Hypertension – High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure often has no symptoms, but can lead to serious problems.

Hypertension is also called high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the amount of force your blood puts on the walls of your blood vessels as it goes through them. Over time, high blood pressure can damage blood vessels and lead to serious problems, such as heart attacks and strokes. The best way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have your doctor or nurse check your blood pressure.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure contributes to cardiovascular disease.

Your heart will beat 100 000 times today. That’s 100 000 times your high blood pressure could be damaging the tiny blood vessels leading to your eyes, heart, brain and kidneys.
Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood through your body’s blood vessels – all 60 000 or so kilometers of them. Types of blood vessels are arteries, veins and capillaries.
The force of blood against the inside walls of your vessels plus your blood vessels` resistance to blood flow create blood pressure. If blood pressure is too great, it can damage the vessels and restrict blood flow to vital organs. In time, high blood pressure that isn’t low enough (140/90 and up) may result in eye and kidney damage, stroke, heart failure and other serious problems.
New medical guidelines state that a normal blood pressure for most adults is less than 120/80. Drug Treatment is recommended if your blood pressure is at or above 140/90.
For people with diabetes, drug treatment is recommended if your blood pressure is at or above 130/80.
For most people with high blood pressure, the exact cause is unknown. However, if you have high blood pressure, it may be due to some or all of the following:

• Blood vessels that are too narrow, which makes the heart work harder to push blood through them.
• Blood vessels that are stiff and can’t expand when blood is pushed through them.
• Blood with excessive sodium and water. This increase the amount of fluid in the blood, so when your heart pumps your blood through your body, the pressure against the walls of your blood vessels increases.

Blood pressure readings are shown as two numbers. These number show how hard your blood is pushing against the inside walls of your blood vessels. This is now a doctor can tell if you have blood pressure that is too high.
Just because you’re on medication doesn’t mean you’re not at risk. 

• Almost 50% of people on blood pressure medicine still have numbers that are too high. That’s why it’s important to get a medicine that lowers your blood pressure to a healthy level as determined by your doctor. 
• If your blood pressure numbers aren’t low enough, your blood pressure could be damaging the blood vessels that lead to their eyes, heart, brain and kidneys. 
• This can cause serious irreversible damage to these vital organs.

What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?

What you don’t feel can hurt you!

Some people think the symptoms of high blood pressure (hypertension) are:

• Frequent headaches
• Dizziness.

And although you may feel these things, the truth is that most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms. That’s why it’s often called “the silent killer”.
Don’t let “the silent killer” get you. It affects all ages. You’ve probably heard the stories – seemingly healthy people in their 30s, 40s, 50s or 60s suddenly have a stroke or heart attack. The cause is sometimes related to high blood pressure that has been left undiagnosed, untreated or treated with a medication that hasn’t lowered their blood pressure enough.

Why does this happen?

• High blood pressure is not a condition you feel as it damages the blood vessels that lead to your eyes, brain, heart and kidneys. It has no symptoms that warn you.
• Unless you and your doctor keep track of your blood readings, you may have no idea how high it may be.
• Almost 50% of people on medication still have numbers that are too high. They need to check with their doctors to learn if their blood pressure medication is doing enough to help.

Which people are at risk?

You’re never too young to be at risk for high blood pressure.

High blood pressure (hypertension) can happen to anyone. In fact, 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure. But some people are more at risk for developing it than others. The groups listed below should be especially careful about monitoring and treating their blood pressure.

People with a higher risk of having high blood pressure include:

• People with blood relatives who have high blood pressure, like a father, mother, or sibling
• Men over the age of 55
• Women over the age of 65
• Post-menopausal women
• African-Americans, especially women
• Some women who take birth control pills
• People who get little or no regular physical activity
• People who smoke
• People who are overweight
• People with high cholesterol
• People with diabetes.

At risk? Partner with your doctor and make a plan to lower your blood pressure. You may be able to control all the things that place you at risk for high blood pressure.

What do my blood pressure readings mean?

Your numbers measure your risk for heart attach and other damage.

A blood pressure reading is shown as two numbers. These numbers measure the pressure against the walls of your blood vessels. The two numbers are usually written as a fraction, such as 140/90 or 160/110.

• The top number of your blood pressure reading measures the pressure against the walls of your blood vessels when your heart is pumping blood to your organs. Your doctor may refer to your top number as your systolic pressure.
• The bottom number of your blood pressure reading measures the pressure against the walls of your blood vessels when your heart is between beats and resting. This number is known as your diastolic pressure.

Your top blood pressure number is often a stronger indicator of how at risk you may be for heart attack, stroke or other damage. Your doctor can help you learn your blood pressure goal.

Note: Blood pressure that is too low can be dangerous.

Why is it important to treat high blood pressure?

Your organs may only be as good as the blood vessels that feed them.

Your heart will beat about 100 000 times today. That’s 100 000 times your high blood pressure (hypertension) could be damaging your blood vessels. When blood pressure is too great, it can damage the vessels and restrict blood flow to your vital organs. In time, untreated high blood pressure or blood pressure that isn’t low enough may result in eye and kidney damage, stroke, heart attack and other serious health problems.

How do I find the right high blood pressure medication for me?

The right blood pressure medication makes a difference.

If you’ve been taking high blood pressure medication but haven’t seen your numbers lower and stay at a healthier level, there may be a good reason why:

• You may not be on the right medication, dosage of medication or combination of medications that can lower your numbers to goal.