High blood pressure: Treatment, symptoms, advice and help

About high blood pressure

High blood pressures or hypertension is a very common disorder of great importance as it predisposes individuals to life threatening diseases of the heart, the brain and the kidneys. It is treatable in a vast majority of people.

High blood pressure: Incidence, age and sex

High blood pressure is widespread with about 30% of world’s population affected by it. The prevalence is slightly higher in men than in women.

Signs and symptoms of high blood pressure: Diagnosis

Most commonly high blood pressure does not produce any symptoms and is only detected on blood pressure measurement. In some cases, there may be heaviness in the head, dizziness and blurring of vision. Sometimes, the presence of high blood pressure is revealed, only after a complication has set in.

The diagnosis of high blood pressure is made by measurement with a sphygmomanometer. A blood pressure of 140/90 mm hg or higher, is considered high.

Causes and prevention of high blood pressure

In 90% of cases there is no identifiable cause for high blood pressure and it is termed as essential hypertension. 10% of patients have high blood pressure secondary to an underlying disorder like disease of the kidney or its artery, certain tumours of the adrenal gland or a congenital condition called coarctation of the aorta. These secondary causes are seen more frequently in children and young adults.

Preventive measures of high blood pressure include limiting salt intake to less than 5 gm (teaspoon) per day, increasing potassium intake by consumption of fruits and green vegetables, regular physical exercise and effective stress management.

High blood pressure: Complications

High blood pressure increases the chances of blockage of coronary arteries (which supply blood to the heart muscles) and cerebral arteries (which supply blood to the brain). This leads to heart attacks, angina and stroke (paralysis). Increased pressure also damages the kidneys and can lead to renal failure. The eyes may get affected with irreversible changes and loss of vision.

High blood pressure: Treatment

The three main pillars of treatment of high blood pressure are diet, exercise and medication. There are several classes of drugs available for treatment of hypertension which may be used alone or in combination. Some of these are beta blockers (atenolol, propanolol), diuretics (thiazides, furosemide), calcium channel blockers (amlodipine), ACE inhibitors (enalapril, ramipril) and angiotensin receptor blockers (losartan). The choice of agent depends upon the patient’s age, co-existing illnesses and tolerability. In addition to the above lifestyle modifications, cessation of smoking, moderation of alcohol intake and learning to manage stress effectively, also aid in control of high blood pressure and its complications.