What is hypertension?

Cancer and heart diseases are not the only major killer diseases around the world. There is another disease that’s just as equally dangerous to human being. It is hypertension or high blood pressure. It is a disease which often accompanies other chronic diseases such as heart diseases e.g. stroke and heart failure and diabetes. That is why, sometimes when a person is diagnosed with high blood pressure are often advised to watch out

from getting the other two

infamous diseases through strict and lifestyle.

How hypertension is classified?

Hypertension is classified as under:

The blood pressure of the human body is measured in two components, such as the ‘top’ (systolic) and the ‘bottom’ (diastolic) pressure reading.

The systolic pressure actually works to measure the pump pressure of your blood vessels that it arteries pump pressure is the pressure that can be measured in your arteries when the heart is not pumping. It’s considered as normal when it’s between 90 to 130 mm Hg (millimetre of Mercury). As to the diastolic pressure, it should be between 80 to 85 mm Hg.

How to measure blood pressure?

Originally you will need a stethoscope and an inflatable cuff to measure blood pressure manually. Initially, the cuff is used to be wrapped around the arm and air is pumped to compress shut the brachial artery. When air is released from the pumped cuff, a thump will be heard and this is when the systolic pressure is recorded. Whereby the diastolic pressure is recorded when the cuff pressure dropped below the level of systolic pressure and the slight regular thumping noise that occur as the artery started to open and close beginning to soften and faint out.

When the best time to measure blood pressure?

The best time to measure blood pressure is in the morning before breakfast, especially before consuming caffeine, nicotine and doing any kind of exercise.

What are the symptoms of hypertension?

Severe headache, migraine and giddiness.

Blood shot eyes and feeling hot in the head.

Starts loosing focus.

Seizures (severe hypertension is a potential cause of seizure).

What are the causes of hypertension?

Most of the time it is hereditary cause (almost 90%) and usually those with heart diseases and diabetes are more prone to hypertension. Diseases affecting the kidneys, adrenal glands and aorta

(the main artery of the body) can also cause hypertension, but they are much less common.

What can be done to prevent hypertension or reduce the risk?

The following measures may be effecting in reducing the risk and prevent hypertension:

1.    Cut salt intake - take no extra salt in your food. It will be helpful in lowering BP by about 5 to 10 mm Hg.

2.    Lose weight - if you are obese, you should lose weight. Weight lose together with salt intake is the most important step a person must take in order to control his/her blood pressure.

3.    Continuing medication – it is common for a patient to stop taking medication after sometime as some older forms of medications commonly causes impotence. When the patient stops medication, BP starts rising again and predisposes him to stroke, heart failure and kidney failure. Now a days many antihypertensives are available which does not cause impotence.

Follow healthy eating plans – consume more vegetables, fruits, fresh fishes, whole meal products with less of fatty foods and red meat.