Hypertension/High Blood Pressure
CHIDAMBARAM
HOSPITAL
चिदंबरम अस्पताल,
ചിദംബരം ഹോസ്പിറ്റൽ
சிதம்பரம் மருத்துவமனை,
திசையன்விளை.627657
The top number refers to the amount of pressure in your arteries during contraction of your heart muscle. This is called systolic pressure. The bottom number refers to your blood pressure when your heart muscle is between beats. This is called diastolic pressure.
What causes high blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the measure of the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. The heart pumps blood into the arteries (blood vessels), which carry the blood throughout the body. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood out to the body and contributes to hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, to stroke, kidney disease, and to the development of heart failure.
What Is "Normal" Blood Pressure?
A blood pressure reading has a top number (systolic) and bottom number (diastolic). The ranges are:
- Normal: Less than 120 over 80 (120/80)
- Prehypertension: 120-139 over 80-89
- Stage 1 high blood pressure: 140-159 over 90-99
- Stage 2 high blood pressure: 160 and above over 100 and above
- High blood pressure in people over age 60: 150 and above over 90 and above
People whose blood pressure is above the normal range should consult their doctor about steps to take to lower it.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
The exact causes of high blood pressure are not
known, but several factors and conditions may play a role in its
development, including:
- Smoking
- Being overweight or obese
- Lack of physical activity
- Too much salt in the diet
- Too much alcohol consumption (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)
- Stress
- Older age
- Genetics
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Chronic kidney disease
- Adrenal and thyroid disorders
- Sleep apnea
Essential Hypertension
In as many as 95% of reported high blood pressure
cases in the U.S., the underlying cause cannot be determined. This type
of high blood pressure is called "essential hypertension."
Though essential hypertension remains somewhat
mysterious, it has been linked to certain risk factors. High blood
pressure tends to run in families and is more likely to affect men than
women. Age and race also play a role. In the United States, blacks are
twice as likely as whites to have high blood pressure, although the gap
begins to narrow around age 44. After age 65, black women have the
highest incidence of high blood pressure.
What Causes High Blood Pressure? continued...
Essential hypertension is also greatly
influenced by diet and lifestyle. The link between salt and high blood
pressure is especially compelling. People living on the northern islands
of Japan eat more salt per capita than anyone else in the world and
have the highest incidence of essential hypertension. By contrast,
people who add no salt to their food show virtually no traces of
essential hypertension.
The majority of all people with high blood
pressure are "salt sensitive," meaning that anything more than the
minimal bodily need for salt is too much for them and increases their
blood pressure. Other factors that can raise the risk of having
essential hypertension include obesity; diabetes; stress; insufficient intake of potassium, calcium, and magnesium; lack of physical activity; and chronic alcohol consumption.
Secondary Hypertension
When a direct cause for high blood pressure can be
identified, the condition is described as secondary hypertension. Among
the known causes of secondary hypertension, kidney disease
ranks highest. Hypertension can also be triggered by tumors or other
abnormalities that cause the adrenal glands (small glands that sit atop
the kidneys) to secrete excess amounts of the hormones that elevate blood pressure. Birth control pills -- specifically those containing estrogen -- and pregnancy can boost blood pressure, as can medications that constrict blood vessels.
Who Is More Likely to Develop High Blood Pressure?
- People with family members who have high blood pressure
- Smokers
- African-Americans
- Pregnant women
- Women who take birth control pills
- People over the age of 35
- People who are overweight or obese
- People who are not active
- People who drink alcohol excessively
- People who eat too many fatty foods or foods with too much salt
- People who have sleep apnea
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