High blood pressure
(hypertension)
High blood pressure
(hypertension)
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a condition with little symptoms. However, if left untreated, it can lead to significant complications such as heart attacks and strokes.
Understanding Hypertension
When it comes to high blood pressure, there are typically little or no symptoms. Many people have it without realising it for years.
However, just because high blood pressure isn’t always accompanied by symptoms doesn’t imply it’s innocuous. Hypertension, or uncontrolled high blood pressure, damages your arteries, particularly those in the kidneys and eyes. Stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular issues are all linked to high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is usually a long-term problem. Secondary hypertension and primary hypertension are the two main types of high blood pressure. Primary hypertension, also known as essential hypertension, affects the majority of people.
- Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure that occurs as a direct result of another health problem.
- High blood pressure that isn’t caused by a specific reason is known as primary hypertension. Rather, it grows slowly over time. Hereditary factors are implicated in many of these cases.
A third of adults in the United Kingdom have high blood pressure, though many are unaware of it.
Getting your blood pressure checked is usually the only method to find out if you have hypertension.
UNCOMMON SYMPTOMS &
EMERGENCY SYMPTOMS
UNCOMMON SYMPTOMS &
EMERGENCY SYMPTOMS
People with chronic high blood pressure may experience symptoms like:
- Headaches that are dull
- Dizziness
- Nosebleeds
When symptoms do appear, it’s usually only when blood pressure rises to dangerously high levels, prompting a medical emergency. This is referred to as a hypertensive emergency.
A blood pressure reading of 180 milligrammes of mercury (mm Hg) or more for the systolic pressure (first number) or 120 or more for the diastolic pressure (second number) is considered hypertensive crisis (second number). It’s frequently caused by forgetting to take medications or having secondary high blood pressure.
If you’re testing your own blood pressure and it’s that high, wait a few minutes and check again to make sure the original reading was accurate. Other signs and symptoms of a hypertensive emergency include:
- Migraine or severe headache
- Severe phobias
- Chest discomfort
- Changes in vision
- Breathing problems
- Nosebleed
Whether your second blood pressure reading is still 180 or above after a few minutes, don’t wait to see if your blood pressure drops on its own. Immediately dial 999 or your local emergency services.
Severe problems can arise from an emergency hypertensive crisis, including:
- Fluid in the lungs
- Swelling or bleeding in the brain
- A tear in the body’s major artery, the aorta
- Stroke
- Eclampsia causes seizures in pregnant women.
High blood pressure
during pregnancy
High blood pressure during pregnancy
High blood pressure can arise during pregnancy in some situations. In pregnancy, there are various different types of high blood pressure issues. A variety of variables could be to blame, including:
- Obesity
- High blood pressure for a long time
- Diabetes
- Renal failure
- Lupus
- Aid with in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and other pregnancy-related procedures
- Being a teenager or being past the age of 40
- Bearing several children (e.g., twins)
- Pregnant for the first time
Preeclampsia is a condition that develops when high blood pressure develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Severe preeclampsia can harm organs and the brain, resulting in life-threatening convulsions called eclampsia.
High blood pressure
complications and risks
High blood pressure complications and risks
Untreated high blood pressure can lead to heart disease and problems like heart attack, stroke, and heart failure over time.
Other potential issues include:
- Loss of eyesight
- Renal failure
- Erection difficulties (ED)
- In the lungs, there is an accumulation of fluid.
- Loss of memory
High blood pressure
Treatments
High blood pressure Treatments
High blood pressure can be treated with a variety of methods, including lifestyle changes, weight loss, and medication. Doctors will devise a treatment strategy based on your blood pressure level and the underlying cause.
Dietary alterations
Healthy nutrition can help you lower your blood pressure, especially if it’s only a little higher. It’s common advice to eat foods that are low in sodium and salt but high in potassium.
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is an example of a meal plan that doctors advise to keep blood pressure under control. The emphasis is on foods that are low in salt and saturated fat, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Foods that are good for your heart include:
- Apples, bananas, and oranges are some of the fruits that you can eat.
- Carrots and broccoli
- Whole-wheat pasta and brown rice
- Legumes
- Omega-3 fatty acid-rich seafood
Limit your intake of the following foods:
- Sugary foods and beverages
- Flesh that is red
- Sugars and fats
When trying to control high blood pressure, it’s also a good idea to avoid drinking too much alcohol. Men should limit themselves to two drinks per day. Women should limit themselves to one drink.
