What Causes High Blood Pressure

Posts Tagged ‘What Is High Blood Pressure’

Blood pressure is a measure of the force that the blood applies to the walls of the arteries as it flows through them. It’s normal for blood pressure to increase when you exert yourself, or when you feel stressed or anxious. But if your blood pressure is consistently higher than normal at rest, this is high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

High blood pressure (hbp) or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from the pumping heart to all the tissues and organs of the body. High blood pressure does not mean excessive emotional tension, although emotional tension and stress can temporarily increase blood pressure.

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is the diastolic pressure.

The most commonly used diuretic to treat high blood pressure in the UK is called bendroflumethiazide (bendrofluazide) - but there are others. For example, chlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, cyclopenthiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, and indapamide. Diuretics work by increasing the amount of salt and fluid that you pass out in your urine. This has some effect on reducing the fluid in the circulation which reduces blood pressure.

They may also have a ‘relaxing’ effect on the blood vessels which reduces the pressure within the blood vessels. Only a low dose of a diuretic is needed to treat high blood pressure. Therefore, you will not notice much diuretic effect (you will not pass much extra urine).

The preferred treatment of choice for those suffering high blood pressure is usually a change of lifestyle. For those who are overweight, smoke, lead highly stressful lives or seldom exercise, sometimes this is the only wake up call they need. Once they make the necessary lifestyle adjustments, they will often find their blood pressure symptom restored to a more normal range.

Slightly raised blood pressure may not need to be treated so aggressively, but regular monitoring is important.If you have very severe high blood pressure, you may need to go to hospital for treatment. But it’s much more likely that you will be cared for by your GP and/or a nurse.

A recent study showed that they can be accurate, but sometimes are not. It usually is not possible to tell whether a particular machine is working properly. The cuff should inflate and fit snugly around your arm.

Diabetes considerably increases the risk of cardiovascular disease if hypertension is also present, so the targets for blood pressure control in diabetes are tighter.

High blood pressure can occur in children or adults, but it’s more common among people over age 35. It’s particularly prevalent in African Americans, middle-aged and elderly people, obese people, heavy drinkers and women taking birth control pills.

It may run in families, but many people with a strong family history of high blood pressure never have it. People with diabetes mellitus, gout or kidney disease are more likely to have high blood pressure, too.

In order to have a better understanding of what is high blood pressure, and how we can take appropriate actions to lower our high blood pressure, it is a must that we should first understand the properties of a normal blood pressure. To have a thorough knowledge of what high blood pressure is all about will lead us all to good health.

Our body is made up of tissues and organs coming from fifteen trillion cells with specific functions. The heart, skin, kidneys, lungs, and other glands are responsible for the blood pressure. Everything from the muscle and the vascular tissues, as well as the cardiovascular and excretory systems play an important role.

The heart will pump blood loaded with oxygen to the aorta, the largest artery. This will be distributed to the arterioles and capillaries or the smaller arteries, which will be allocated to every tissues and cells.

Blood pressure will now be influenced by the amount of blood pumped, the speed by which blood is pumped and any resistance that it may encounter during the pumping process. Simply stated, blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood the heart will pump out and any factors that may restrict this blood output to flow.

The bringing of blood to and from the muscles and the skin by the arterioles and veins is called peripheral circulatory system. This is the stage where the so called peripheral resistance will be met. There are three contributing factors for peripheral resistance to take place while blood is being distributed. These are:

1. Viscosity of the blood – by viscosity, it means the blood either flows easily or not. The higher the viscosity, the more resistance to flow takes place, since it would have a consistency similar to that of honey.

2. Elasticity of the arteries and veins – refers to the ability of the veins and the arteries to stretch. Hence, if the veins are rigid and hard or pipe-like, the more pressure is exerted to let the blood flow.

3. The number, size, and state of the arterioles – will refer to the ability of the arterioles to dilate as ready receptacles for the blood that flows. Hence, if only a few arterioles are relaxed and dilated, much of the blood will remain in the veins causing pressure, since no form of release can be met.

During the process of distribution, pressure is needed to push the blood to the arteries. One is the systolic or higher pressure responsible for pushing the blood and the other diastolic or lower pressure responsible in keeping the heart to pump out blood.

High blood pressure then takes place, if our dietary intakes, lifestyle, or genetic abilities may in one way cause the three contributing factors to assume the properties that will cause resistance to blood flow. Blood viscosity that may be thick like honey has to pass through veins and arterial wall that are rigid and pipe-like and will be met by only a few dilated arterioles, the rest being constricted, or worse, closed.

Thus, the lower pressure continues to promote pumping of blood while the higher blood pressure will keep pushing to find an outlet for its pressure. Not finding any, all the pressure will remain in confinement within veins and arterial walls and will be liable to pop out of any exit points just to find release.

