What is high blood pressure?
You probably have high blood pressure (hypertension) if your blood pressure readings are consistently 140 over 90, or higher, over a number of weeks.
You may also have high blood pressure if just one of the numbers is higher than it should be over a number of weeks.
If you have high blood pressure, this higher pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. Over time, this extra strain increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
High blood pressure can also cause heart and kidney disease and is closely linked to some forms of dementia.
Causes
The heart is a muscle that pumps blood around the body.
Blood that has low oxygen levels is pumped towards the lungs, where oxygen supplies are replenished. The oxygen-rich blood is then pumped by the heart around the body to supply our muscles and cells. The pumping of blood creates pressure.
If a person has high blood pressure, it means that the walls of the arteries are receiving too much pressure on a constant basis.
The causes of high blood pressure are divided into two categories:
Essential high blood pressure: This has no established cause.
Secondary high blood pressure: There is an underlying cause.underlying cause.
Even though there is no identifiable cause for essential high blood pressure, there is strong evidence linking some risk factors to the likelihood of developing the condition.
Most of the causes below are risk factors for essential high blood pressure. There are also examples of secondary high blood pressure:
1) Age
The older you are the higher your risk of having high blood pressure.
2) Family history
If you have close family members with hypertension, your chances of developing it are significantly higher. An international scientific study identified eight common genetic differences that may increase the risk of high blood pressure.
3) Temperature
A study that monitored 8,801 participants over the age of 65 found that systolic and diastolic blood pressure values differed significantly across the year and according to the distribution of outdoor temperature. Blood pressure was lower when it got warmer, and rose when it got colder.
4) Ethnic background
Evidence indicates that people with African or South Asian ancestry have a higher risk of developing hypertension, compared to people with predominantly Caucasian or Amerindian (indigenous of the Americas) ancestries.
5) Obesity and overweight
Both overweight and obese people are more likely to develop high blood pressure, compared to people of normal weight.
6) Some aspects of gender
In general, high blood pressure is more common among adult men than adult women. However, after the age of 60 years, both men and women are equally susceptible.
7) Physical inactivity
Lack of exercise, as well as having a sedentary lifestyle, raises the risk of hypertension.
8) Smoking
Smoking causes the blood vessels to narrow, resulting in higher blood pressure. Smoking also reduces the blood's oxygen content so the heart has to pump faster in order to compensate, causing a rise in blood pressure.
9) Alcohol intake
People who drink regularly have higher systolic blood pressure than people who do not, according to researchers. They found that systolic blood pressure levels are about 7 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) higher in people who drink frequently than in people who do not drink.
10) High salt intake
Researchers reported that societies, where people do not eat much salt, have lower blood pressures than places where people eat a lot of salt.
11) High-fat diet
Many health professionals say that a diet high in fat leads to a raised high blood pressure risk. However, most dietitians stress that the problem is not how much fat is consumed, but rather what type of fats.
Fats sourced from plants such as avocados, nuts, olive oil, and omega oils are good for you. Saturated fats, which are common in animal-sourced foods, as well as trans fats, are bad for you.
12) Mental stress
Various studies have offered compelling evidence that mental stress, especially over the long term, can have a serious impact on blood pressure. One study suggested that the way that air traffic controllers handle stress can affect whether they are at risk of developing high blood pressure later in life.
13) Diabetes
People with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing hypertension. Among people with type 1 diabetes, high blood sugar is a risk factor for incident hypertension - effective and consistent blood sugar control, with insulin, reduces the long-term risk of developing hypertension.
People with type 2 diabetes are at risk of hypertension due to high blood sugar, as well as other factors, such as overweight and obesity, certain medications, and some cardiovascular diseases.
14) Psoriasis
A study that followed 78,000 women for 14 years found that having psoriasis was linked to a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes. Psoriasis is an immune system condition that appears on the skin in the form of thick, red scaly patches.
15) Pregnancy
Pregnant women have a higher risk of developing hypertension than women of the same age who are not pregnant. It is the most common medical problem encountered during pregnancy, complicating 2 to 3 percent of all pregnancies.
Signs and symptoms
Most people with high blood pressure will not experience any symptoms. It is often known as the "silent killer" for this reason.
However, once blood pressure reaches about 180/110 mmHg, it is considered a medical emergency is known as a hypertensive crisis. At this stage, symptoms will show, including:
-
a headache
- nausea
- vomiting
- dizziness
- blurred or double vision
- nosebleeds.
- palpitations, or irregular or forceful beating of the heart
- breathlessness
Anybody who experiences these symptoms should see their doctor immediately.
Children with high blood pressure may have the following signs and symptoms:
- a headache
- fatigue
- blurred vision
- nosebleeds
-
Bell's palsy, or an inability to control facial muscles on one side of the face.
Newborns and very young babies with high blood pressure may experience the following signs and symptoms:
- failure to thrive
- seizure
- irritability
- lethargy
- respiratory distress
People who are diagnosed with high blood pressure should have their blood pressure checked frequently. Even if yours is normal, you should have it checked at least once every five years, and more often if you have any contributory factors.
Complications
If the hypertension is not treated or controlled the excessive pressure on the artery walls can lead to damage to the blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), as well as vital organs. The extent of damage depends on two factors; the severity of hypertension and how long it goes on for untreated.
Below is a list of some of the possible complications of high blood pressure:
- stroke
- heart attack and heart failure
- blood clots
- an aneurysm
- kidney disease
- thickened, narrow, or torn blood vessels in the eyes
- metabolic syndrome
- brain function and memory problems
