Things you don't know about Blood pressure, diseases and remedies/advice
Blood pressure diseases(high blood pressure and low blood pressure) are no longer big words for some many people round the globe but where the problem lies is in understanding the real meaning of those words/terms and their implications for mankind.
Join me on this journey as I break them down for you the way you'll understand it.
High Blood Pressure
Before I go on to explain those term, let me explain blood pressure and how to take it measurements.
Blood pressure is the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of the blood vessels. Simply put, its the force with which blood hits the walls of blood vessels. It is measured in millimeters of mercury(mmHg). The blood pressure is usually expressed in terms of the systolic pressure(maximum pressure during one heartbeat) and diastolic pressure(minimum pressure during 2 heartbeats) in the cardiac cycle. The blood pressure is one of the vital signs that healthcare professionals use in evaluating patient's health.
Blood pressure readings are taken either with a manual sphygmomanometer or a digital one. A manual sphygmomanometer will require you to manually operate the sphygmomanometer by listening to the hearts and operating the knob.
Blood pressure is grouped in 3 main groups namely: hypotension(low B.P), normotension(normally B.P) and hypertension (High B.P). These groupings are made based on a general range accepted worldwide.
The table below shows the groupings of blood pressure and is used for age 16+
Category Systolic B.P Diastolic B.P
Hypotension <120 <80
Normal 120-139 80-89
Hypertension >140-180 90-120
Emergency >180 >120
Isolated systolic
H.B.P ≥140 90
Blood pressure readings are best taken in way mornings and evenings you get the most accurate results. This is due to the fluctuations in readings. The left arm blood pressure is more preferable due to differences in values gotten when compared to the right arm.
High Blood Pressure
With each beat of the heart, blood is pumped through the arteries and being which bombards the walls causing a pressure. High blood pressure occurs when the pressure of the blood being pumped is more than the amount required. High blood pressured is called the 'Silent Killer", because it often shows no symptoms before strikes its deadly blow. Globally, an estimated more than 26% of the world's population(over 980million people) has hypertension and with the prevalence expected to get to 29% by 2025. It's one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
Symptoms and Signs of Hypertension
Although hypertension most times do not show noticeable signs, there are however some symptoms that are common in most patients over the years:
- Dizziness
- Heaviness of the head
- Headache
- Loss of balance and composure, etc.
In others it doesn't show these signs, this earning it the name 'silent killer'.
Low Blood Pressure
Just like in H.B.P, this is when the blood pumped is not enough, thus less energy is supplied to organs and blood vessels. This can result to dizziness, fainting and even death. The range for hypotension has been giving (refer above).
Risk Factors of High Blood Pressure
The following predisposes or raises an individual's chances of developing High Blood pressure:
1. Genetics- this includes family history or record where a family member or relative has suffered from high blood pressure in the past or present.
2. Race: hypertension is more common in dark skin than in pale skin.
3. Age: hypertension affects more older people than younger ones.
4. Lifestyles such as Alcohol consumption, Stress, Unhealthy and unbalanced diet, excess consumption of fatty foods, excessive intake of high salt foods, smoking, overweight and inactivity.
Causes of High Blood pressure
Some causes of high blood pressure are traced to underlying condition, medication or drug.
1. Some chronic diseases like diabetes, kidney disease and infection, obstructive sleep apnea(relaxed and narrow throat during sleep resulting to abnormal breathing), Glomerulonephrits(damage to the kidney filters), Hormone problems(underactive and overactive thyroid, Cushing's syndrome, acromegaly, phaechromocytoma).
2. Lupus(immune system attacking the body parts)
3. Scleroderma(a condition causing thick skin and problems with blood vessels)
4. Some drugs:
- Oral contraceptives e.g postinor 2
- steroids medications
- NSAIDs(non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen, etc.
- cocaine and Amphetamines
-some herbal drugs containing liquorice
-antidepressants like Venlafacine.
Treatment and Medication
Generally, for anything concerning your health. you are strongly advised to see your doctor and not self-medicate.
However, there are some things you can do either to avoid or manage high blood pressure. Note: Hypertension is medically not permanently cured but can be successfully managed. These things include:
- Abstain from High salt foods
- Reduce or stop Alcohol consumption
- Avoid smoking
-Avoid antidepressants like Cocaine and Amphetamine unless prescribed by your doctor and keep strictly to their prescription and dosage.
-Regular exercise routines (daily, weekly or bi-weekly)
-Maintain a healthy weight.
-Avoid fatty foods and other edibles which contain low density liprotein(LDL), take Fish oils which contain Omega3 oil which is a good fat.
-Eat foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium.(Which can be gotten from fruits and green vegetables, dairy foods)
Medical effects of hypertension
1. Hypertension can lead to partial or total paralysis in a twinkle of an eye: this happens when one part of the body is affected so badly and the blood vessels connected to that part is blocked or bursts. In this case, blood fails to reach the target organ.
2. Death: this can be the secondary result of hypertension from either heart failure or heart diseases or stroke which are primary or direct effects of hypertension.
3. Hypertension can lead to several Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) .
Thank you for reading.
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