Hypertension is also termed as high blood pressure. We all know that in our body the blood flows through the veins. Therefore, through this blood we all are getting oxygen, glucose, vitamins and minerals etc., which provide energy and nutrition to all organs in our body.
Blood pressure is the pressure that falls on the walls of the veins due to the blood flow. In general, these blood pressure depends on how much speed the heart is pumping blood and how many barriers the blood is facing in flowing into the veins. As per medical guidelines blood pressure over 120/80mmHg falls under the category of hypertension or high blood pressure.
Nearly 2.5 lakh people die every year in India due to hypertension, while millions of people are dying worldwide. The main thing is that despite the World Health Organization’s warnings, the numbers of hypertensive patients are continuously increasing due to their poor lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits.
Although high blood pressure can affect any part of the body, it is mostly prone to the heart. Chest pain are seen when the heart does not get enough oxygen due to narrow or hard blood vessels. If the flow of blood stops, there may be a chance of heart attack or cardiac arrest.
Types of Hypertension.
Hypertension are of two types based upon the reason;
Primary Hypertension.
Primary hypertension is mostly seen among the youngsters and it have no specific reason, but because of the persistent irregular lifestyle, it gradually increase. The causes of such blood pressure are very common, which are;
- Obesity.
- Lack of sleep.
- Excessive anger.
- Excess intake of alcohol.
- Stress.
- Oily substances and unhealthy diet.
Secondary Hypertension.
Secondary hypertension is caused by a disease or a condition of the body. It can be usually due to the following reasons;
- Obstructive sleep apnea.
- Any kind of kidney disease.
- Adrenal gland tumors.
- Thyroid problem.
- Any nerve failure due to genetic reasons.
- Excess intake of contraceptive drugs, high intake of colds and pain medications.
- Intoxication of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs etc.
| Footnote. There are two types of hypertension i.e., primary and secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension caused by obesity and lack of sleep etc., whereas secondary hypertension is based on any disease or condition of the body. |
Symptoms.
The initial symptoms of high blood pressure is the, patient suffers from back and neck pain. At first, most of the people ignored such kind of problems, but later it becomes a serious problem. The followings are the common symptoms of the high blood pressure;
- Stress.
- Headache.
- Rapid breath and frequent shortness of breath.
- Chest pain.
- Changes in eye appearance such as blurred appearance.
- Blood in urine.
- Head swing.
- Fatigue and lethargy.
- Bleeding from the nose.
- Insomnia.
- Increased heartbeat.
Sometimes some people do not found any symptoms related to high blood pressure. They are aware of it only after a check-up. Non-visible symptoms of high-pressure can be fatal to kidney and heart, so if you have a common problem like persistent fatigue or other, you must check your blood pressure.
| Footnote. There are many symptoms of hypertension. from those the main and common factors are insomnia, stress, headache and many more. |
Measurement of Hypertension.
Each person’s blood pressure consists of two measurements, the first systolic and the other diastolic. It is also called as the highest reading and the lowest reading.
There is a different measurement of hypertension depends upon the heartbeats. At the time of rest, the highest reading in normal blood pressure is, i.e., systolic 100 to 120 and diastolic i.e. lower readings are between 60 and 90. If a blood pressure of a person is 140/90 he has a problem of hypertension.
Complications.
- If you are suffering from high blood pressure, you may have face several health related problems. High blood pressure is more prone to heart attacks and heart related diseases. In addition, people suffering from this problem should also be screened for cholesterol and diabetes.
- High blood pressure is also prone to many other diseases. It can affect the patient’s memory, which is called dementia. It reduces the blood supply to the brain and decreases the brain power.
- Hypertension can narrow or think the blood vessels of the kidney. As a result the light of the eye became decrease and appears blurred.
Effects of Hypertension on the Heart.
- It can thicken the arteries that provide blood to the heart. This reduces their width. As a result, the heart does not get enough blood and the risk of having angina, heart disease and coronary heart disease increases considerably.
