What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when your blood pressure increases to unhealthy levels. Your blood pressure measurement takes into account how much blood is passing through your blood vessels and the amount of resistance the blood meets while the heart is pumping.
Narrow arteries increase resistance. The narrower your arteries are, the higher your blood pressure will be. Over the long term, increased pressure can cause health issues, including heart disease.
Hypertension typically develops over the course of several years. Usually, you don’t notice any symptoms. But even without symptoms, high blood pressure can cause damage to your blood vessels and organs, especially the brain, heart, eyes, and kidneys.
Early detection is important. Regular blood pressure readings can help you and your doctor notice any changes. If your blood pressure is elevated, your doctor may have you check your blood pressure over a few weeks to see if the number stays elevated or falls back to normal levels.
What causes high blood pressure?
- Physical changes: If something in your body changes, you may begin experiencing issues throughout your body. High blood pressure may be one of those issues. For example, it’s thought that changes in your kidney function due to aging may upset the body’s natural balance of salts and fluid. This change may cause your body’s blood pressure to increase.
- Environment: Over time, unhealthy lifestyle choices like lack of physical activity and poor diet can take their toll on your body. Lifestyle choices can lead to weight problems. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk for hypertension.
What are the symptoms of hypertension?
- Headaches
- Shortness of breath
- Nosebleeds
- Flushing
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Visual changes
- Blood in the urine
Diagnosing:
- urine test.
- cholesterol screening and other blood tests.
- test of your heart’s electrical activity with an electrocardiogram.
- ultrasound of your heart or kidneys.
Risk Factors:
- Age
- Hereditary
- Obesity
- Sex
- Excessive use Alcohol
- Excessive use Tobacco
