One of the commonest health problems talked about especially among the elderly is high blood pressure. High blood is usually linked to overthinking or a state of being too bordered for a long time. These days it seems to affect younger people too. While there are many things to understand about high blood pressure, it is important to understand the rudiment first. Let’s get to it.
To understand high blood pressure, it is pertinent to understand what blood pressure means first. From there the knowledge of high blood pressure will not be difficult to comprehend. Blood pressure is a measure of the amount of blood the heart pumps and the force against the flow to which it moves in the arteries. The heart is responsible for the pump and flow of blood in the body and this blood passes through the veins. As the heart pumps blood to the body parts, oxygen is released which we live by.
When measuring blood pressure, two important aspects are key to the measurement as in when writing the measurement. This means the amount of blood flow and the force it moves within the arteries. Good blood pressure means a good amount of blood that flows easily in the arteries. The measurement is taken in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Please find a better explanation of the two indices below;
Systolic Pressure
This is the measure of the pressure in the arteries (as the heart beats) through which the blood passes to get to other body parts. It is the first number that appears when writing the blood pressure measurement.
Diastolic Pressure
This is the second number written in the measurement of blood pressure. It measures the pressure in the arteries presents between heartbeats. This means the pressure available to push the blood in between the beats of the heart.
So, the next time you see the Doctor writes your blood pressure like this 120/90, it represents systolic pressure against diastolic pressure. A normal reading should show systolic as 120 and below while diastolic should show 80 and below depending on the age. This is what a typical reading should look like.
What is high blood pressure?
Just as the name implies, high blood pressure simply means when the pressure of the blood becomes high. It is otherwise called hypertension. When the systolic pressure and diastolic pressure go higher than normal, then you are said to have hypertension.
There are four stages of high blood pressure based on the outcome of the measurement. It begins with elevated hypertension which will normally read between 120 and 129 systolic pressure with less than 80 diastolic pressure. Next is stage one hypertension which comes with 130–139 systolic pressure and 80–90 diastolic pressure. Stage two hypertension has over 140 systolic pressure with over 90 diastolic pressure. Lastly, the last stage which calls for an emergency is over 180 systolic pressure with over 120 diastolic pressure.
It is worthy of note that you check your blood pressure time and once you enter the stages of hypertension, see your medical doctor for the best medical advice to avoid any issues. Also, try to stay away from whatever might increase your blood pressure. This is because if you keep having high blood pressure, it poses a threat to your life as health complications may come up. This is why it is advisable that you work with your Doctor.
Causes of high blood pressure
It is important to understand that high blood pressure doesn’t just one, there are causes. These causes can be avoided once you know them and the ones that you are prone to. Below are the five major categories of high blood pressure causes;
Nutrition: Some food consumption will increase your rate of having high blood pressure, so you must be careful and intentional about what you eat. Things like alcohol, cigarette, too much salt, fatty foods, etc must be taken moderately and based on your health history.
Genetics: Research has shown that high hypertension can be genetic which means that it may run in the family. If you already have a parent diagnosed with hypertension, you may need to watch yourself in all ramifications.
Lifestyle: People with a lack of physical activity are also at risk of high blood pressure. You also need to watch your obesity if you are before it gifts you hypertension. Other things like eating late, too much thinking, and not taking enough water are not good at all.
Old age: Over the years, people with high blood pressure have always been elderly. If care is not taken, you may get old into the hands of hypertension. So, watch it! Avoid fearful thoughts and bad news to remain strong as you get older.
Stress: High blood pressure can be caused temporarily by stress. As you get older, please reduce all activities that may be stressful for you. Avoid stress at all costs as you age especially if you are having health issues. This includes both physical and mental stress.
Symptoms of high blood pressure
High blood pressure does not really come with symptoms to alert people when it starts. So, it is possible to live with hypertension for years without knowing that you have it. However, there is a stage it gets to where some symptoms start coming up. At that stage, it means it has become very serious. That stage is called hypertensive crisis which is the last stage in the stages discussed above.
At this stage, the patient becomes unwell and may need to be placed under strict medical care and attention. The symptoms include may include nausea feeling, heart palpitations, dizziness, insomnia, vomiting, blurry vision, breathlessness, excessive sweating, headache, etc. Most time, people at this stage are usually very tired and sick. If care is not taken at this point, death may be knocking. This is an emergency situation and should be treated as such.
Also Read: Prayers Against High Blood Pressure
The effects of a high blood pressure
High blood pressure may come with some complications especially if left unchecked or cared for. This is because too much pressure on the artery walls will damage both the body’s organs and blood vessels. This is where the complications may arise from. Below are a few known common complications;
Heart attack or stroke: One of the menace that may come from hypertension especially when it is not well treated or left unattended to is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a medical condition where the arteries become thickened and hard. This is what leads to stroke or heart attack where some body part becomes inactive because no or low blood flow to those areas.
Vascular Dementia: This is a medical condition where the patient is having issues with remembering, reasoning, judgment, planning, and thought process. This is caused by the blockage of blood flow to the brain through the arteries. It is one of the evils that may come from hypertension.
Metabolic syndrome: This can be better explained as a group of disorders in the body system. The disorders in the metabolism may include but are not limited to reduction in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, increased waist size, high insulin levels, high triglycerides, etc. These disorders may eventually lead to diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
Heart failure: It is the work of the heart to pump purified blood to body parts. This requires a lot of force and this may become faint as high blood pressure become an issue. And if the heart begins to fail, death begins to knock
Aneurysm: This happens when blood vessels become weak and bulging. So, as blood flows in the vessels, it creates a balloon-like shape as branches. Since it is weak already, these balloon-like shapes may break causing emergency situations depending on the body parts.
Loss of Vision: Another dangerous outcome of high blood pressure can be blurry vision or complete loss of sight. This mostly affects the aged.
Treatments available for of high blood pressure Patents
If you have been diagnosed of high blood pressure or you notice that the things you read here synchronize with your experience, it is wise to seek help immediately. Don’t wait till things get bad that they have to rush you to the hospital. Here are things you can do to help yourself in addition to seeing a Doctor for the best medical advice;
- Avoid stressful events or activities
- Refrain from thinking too much
- Take time to rest adequately
- Be intentional about your nutrition. See your doctor or nutritionist on this
- Stop alcohol intake and reduce salt intake
- Do somebody exercise as may be advised by your Doctor.
- Take all prescribed medication as indicated.
- Do things that make you happy and stay happy.
- Lastly, keep up with your medical appointment.
High blood pressure for each patient is unique in cause, feelings, and treatment because of other underlying medical issues. Therefore, it is important that you seek medical help from a professional. Don’t do self-medication even if you are in the first stage of high blood pressure. And seek help from medical personnel that knows and understands your medical history to avoid further complications.