- You may face heart attack. In fact, the person who has undergone an episode of heart attack they are in the maximum risk.
- Hypertension thicken the heart muscles, which is called left ventricle hypertrophy. This is a major factor of death due to cardiovascular disease in the future.
- Hypertension or high blood pressure puts a lot of pressure on your heart. This makes the heart work more than usual. It increasing the heart size and weak the related muscle with the time period. This problem later causes heart failure.
- Proper treatment of hypertension can prevent the widespread serious consequences of this disease.
- Antihypertensive therapy can reduce heart attack cases by 20 to 25 per cent. The cases of heart failure can also be reduced by more than 50 per cent on an average.
| Footnote. If hypertension is not treated on time it can impact and may have an adverse effect on health, like it will create pressure on heart and may cause stroke or heart attack and many more. |
Gestational Hypertension.
During pregnancy, if the problem of high blood pressure has been prolonged, it is called long-term hypertension or chronic hypertension. If the problem of high-pressure occurs 20 weeks after the pregnancy, in childbirth or within 48 hours of delivery, it is called pregnancy induced hypertension.
In the meantime, if the blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or more, both women and children may suffer. This can lead to the patient’s eclampsia, a type of complication in which the woman starts to get shocks.
The problem of high-pressure during the pregnancy in women is common. This problem becomes serious with the development of the foetus. During the pregnancy due to the lack of nutritious food, women may prone to anaemia. The lack of blood in the body stops the development of the foetus. It is also likely to be a miscarriage.
There are three types of high-pressure during the pregnancy, which are as follows;
- Chronic hypertension,
- Gestational hypertension and
- Pre-eclampsia.
Risk of High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy.
The development of the child may be hampered due to the high blood pressure during pregnancy. The child does not get the necessary vitamins and proteins. Thereby, it affects the weight of the child.
Hypertension can cause damage to the umbilical cord. In some cases the umbilical cord is separated from the uterus. This disrupts the supply of oxygen to the child.
Hypertension during pregnancy increases the likelihood of premature delivery. It also increase the risk of heart diseases after 20 weeks of childbirth. Such complications can be reduced through proper diet and regular check-up during pregnancy. If you see symptoms of hypertension during this time, contact the doctor immediately.
Tests Required in Hypertension.
Blood pressure is very easy to measure. At present most of the hospitals are initially check your blood pressure and weight before any health check-up.
There are variety of electronic monitors in the market, which can help you to easily check and monitor your blood pressure at home.
Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg and high is 130/100 mmHg. When more than 80 mmHg is found then it is categorized to hypertension or high blood pressure.
Those who have diabetes and high blood pressure have a pressure of 130/100 or should be 80 or less. If your blood pressure is high, you should contact to the doctor immediately. In such a situation doctor can ask you for the following tests;
- Urine Test.
- Blood Test.
- Cholesterol Test.
- Heart’s ECG.
- Ultrasound of heart or kidney.
Treatments of Hypertension.
Treatment of Primary Hypertension.
To fix primary hypertension, some medications are prescribed that keep your blood pressure normal. But also it is recommended to change lifestyles, as the main reason for primary hypertension is lifestyle irregularity. In such cases, the following advice may be given to you.
Regular Check-Up.
To control blood pressure and diagnose high-pressure you must check up your blood pressure on monthly basis. The systolic blood pressure mercury of a healthy adult person varies between 90 and 120 millimetres and the normal diastolic blood pressure mercury is between 60 and 80 millimetres.
Reduce Salt Intake.
You should use less salt in your diet. Excessive intake of salt increase the risk of heart problems. If proper care of your diet is taken on time, you can avoid any kind of problem in future.
Control Cholesterol.
You should not eat a diet that are rich in unhealthy fats which can increase cholesterol levels. Increasing cholesterol levels also increases the level of blood pressure and affects your heart as well. Seasonal fruits and green vegetables should be consumed as well as fish, to keep the heart healthy.