Anyone who is experiencing this kind of peripheral circulation and resistance, is experiencing high blood pressure already leading to a stroke, or much worse, death. This is why hypertension or high blood pressure was given the moniker: “the silent killer”.

Normal blood pressure varies from every individual. What is high blood pressure to some may be still normal to others. By ordinary standards, the normal blood pressure of adults on the average is 120 systolic and 80 diastolic. This is usually stated as 120 over 80 in millimeters of mercury or 120/80 as expressed in fraction.

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Also called hypertension, high blood pressure is a wide spread health problem. One in five Americans already has it and more than 90% will get it. The fact that at least 90% of us will develop high blood pressure or hypertension suggests that we are genetically programmed to get it, but it is not our fate, it’s something we do to ourselves. High blood pressure when a person’s usual blood pressure is elevated. The top number, or systolic blood pressure is the highest pressure that occurs each time the heart beats, and the bottom number, or diastolic blood pressure, is the lowest pressure that occurs when the heart relaxes between beats. If only one of the two numbers is elevated, a person is considered to have high blood pressure and should be treated. A person that is consistently over 140/90 mmHg, he has high blood pressure. As we age, hypertension is related to the constriction and narrowing of blood vessels diminishing the blood flow and starving the organs of the oxygen they need causing a heart attack or a stroke. Women are more likely than men to suffer strokes, still unknown why. Main Causes of High Blood Pressure High blood pressure is a disease of poor lifestyle choices such as excess of salt and excess weight. Kidney and certain hormonal diseases can also contribute to hypertension but less common. Most of the cases (90% to 95%) are related to genetics, physiology and lifestyle. Other remaining cases result from pregnancy, drugs, tumors or diseases. It is worth mentioning that most people are unaware they have high blood pressure until their blood pressure is measured. It is then most important that people regularly measure their own blood pressure using approved monitoring devices so that you can see if your blood pressure is within a normal range. Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure If your blood pressure reading is higher than 135 mmHg for the top number or 85 mmHg for the bottom number may mean that you should take action. It would be appropriate to lower your blood pressure with lifestyle changes such as cutting back on salt and alcohol, losing weight and getting more exercise before being obliged to use DRUGS. A healthy diet and exercise can lessen the need for drugs and reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Diet should emphasize vegetables and fruits, lean meat, low-fat dairy products, whole grains and salt restriction meaning intake of no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day. Stress is a factor not to be neglected. Natural Remedies Natural remedies have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years to support the solid health of the heart and circulatory system. In more recent times, research has investigated these claims. There are now a number of published clinical studies demonstrating the ability of a range of herbs to support the cardiovascular system and to maintain blood pressure within the normal range. High-Rite from Native Remedies is what you need. Also, to control your blood sugar, I suggest Advanced Blood Sugar Solution from Health Resources .Take action and be in charge of your health. I don’t know what I would have done without High-Rite… I only wish that I had known about it sooner because it really works! For more information, go to My Site.By Gilles Coulombe

Controlling your blood pressure is just one of many things you can do to prevent stroke. Many people assume that strokes can’t be prevented. Controlling High Blood Pressure also requires you to make changes to your lifestyle, through proper diet and exercise. To assist you, there are various herbal remedies available that are reported to help lower HBP.

Medicine can be a great high blood pressure treatment. Ask your doctor if any medications might be right for you. Medicines will control your blood pressure, but they cannot cure it. You will need to take blood pressure medicine for a long time.

Drugs that help lower high blood pressure have various side effects. If you experience severe side effects from any drug, contact your doctor immediately. Drugs that lower blood pressure include diuretics, beta blockers and calcium channel blockers.

Salt substitutes usually contain potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride as found in salt. The salt substitute makes you produce saliva much in the same way salt does. Salt and sugar intake must be dramatically curtailed with an increase in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy protects, fiber and protein from meat, fish and poultry. Losing weight will result in lower blood pressure.

Vasodilators open blood vessels by relaxing the muscle in the vessel walls. Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) prevent calcium from getting into the muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels, relaxing the blood vessels. Vasodilators are not commonly used alone to treat ongoing high blood pressure because of the significant drop in blood pressure that they cause, which may lead to heart palpitations or rapid heartbeat. They may be used if a person is in a hypertensive crisis or when other classes of medicine are not effective in controlling high blood pressure.

Potassium pills may need to be taken with some diuretics. A diet high in potassium also may be needed. Potassium levels and kidney function are watched closely as the dose increases.

Tekturna works by reducing the ability of renin to begin this process. Doctors say Tekturna is unique because it acts earlier in your body’s blood pressure process than other medications. Tekturna is known as a renin inhibitor. Renin is an enzyme produced by your kidneys that starts a cascade of chemical steps that increases blood pressure.

