What Causes High Blood Pressure?

Hypertension is referred to as essential (primary) when the doctor is unable to identify a specific cause. It is by far the most common type of high blood pressure. The causes of this type are unknown but are likely to be a complex combination of genetic, environmental, and other factors.

High blood pressure is a ‘risk factor’ for developing a cardiovascular disease (such as a heart attack or stroke), and kidney damage, sometime in the future. If you have high blood pressure, over the years it may have a damaging effect to arteries and put a strain on your heart. In general, the higher your blood pressure, the greater the health risks. But, high blood pressure is just one of several possible risk factors for developing a cardiovascular disease.

If those temporary episodes occur frequently, they can cause just as much damage to your blood vessels, heart and kidneys as can chronic high blood pressure. In addition, when you have anxiety, you’re more likely to resort to other unhealthy habits, such as smoking, drinking or overeating — which, in turn, can increase your risk of high blood pressure.

Even if high blood pressure does cause symptoms, the symptoms are usually mild and nonspecific (vague, or suggesting many different disorders).

Malignant hypertension may be associated with headache, light-headedness, or nausea.

Certain nerve impulses cause your arteries to dilate (become larger) or contract (become smaller). If these vessels are wide open, blood can flow through easily. If they’re narrow, it’s harder for the blood to flow through them, and the pressure inside them increases. Then high blood pressure may occur. When this happens, your heart becomes strained and blood vessels may become damaged. Changes in the vessels that supply blood to your kidneys and brain may cause these organs to be affected.

In 90–95 percent of cases, scientists don’t know what causes high blood pressure. This is essential hypertension. Fortunately, although scientists don’t fully understand the causes of this disease, they’ve developed both non-drug and drug treatments that treat it effectively. They’ve also identified some factors that contribute to higher blood pressure. These are arteriosclerosis (or hardening of the arteries), thickening or hypertrophy of the artery wall, and excess contraction of the arterioles (small arteries).

Essential hypertension affects approximately 75 million Americans, yet its basic causes or underlying defects are not always known. Nevertheless, certain associations have been recognized in people with essential hypertension. For example, essential hypertension develops only in groups or societies that have a fairly high intake of salt, exceeding 5.8 grams daily. In fact, salt intake may be a particularly important factor in relation to essential hypertension in several situations.

Hypertension is referred to as essential (primary) when the doctor is unable to identify a specific cause. It is by far the most common type of high blood pressure. The causes of this type are unknown but are likely to be a complex combination of genetic, environmental, and other factors.

The cause of high blood pressure often cannot be found in many teens with hypertension. When the cause is unknown, a person has what’s called essential or primary hypertension. In cases where the cause of high blood pressure is known (called secondary hypertension), it is usually the result of kidney problems, hormonal disorders, abnormalities of the aorta (the main artery that carries oxygenated blood to the body), or a narrowing of certain smaller arteries. Most teens that are diagnosed with hypertension have essential hypertension.



By: peterhutch

About the Author:

Technorati Tags: , ,

What are the side effects of taking hypertension medication?

0 answers asked:


Can ANY hypertension medication affect:

- Communication
- Understanding conversation
- Anxiety levels
- Remembering

(please source your answer)

Technorati Tags: , ,

do i have a dangerously low blood pressure?

Clare asked:


my dad has a blood pressure test machine to monitor his blood pressure, and he helped me to take the test too last night. my results were 88/53. i am 15, active and healthy. is this low number a danger? do i have “low blood pressure”? any help would be appreciated :)
yes, it was an ‘at rest reading’. i should mention that i have had symtoms though, i’m prone to fainting if i get up too fast or have painful injuries, and stress makes me lightheaded.

Technorati Tags: , ,

Is it safe to take Provigil if you have high blood pressure?

danman4472 asked:


I have high blood pressure and take Toprol for it. My doctor is concerned about the possibility of Provigil causing heart palpatations. Is it safe to take Provigil if you have high blood pressure? I’m going to get a sleep study done soon. Even if I come out negative for sleep apnea, could I still benefit from taking Provigil?

