Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

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When a patient has hypertension or high blood pressure, the force of blood against the artery walls is too strong. Hypertension is known as a silent killer because the symptoms do not appear until it is severely high. You may not be aware you have hypertension, but it can be causing damage to your arteries, heart and kidneys. High blood pressure can lead to atherosclerosis and stroke.


The causes of hypertension are diverse and a doctor may not be able to pinpoint the cause straight away. Several factors are known to increase blood pressure. These include obesity, alcohol problems, high salt intake and stress. There may also be a family history of high blood pressure that you are not aware of. If you do not take much exercise or have a low calcium intake, you may find yourself with high blood pressure.


Hypertension can creep up without warning. There are usually no symptoms or signs that you have this complaint. A doctor can diagnose high blood pressure by taking a blood pressure reading. Unlike mild hypertension, severe high blood pressure can cause headaches, nausea and vomiting. A more severe case, called hypertensive crisis, is hypertension that rises rapidly. If this is not treated, it can damage the brain, heart, eyes or kidneys.


Most people find out they have hypertension during a visit to their doctor. The doctor will take a reading of the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The systolic measure indicates the pressure of the blood against the artery walls once the heart has just finished pumping. The diastolic measure records the pressure of blood against the artery walls between heartbeats. The reading is taken when the heart is relaxed and filling with blood.


A high blood pressure reading is a systolic measurement of 140 or above, which is the first reading on a blood measurement gauge. The diastolic measurement for high blood pressure, which is the second reading on the gauge, is 90 or above. A normal blood pressure reading for an adult who is 18 or over is a systolic pressure of 119 and below, with a diastolic measurement of 79 or below.


What causes hypertension?

Though the exact causes of hypertension are usually unknown, there are several factors that have been highly associated with the condition. These include:



Statistics in the USA indicate that African Americans have a higher incidence of hypertension than other ethnicities.


Symptoms

One of the most dangerous aspects of hypertension is that you may not know that you have it. There are generally no symptoms of high blood pressure, so you usually don't feel it. In fact, nearly one-third of people who have hypertension don't know it. The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to get your blood pressure checked on a regular basis. This is especially important if you have a close relative who has high blood pressure.


If your blood pressure is extremely high, there may be certain symptoms to look out for, including:



If you have any of these symptoms, see a doctor immediately. You could be having a hypertensive crisis that could lead to a heart attack or stroke.


Untreated hypertension can lead to serious diseases, including stroke, heart disease, kidney failure and eye problems.


Hypertension Diet Is Better Than Medication

A person may never know that he has hypertension until he has undergone check up with his physician. The worst thing that could happen is finding out that one already has while it's too late. High blood pressure is irreversible but reduced occurrence of cardiac arrest can be made possible through lifestyle upgrade that includes a good hypertension diet.


Research states that four in every ten adults suffer hypertension. However, this does not disregard the chances for young adults. An effective hypertension diet covers a lot of spectrum, and that comprises age brackets, which also means variation in food preparation. To simplify, hypertension diet is classified into two: the restricted diet and the include-in diet.


Low Calories. Obesity can definitely lead someone to hypertension. An individual in this case considers hypertension diet with low calorie in take. And that means restriction in foods like egg and fried food. A patient must coordinate with his doctor if his calorie intake is inline with his age, sex and physical activeness.


Pro Protein. Proteins are good source of energy for the brains and cells. For patients suffering from severe hypertension, they need to restrict their protein consumption to 20 gm/day. A good example of hypertension diet must give 60 grams of protein per day to a patient who weighs 60 kilograms.


Reduce fats. Doctors don't recommend zero fat diet, as the body also needs a reasonable amount of it. However for a proper hypertension diet, reduced fat intake also means reduced chances of arteriosclerosis. Foods like liver, organ meat, crabs, prawns and lobster should be curtailed in a diet. If oils cannot be prevented, then have meals that use corn oil, sunflower oil or olive oil.


Drinking fluids. Water is good. At least 10 glasses a day will reinforce hypertension diet. In some cases however, huge water intake is restricted especially in hypertensive persons with edema, a condition of unusual large fluid volume in the circulatory system.


Minerals. Potassium rich foods like tomato, watermelon, banana and green vegetables will help decrease risks of high blood pressure. This hypertension diet however is not for everyone especially for hypertension patients with kidney disorder. Vitamins may need to be closely directed by doctors.


No liquors. No Cigarettes. If a patient wants to live longer, alcohol and smoking are to be prohibited forever.


These simple NOs and YES in hypertension diet will surely lower a person's risk of high blood pressure. While others may consider fasting a good follow up, sticking to eating food at the right amount, the right foods, and at the right time is better than taking medications.