Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) :- Causes, Risk Factors, Signs & Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

high blood pressure also known as hypertension affects millions of people worldwide and it is a major risk factor for stroke myocardial infarction or heart attack vascular disease and chronic kidney disease hypertension is referred to as persistent elevation of blood pressure in the systemic arterial circulation blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries it is measured using two numbers the first number called systolic blood pressure measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats the second number called diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats normal blood pressure is less than 120 millimeters of mercury systolic over 80 millimeters of mercury diastolic according to the latest American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology guidelines hypertension is defined as a blood pressure over 130 systolic and 80 diastolic blood pressure must be persistently elevated in order to Define it as hypertension so the diagnosis requires at least two blood pressure measurements on two separate occasions hypertension can be classified into primary or essential hypertension and secondary hypertension primary hypertension occurs without a known underlying cause and it accounts for about 90 cases of hypertension risk factors for primary hypertension include the following advancing age physical inactivity family history of hypertension obesity diabetes mellavus excess salt intake smoking and alcoholism stress and low potassium magnesium and calcium intake secondary hypertension occurs due to some other underlying disease condition some of these disease conditions include the following primary hyperaldosteronism also known as syndrome Cushing syndrome kidney disease hyper and hypoparathyroidism obstructive sleep apnea and certain medications including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs oral contraceptive pills and steroids whatever the underlying cause hypertension is associated with an increased risk of life-threatening conditions including stroke heart attack and heart failure end-stage renal disease and many eye problems including blindness most people with hypertension are asymptomatic and usually found on routine screening programs or incidentally if present some common symptoms include headache dizziness and visual disturbances a minority of patients can have symptoms of end organ damage such as heart failure heart attacks stroke kidney failure peripheral vascular disease and eye complications patients with secondary hypertension mainly present with symptoms of the major cause hypertension for example patients with hypertension due to hyperthyroidism will have symptoms of hyperthyroidism including increased sweating weight loss despite increased appetite protruding eyes Etc only a small subset of patients with significantly elevated blood pressure usually more than 180 systolic and 120 diastolic may have signs and symptoms of Target organ damage this is known as hypertensive emergency this condition usually develops when the patient does not take antihypertensive medications regularly hypertensive emergency requires immediate intervention otherwise the patient will have notorious complications even death treatment of secondary hypertension starts with management of the underlying condition precipitating hypertension for primary hypertension treatment starts with lifestyle modifications including losing weight reducing salt intake quitting smoking controlling diabetes and reducing stress along with lifestyle modifications anti-hypertension medications may be indicated a single anti-hypertensive medication at standard dose is adequate to control mild hypertension however those with moderate or Worse hypertension invariably require several drugs in combination common antihypertensive medications include the following Angiotensin converting enzyme or ACE inhibitors such as enalapril and lisinopril Angiotensin receptor blockers or arbs such as losartan and Valsartan calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine and Verapamil diuretics such as indapamide and spironolactin and beta blockers such as bizoprol