Technorati Tags: , ,

If you have high blood pressure can you still do In Vitro?

JustKc asked:


My blood pressure is normally about 150-160 over 90. I am a highly stressed person all the time. I have bad anxiety alot. But once my infertility doctor sees how high my blood pressure is, will he not let me continue with the treatment to be able to have kids? Is there any safe blood pressure medicine you can take while pregnant that won’t hurt the babies?

Technorati Tags: , ,

GET A HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR

nobodybeatsthewiz asked:


FOX NEWS ON HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORS … BLOOD PRESSURE

Technorati Tags: , ,

Measuring Blood Pressure

thienh asked:


Instructional clip on how to take blood pressure using an aneroid sphygmomanometer.

Technorati Tags: , ,

What are the best timings for measuring blood pressure?

sami asked:


If am monitoring daily my blood pressure levels, what are the best timing to check it?
And what are the factors that affect blood pressure?
Is it true that when we wake up we usualy have higher blood pressure?
What about after a meal? or after a bath? or during excercies? or after half an hour after excercies?
Does everyone have higher blood pressure when angry or stressed?

Technorati Tags: , ,

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor

In the ‘old days’, doctors took blood pressure with a large, scratchy piece of fabric that they wrapped around your upper arm. They then erratically pumped air into the fabric until you thought your arm would explode. Today, taking blood pressure is easier, faster and more comfortable with the use of ambulatory blood pressure monitors. These monitors are great for checking blood pressure over an extended period of time.

Basics

First, the basics of what a blood pressure monitor does. Blood pressure is created in the blood vessels of the body as the heart pumps blood into the circulatory system. As the heart contracts, you can measure that systolic pressure with a blood pressure cuff. Similarly, you can measure diastolic pressure, in the moment when the heart muscle relaxes.

Knowing both of these pressure readings can help a doctor see whether your heartbeat is within normal ranges. The normal range for systolic pressure is around 120 to 140 beats per minute, and around 80-90 beats per minute diastolic pressure.

Most people don’t realize that high blood pressure doesn’t usually come with built in symptoms. And the only way to find out for certain whether you have high blood pressure is by using a blood pressure monitor.

Blood Pressure Monitors

There are several different blood pressure monitor models and styles, among them the wristband blood pressure monitor and an ambulatory blood pressure monitor. Both are used for different reasons. If your doctor wants your blood pressure checked several times a day, for example, it’s more feasible for you to wear an ambulatory blood pressure monitor.

You wear an ambulatory blood pressure monitor so your doctor can record blood pressure every fifteen minutes to half an hour while you go about your business. You don’t have to stay in the hospital or doctor’s office with this particular monitor.

A blood pressure cuff is wrapped around the upper left arm, like usual, and under clothing if needed. The blood pressure monitor cuff is connected to a small monitor about the size of an old fashioned transistor radio that can be attached to a belt or slid into a pants pocket.

Ambulatory Monitor

The ambulatory monitor is the best one to use when a doctor is monitoring a patient who might have borderline high blood pressure, or if high blood pressure has been difficult to control. Monitoring your daily activities with this special blood pressure monitor makes it easy on both patient and doctor.

The ambulatory blood pressure monitor cuff checks blood pressure automatically. You don’t have to do anything and it works while you’re sleeping, eating, gardening or watching television. The doctor will probably want you to record your activities during the day so he’ll know how often and when you were active or sedentary. You usually wear this monitor for twenty-four hours and then return to the doctor’s office. Medical personnel will transfer the information stored in the monitor to a computer that will process the information.

An ambulatory blood pressure monitor is an efficient, painless way to record blood pressure over time. In addition, it gives you the freedom to get on with your daily activities and chores.



By: Stan Kitchen

About the Author:
Get the latest in blood pressure monitor know how from the only true source at http://www.bloodpressurefile.com. Check out our blood pressure monitor pages.

Technorati Tags: , ,

digital blood pressure monitor? ?

Sma M asked:


How safe is it to use a digital blood pressure monitor ? Are they any precautions to be taken?

Technorati Tags: , ,