Reduce Anger.
It is often seen that those who are more angry have a higher level of blood pressure. This cause a negative effect on your life. You can prefer the way of meditation and yoga to relieve stress and control blood pressure.
Alcohol.
Regular intake of alcohol in large quantities can increases your blood pressure level. It also increase weight, which can be harmful to your heart and overall health. So it will be better to avoid or restrict alcohol intake.
Regular Exercise.
Regular physical activity is beneficial for your overall health. It also protect you from high blood pressure and heart disease. You must exercise at least for 30 minutes per day. If you suffer from a disease or problem, consult a doctor as he will suggest you the right exercise according to your physical ability.
Control Weight.
More than an ideal body weight can be the main reason of high blood pressure. If you are obese, you may have a problem of high blood pressure. Therefore, it is important to control your ideal body weight, which will also control the level of your blood pressure.
Treatment of Secondary Hypertension.
Secondary hypertension is the hypertension that is caused by a problem like disease. In such cases, doctors give a drug to control blood pressure, but their main focus is to eliminate the disease that has led to high blood pressure.
Sometimes it becomes difficult because the use of medicines that are available to treat the disease leads to a reverse blood pressure. Therefore, consult a qualified doctor in such a case. Sometimes the treatment of blood pressure requires both treatment, i.e., treatment of the disease and lifestyle changes. In such a situation, the doctor can give you proper advice.
| Footnote. Depending upon the measurement of your blood pressure the treatment is often done. For primary case, having a proper balanced diet with low salt intake helps you to reduce hypertension, incorporation of physical activities etc. For secondary hypertension medicines are prescribed by the doctors based upon your disease. |
| Read Now: GOLO Diet: A Perfect Diet for Weight Loss. |
Home Remedies To Treat Hypertension.
Onions.
Onions are rich in flavonoids called quercetin, which helps to dilute your blood vessels. Regular intake can control your Blood pressure immediately .
Gooseberry or Amla.
Amla is very effective to control high blood pressure in a large extent. You can eat a whole one or may use in powder form. This will give you immediate relief from high blood pressure. You can mix honey with gooseberry to control blood circulation in the body.
Garlic.
To avoid the problem of high blood pressure, 2 garlic buds with water should be eaten in empty stomach in the morning. If there is difficulty in chewing, 5-6 drops of garlic juice can also be mixed with 20 ml of water.
Fenugreek Celery Water.
Consumption of fenugreek and celery water can also be effective for high blood pressure. Soak one teaspoon of fenugreek and celery powder in water and then consume this water in the morning.
Frequently Asked Questions.
1. Which Yoga poses can I do to treat hypertension?
The yoga poses to treat hypertension are;
- Setubandh asana.
- Bhujang asana.
- Sav asana.
- Bal asana.
- Sukh asana.
Bottom Line.
Hypertension is a very common disease. If it is not treated at the right time, the patient’s life can also be hamper because it increase the risk of heart failure.
Hypertension also can cause several fatal diseases such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure. High blood pressure put unnecessary pressure on our blood vessels and due to this the walls of blood vessels get damaged and blocked.
Therefore, to control blood pressure a proper diet as well as a proper healthy lifestyle is mandatory. Apart from that at least 30 minutes of physical activities like yoga or freehand exercise according to your physical ability should be incorporated in your lifestyle.
Eat Healthy! Stay Healthy! Merely Disease Free!
+4 Sources
Freaktofit has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, educational research institutes, and medical organizations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and up-to-date by reading our editorial policy.
- Combination therapy in the treatment of hypertension; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5992964/#:~:text=About%2070%25%20of%20hypertensive%20patients,mmHg%20above%20the%20recommended%20goal.
- Eclampsia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclampsia
- Umbilical Cord; https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/umbilical-cord
- Quercetin; https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-294/quercetin