org/hypertension-treatment.html
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/understanding-high-blood-pressure-basics
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