Calcium Channel Blockers reduce the overall level of calcium in the heart, reducing blood pressure. Alpha Blockers lower blood pressure by limiting the nerve impulses sent to the blood vessels, while Alpha-Beta Blockers combine the effects of Alpha-Blockers and Beta-Blockers. Calcium channel blockers keep calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels. This reduces the heart rate and causes the blood vessels to relax. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, and CoQ10 deficiencies are directly linked to high blood pressure. Therefore reducing their amounts in the body can make it more difficult for your doctor to normalize your blood pressure.

Beta-blockers are also one of the types of drugs used to lower blood pressure. Although migraines are not considered to be high blood pressure headaches, high blood pressure medication does seem to help. Beta blockers will lower blood pressure by regulating the heart rate. Other effective drugs for lowering your pressure are vasodilators, ace inhibitors and calcium channel blockers. Beta blockers are one group. They slow the heart down.

Alternative medicine is relatively inexpensive while medications can easily cost a small fortune. Furthermore, medications usually have side effects, which may be difficult for some people to handle. Alternative therapies can help to cure the problem of high blood pressure without taking recourse to conventional drugs that often have serious side effects. The focus of alternative treatments is to treat the very source of the disease.

Talk to your doctor about adjusting your medication and making lifestyle changes that will lower your blood pressure to under 140/90.

High blood pressure is a serious condition that affects one in four adults. High blood pressure is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body. It is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. It makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body and causes the hardening of the arteries. Normal blood pressure is less than 130/85. High blood pressure is higher than 140/90. Hypertension is between 120/80 and 140/90. Causes of High Blood Pressure Studies show many different kinds of secondary high blood pressure where the primary causes may be quite different from the continuing causes. An example is a rare disease known as coarctation of the aorta, a disease of the large artery carrying blood out of the heart. In this condition, the aorta is tightly constricted a few inches beyond its origin and then expands to its normal diameter. Undoubtedly, blood pressure must rise above the constriction and fall below it, just as it does when one compresses a hosepipe. Yet, if this constriction is removed surgically and the normal continuity of the aorta is restored, blood pressure usually takes several years to fall to normal level. The initial case of high blood pressure is the constriction, but the continuing cause is probably complex changes in circulating hormones, which function to maintain blood flow through the kidneys despite the obstruction, which may persist for a long time even after the obstruction, has gone. Pressure in a hose can be regulated either by controlling the rate at which fluid passes through it or by widening it. Pressure inside your arteries can cause the muscles that line the walls of the arteries to thicken. Your blood pressure is at its highest when the heart beats, pumping the blood. When the heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. Still, for most of your waking hours, your blood pressure stays pretty much the same when you are sitting or standing still. The last cause is one in which you have absolutely no control over. It is genetics. On its own, genetics doesn’t cause high blood pressure, but it feeds all the other causes. Think of it as fertilizer so to speak. If you have a family history of high blood pressure, then your very prone to getting it yourself. With the right genes you can have a high fat and sodium diet, never exercise, drink tons of coffee and stress out on a daily basis, yet still have a reasonably low blood pressure. With the wrong genes, even a little too much salt may be enough to kick your blood pressure into a dangerous range. Symptoms of High Blood Pressure High blood pressure has no symptoms. But if you feel a dull ache in the back of your head when you wake up one morning, or you have few more nosebleeds than normal, you could have a high blood pressure. Headaches, nosebleeds, and dizziness are also common warning signs and symptoms of high blood pressure, but these do not occur until high blood pressure has reached a more advanced stage. However, many people even with the highest blood pressure readings do not feel any of these symptoms. Palpitations, tension headaches and hyperventilation are symptoms of anxiety and so are common in people who are anxious or frightened. If they already have these symptoms and are then unfortunately found to have high blood pressure, then the diagnosis may confirm their fears and reinforce the symptoms. Others may get palpitations for the first time after they have been told that they have high blood pressure. They are not caused by high blood pressure itself, but by fear of it and what the diagnosis means. The symptoms usually disappear, although not always immediately, with adequate explanation of what a diagnosis of high blood pressure really means. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is considered a modern day disease that can lead to heart disease and stroke. As soon as symptoms are apparent, the proper treatment should be sought immediately. Hypertension, if left untreated, can cause the heart to enlarge due to the increased force necessary to pump blood against the greater resistance in your vessels. It is often called “the silent killer”. It affects nearly 50 million Americans High Blood Pressure Treatment Complimentary Therapies - Right medication will curb the level of blood pressure. Living a life with the right practice and involvement will help you to get better relief. It is advisable to join any meditation group or even you can buy books that teach you meditation. In spite of increasing the level of blood pressure, meditation will put an end to the trouble. Moreover, meditation will make your mind to achieve balance pose and position. Acupuncture combined with electric stimulation or electro-acupuncture can lower elevations of blood pressure in human beings. When the research was conducted for the first time, acupuncture needles were inserted on the inside of the forearm just above the wrist, but to no avail. Researchers then started adding electric stimulation to the needles, which means that electric would start flowing from the needles to the body.