Exercise
Another significant lifestyle adjustment for controlling high blood pressure is physical activity. A simple method to add to a healthy heart routine is to do aerobics and cardio for 30 minutes five times a week. These exercises will get your heart rate up.
A healthy weight is achieved by proper nutrition and activity. Weight loss aids in the reduction of cholesterol and blood pressure. Other dangers associated with obesity are also reduced.
Trying to control and limit stress is another strategy to treat high blood pressure. Blood pressure will rise as a result of stress. Exercising, meditation, or listening to music are all good ways to relieve stress.
Medication
If lifestyle changes alone aren’t helping, a range of drugs can be used to manage high blood pressure. Many cases will necessitate the use of two or more drugs.
Diuretics. Sometimes known as water pills or fluid pills, flush the body of excess fluid and sodium. These are frequently combined with another medication.
Beta-blockers. Reduce the rate of heartbeat. This reduces the amount of blood that flows through the blood arteries.
Calcium channel blockers. Work by preventing calcium from entering cells and thereby relaxing blood arteries.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Work by blocking the hormones that cause blood pressure to rise.
Alpha-blockers and centrally acting agents. Work by relaxing blood arteries and blocking hormones that stiffen them. Nerve signals that narrow blood arteries are reduced by central acting agents, which cause the nervous system to reduce them.
Alternative and Complementary therapies used
when treating Parkinson’s Disease patients
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
The air pressure in a Hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber is two to three times higher than normal air pressure. Your lungs can absorb significantly more oxygen under these conditions than they could if you were inhaling pure oxygen at normal air pressure. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy not only provides important oxygen and nourishment to your organs but also maintains your blood vessels open, lowering your blood pressure. 1, 2.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy has been demonstrated to lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and anxiety in the whole body. Cryotherapy for the entire body enhances sleep and cures insomnia. Whole-body cryotherapy causes a vasoconstriction/vasodilation cycle, which helps to widen constricted arteries and reduce cardiac workload and blood pressure. 3.
Ozone therapy
Ozone therapy lowers blood pressure and slows the progression of hypertension, with anti-vasoconstrictor effects linked to lower levels of serum endothelin-1 and ET receptor A mRNA expression in the heart and vascular tissue. 4.
Red Light Therapy
Regular infrared light therapy sessions have been shown in clinical studies to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Both are important for keeping your heart in good shape. 5.
Infrared Sauna therapy
In patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol, repeated infrared sauna treatments improved compromised blood vessel functioning. This suggests that using an infrared sauna can help avoid arteriosclerosis. 6.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
The air pressure in a Hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber is two to three times higher than normal air pressure. Your lungs can absorb significantly more oxygen under these conditions than they could if you were inhaling pure oxygen at normal air pressure. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy not only provides important oxygen and nourishment to your organs but also maintains your blood vessels open, lowering your blood pressure. 1, 2.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy has been demonstrated to lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and anxiety in the whole body. Cryotherapy for the entire body enhances sleep and cures insomnia. Whole-body cryotherapy causes a vasoconstriction/vasodilation cycle, which helps to widen constricted arteries and reduce cardiac workload and blood pressure. 3.
Ozone therapy
Ozone therapy lowers blood pressure and slows the progression of hypertension, with anti-vasoconstrictor effects linked to lower levels of serum endothelin-1 and ET receptor A mRNA expression in the heart and vascular tissue. 4.
Red Light Therapy
Regular infrared light therapy sessions have been shown in clinical studies to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Both are important for keeping your heart in good shape. 5.
Infrared Sauna therapy
In patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol, repeated infrared sauna treatments improved compromised blood vessel functioning. This suggests that using an infrared sauna can help avoid arteriosclerosis. 6.
When to see your GP for high blood pressure
When to see your GP for high blood pressure
If none of these methods for lowering high blood pressure is working, consult your doctor. A new medication can take up to two weeks to fully take effect. A lack of change in your blood pressure may indicate that you require additional therapy, or it could be the result of another problem related to your high blood pressure.
You should also contact your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Blurry vision
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
These could also be signs of something else or a pharmaceutical side effect. In this case, a different medicine may be required to replace the one that is causing discomfort.
Summary
Summary
You will be expected to monitor and treat your blood pressure for the rest of your life if you have high blood pressure. With lifestyle modifications, there’s a potential that high blood pressure will return to normal, but it’ll be difficult. To maintain a target blood pressure, a combination of lifestyle changes and medication is usually required. Treatment will also reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other consequences associated with heart disease.
You can live a healthy life if you pay close attention and keep track of your progress.
