What is Blood Pressure Exactly?
The human body’s blood is really a liquid organ, which may seem unusual at first. It may carry oxygen and nutrients, among other things, throughout the body. To achieve this goal, it must continually travel along predetermined routes.
This process is also known as “blood circulation” since it always involves the same blood vessels. The heart, which may be thought of as a suction pump, provides the necessary force for this to occur.
Blood vessels must be perfectly adapted to carry out their functions throughout a person’s lifetime, from being strong enough to prevent blood loss during circulation to branching out and becoming permeable enough to allow the exchange of substances and finally the oxygen and transport of nutrient-poor blood back again.
There is already a natural pressure in the veins since the heart pumps blood at a rate of roughly 60 times per minute. The answer to this question changes depending on whatever stage of the cycle is being considered.
The average pressure in a healthy adult’s arteries further from the heart is about Kamagra oral jelly 100mg amazon. Capillary pressure decreases during the procedure, reaching as low as 60 mmHg (small, densely branching vessels) during drug exchange.
The veins that return blood to the heart have almost no pressure remaining. In common parlance, a person’s arterial blood pressure is referred to as their “blood pressure.”
What factors High Blood Pressure?
Many different factors contribute to hypertension. In the short term, it may be boosted by sport, mental effort, or anxiety. The increased oxygen supply to working muscles and the brain under stressful conditions is a desirable thing. However, persistently high blood pressure should be avoided.
About 10% of persons with hypertension had it brought on by something else. “Secondary hypertension” is the term used in this context. Renal insufficiency or renal artery stenosis are two kidney diseases that may play a role in this condition’s development. However, hypertension may be caused by a disturbance in the hormonal balance, such as in the case of Conn’s illness (also known as Conn’s syndrome or primary hyperaldosteronism) or an overactive thyroid gland.
Possible consequences of increased blood pressure
Numerous secondary disorders may develop if blood pressure is chronically elevated. This is because the ever-increasing mechanical strain causes changes in the walls, particularly in the tiny blood vessels. This shift may cause complications in a number of body systems.
Some examples of these are:
- Vessels and the heart
- Kidneys
- Brain
- Eyes
Heart conditions
In hypertension, the heart’s regular pumping action is met by persistently elevated blood pressure. This may “exhaust” the heart and lead to cardiac failure if left untreated. Damage may also occur to the coronary arteries, which feed blood to the heart muscle itself. A heart attack may even be precipitated by this scenario.
Vascular diseases
The arteries themselves, not only the organs, may develop issues; carotid artery narrowing (carotid stenosis) and aortic aneurysms are two examples.
Diseases of the kidneys
Kidney function is intrinsically tied to blood circulation. Maintaining a steady and optimal blood flow to the kidneys is essential for their health. Kidney failure may develop from hypertension if it is left untreated.
Renal insufficiency, on the other hand, may cause hypertension.
Diseases of the brain
Strokes and dementia (also known as ischemic or vascular dementia) may occur in the brain when blood pressure levels get too high. Strokes, for instance, may develop when blood arteries burst as a consequence of hypertension.
Consequences for the eyes
Because of the retina’s complexity and susceptibility to damage, even a little alteration to the eye’s blood vessels may have devastating effects. Hypertensive retinopathy is caused by persistent or severely high blood pressure. Retinal detachment is a known cause of visual loss.
How is high blood pressure diagnosed?
Checking your blood pressure by monitoring both arms at regular intervals is recommended since high blood pressure is sometimes present before any symptoms appear.
Direct symptoms of high blood pressure are frequently so nonspecific that physicians and patients alike have a hard time pinpointing the underlying reason.
Insomnia, anxiety, and “redhead with red cheeks” are other possible symptoms of hypertension. Keep in mind that hypertension may be both the cause and effect of numerous symptoms (including headaches).
Arm blood pressure measurement is the easiest way of diagnosis, and it may be done continuously for 24 hours if higher accuracy is desired.
Next, it would be helpful to determine the underlying cause of the hypertension, such as renal failure or another medical problem.
Treatment options for high blood pressure
Medication for high blood pressure isn’t always essential, especially in the early stages. Long-term lowering of blood pressure may begin with even modest reductions in risk factors including obesity, smoking, and alcohol use.
Lifestyle changes – treatment without drugs
Leading a healthy lifestyle is the finest thing you can do for your body. High blood pressure is another condition that may respond to lifestyle modifications rather than medicine. Many other disorders, including diabetes mellitus, may be avoided in this way as well.
Several “lifestyle changes” have been shown to reduce hypertension. Weight loss, increased physical activity, decreased alcohol use, and giving up smoking are all examples. It is also suggested that you follow a Mediterranean diet and cut down on your salt consumption. So, people with this condition should stay away from completed goods.
Nutritional and addiction counseling are just two examples of the many available programs that may assist you in adopting healthy habits. Consult your primary care physician.
Medication
Medication for hypertension should be used if the patient’s blood pressure is over a specified threshold. Since the doctor and patient check the therapy’s tolerability and efficacy on a frequent basis and make any required adjustments based on other risk factors, this process is also known as “adjustment” with medicine. In general, five classes of medications are used in the treatment of hypertension:
So-called dual therapy often occurs at the outset of treatment. That is, combining two of these classes of medications. Thiazide diuretics and calcium channel blockers are indicated as first therapy when an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or sartan (AT1 receptor blocker) has been tried.
If additional symptoms, such as angina pectoris (“chest tightness”) or heart failure, are present, then beta-blockers should not be administered until the very beginning.
Most people start on a modest dosage and gradually raise it until their blood pressure is where it needs to be. If the dual treatment is not working, even after a significant dosage increase, you may try a triple therapy (such as a diuretic, calcium antagonist, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, or sartan).
An aldosterone antagonist like spironolactone may be prescribed by your doctor if the triple treatment is ineffective. Additional medications that may be used in conjunction with the primary treatment plan include potassium-sparing diuretics, peripheral alpha-1 blockers, central antisympathetic tonics, vasodilators, and renin inhibitors. Read More..
