Hypertension or high blood pressure, as it is more commonly known, is regarded as the silent killer. It is a disease of the modern age. The fast pace of life and the mental and physical pressures caused by the industrial and metropolitan environments give rise to psychological tensions. Worry and mental tension increase the adrenaline in the blood stream and this, in turn, causes the pressure of the blood to rise.
The blood which circulates through the arteries within the body supplies every cell with nourishment and oxygen. The force exerted by the heart as it pumps the blood into the large arteries creates a pressure within them and this is called blood pressure. A certain level of blood pressure is thus essential to keep the blood circulating in the body.
But when the pressure becomes too high, it results in hypertension which is caused by spasms or the narrowing of the small blood vessels, known as capillaries, throughout the body. This narrowing puts more stress on the heart to pump blood through the blood vessels. Hence, the pressure of the blood to get through rises in proportion to the pressure on the heart.
The blood pressure is measured with an instrument called sphygmomanometer in millimeters of the mercury. The highest pressure reached during each heartbeat is called systolic pressure and the lowest between two beats is known as diastolic pressure. The first gives the pressure of the contraction of the heart as it pushes the blood on its journey through the body and indicates the activity of the heart. The second represents the pressure present in the artery when the heart is relaxed and shows the condition of the blood vessels.
The blood pressure level considered normal is 120/70, but may go up to 140/90 and still be normal. Within this range, the lower the reading, the better. Blood pressure between 140/90, and 160/95 is considered border line area. From 160/96 to 180/144, it is classed as moderate hypertension, while 180/115 upward is considered severe. A raised diastolic pressure is considered more serious than the raised systolic pressure as it has a serious long-term effect.
Symptoms
Mild and moderate hypertension may not produce any symptoms for years. The first symptom may appear in the form of pain in the back of the head and neck on waking in the morning, which soon disappears.
Some of the other usual symptoms of hypertension are dizziness, aches and pains in the arms, shoulder region, leg and back, palpitation, pain in the heart region, frequent urination, nose-bleeding, nervous tension and fatigue, crossness, emotional upsets, tiredness and wakefulness.
A person suffering from high blood pressure cannot do any serious work, feels tired and out of sorts all the time. He may experience difficulty in breathing and suffer from dyspepsia. Hypertension, if not eliminated, may cause heart attacks or strokes and other disabilities such as detachment of the retina.
Causes
The most important causes of hypertension are stress and a faulty style of living. People who are usually tense suffer from high blood pressure, especially when under stress. If the stress continues for a long period, the pressure may become permanently raised and may not come down even after removal of the stress.
An irregular lifestyle, smoking and an excessive intake of intoxicants, tea, coffee, cola drinks and refined foods destroy the natural pace of life. The expulsion of waste and poisonous matter from the body is prevented and the arteries and the veins become slack. Hardening of the arteries, obesity, diabetes and severe constipation also lead to hypertension. Other causes of high blood pressure are excessive intake of pain-killers, table salt, food allergies and eating a high-fat, low-fibre diet and processed foods deficient in essential nutrients.