All About Hypertension

Increase in Blood pressure or Hypertension is a fairly common medical condition in today’s stress filled times. Chronic Hypertension can be a silent killer because it has known to shorten the life expectancy by several years. Most patients with hypertension do not have any specific medical conditions linked with it. This is known as essential hypertension. Certain kidney diseases or tumors like the adrenal adenoma can be associated with raised blood pressure which is then known as secondary hypertension.

Causes For Hypertension: Studies have failed to pin point any particular causes for essential hypertension so far. Although a sedentary lifestyle and improper diet can be a risk factor here. Obesity, sodium intake and alcoholism are also said to elevate the condition and care must be taken to eliminate these factors if hypertension continues to persist. Family history, aging and vitamin D deficiency may also be responsible for high blood pressure. Recent studies show that low body weight at birth can be considered a risk factor as well. Secondary hypertension can be eliminated if the underlying disease is successfully treated.

Regular measurement of the blood pressure together with a complete physical examination is mandatory for people suffering from hypertension. Severe hypertension may sometimes be associated with dizziness, palpitations and headaches.

Prevention of Hypertension: Hypertension can be prevented by following an active and healthy lifestyle. Physical exercise coupled with a lower intake of salt and sugar may go a long way in controlling hypertension. The DASH diet (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) has been very effective in decreasing hypertension. Giving up alcohol and tobacco and reducing stress in the day to day life will work wonderfully well in keeping hypertension under control.

Risks: Untreated or out of control hypertension can cause cardiac arrests, aneurysm and chronic kidney failure. Severe hypertension may also result in brain damage in extreme cases.