The Scary Picture

Raised blood pressure (High Blood Pressure) is estimated to be the cause of millions of deaths and also accounts for millions of disability-adjusted life years.

Having raised blood pressure is a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease and ischemic as well as haemorrhagic stroke. Blood pressure levels are positively and continuously related to the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease.

 

According to the World Health Organization,

• The number of adults with hypertension increased from 594 million in 1975 to 1.13 billion in 2015, with the increase seen largely in low- and middle-income countries. This increase is due mainly to a rise in hypertension risk factors in those populations.

 

• Hypertension ̶  or elevated blood pressure  ̶  is a serious medical condition that significantly increases the risks of heart, brain, kidney and other diseases.
• An estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 years worldwide have hypertension, most (two-thirds) living in low- and middle-income countries.

 

• An estimated 46% of adults with hypertension are unaware that they have the condition.
• Less than half of adults (42%) with hypertension are diagnosed and treated.
• Approximately 1 in 5 adults (21%) with hypertension have it under control.

 

• Hypertension is a major cause of premature death worldwide.

 

• One of the global targets for non-communicable diseases is to reduce the prevalence of hypertension by 33% between 2010 and 2030.

In some age groups, the risk of cardiovascular disease doubles for each increment of 20/10 mmHg of blood pressure, starting as low as 115/75 mmHg.

Across the WHO regions, the prevalence of raised blood pressure was highest in Africa, where it was 46% for both sexes combined.

 

What is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure is also known as hypertension.

Blood pressure is the amount of force exerted against the walls of the arteries as blood flows through them. If a person has high blood pressure it means that the walls of the arteries are receiving too much pressure repeatedly – the pressure needs to be chronically elevated for a diagnosis of hypertension to be confirmed. In medicine, chronic means for a sustained period; persistent.

 

Blood pressure is written as two numbers, eg. 115/75mmHg.

The first number known as systolic (115) represents the pressure in blood vessels when the heart contracts or beats.

 

The second number known as diastolic (75) represents the pressure in the vessels when the heart rests between beats.

If left untreated or uncontrolled, high blood pressure can cause many health problems. These conditions include heart failure, vision loss, stroke, and kidney disease.

 

The heart is a muscle that pumps blood around the body constantly – during every second of our lives.

High blood pressure is considered to be 140/90 mmHg or higher.

Blood that has low oxygen levels is pumped towards the lungs, where oxygen supplies are replenished. The oxygen-rich blood is then pumped by the heart around the body to supply our muscles and cells. The pumping of blood creates pressure – blood pressure.

 

Anyone whose blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or more for a sustained period is said to have high blood pressure or hypertension.

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

Most people with high blood pressure will not experience any symptoms until levels reach about 180/110 mmHg. That is why it is termed a ‘silent killer’.

High blood pressure symptoms typically include:

Headache – usually, this will last for several days.

 

Nausea – a sensation of unease and discomfort in the stomach with an urge to vomit.

 

Vomiting – less common than just nausea.

 

Dizziness-Light-headedness, vertigo and unsteadiness.

 

Blurred or double vision (diplopia).

 

Epistaxis – nosebleeds.

 

Palpitations – disagreeable sensations of irregular and/or forceful beating of the heart.

 

Dyspnea – breathlessness, shortness of breath.

 

Children with high blood pressure may have the following signs and symptoms:

Headache, Fatigue, Blurred vision. Nosebleeds, Bell’s palsy (inability to control facial muscles on one side of the face.)

 

Newborns and very young babies with high blood pressure may experience the following signs and symptoms:

Failure to thrive, Seizure, Irritability, Lethargy, Respiratory distress.

 

Complications of Hypertension

If the hypertension is not treated or controlled the excessive pressure on the artery walls can lead to damage to the blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), as well as vital organs. The extent of damage depends on two factors; the severity of hypertension and how long it goes on untreated.

Below is a list of some of the possible complications of high blood pressure:

 

Stroke

Blood flow to the brain is impaired by the blockage or rupture of an artery to the brain, and brain cells die.

 

Heart attack

Heart muscle dies due to a loss of blood supply.

 

 

Heart failure

The heart struggles to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the whole body. This happens because after pumping blood against higher pressure into the blood vessels the heart muscle thickens.

 

Blood Clot

Some blood converts from a liquid into a solid (thrombus). Some blood clots can cause serious complications.

 

Aneurysm

a bulge forms on the wall of a vein, artery or heart. The wall is weakened and may rupture.

 

Kidney Disease 

hypertension often damages the small blood vessels in the kidneys, resulting in kidneys that do not work properly. Eventually, the kidneys can fail (kidney failure).

 

Eyes (Hypertensive Retinopathy) 

Untreated hypertension can lead to thickened, narrowed or torn blood vessels in the eyes, which can lead to vision loss.

 

Metabolic Syndrome

This is a disorder of the body’s metabolism, including an enlarged waistline, low blood HDL levels (good cholesterol), hypertension, and high levels of insulin. If the patient has hypertension he/she is more likely to have other components of metabolic syndrome, significantly raising the risk of diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

 

Cognitive and memory problems– if the high blood pressure continues untreated the patient’s ability to remember things, learn and understand concepts may eventually become affected.

Causes of Hypertension

When referring to the causes of high blood pressure, it is divided into two categories:

1. Essential high blood pressure (primary high blood pressure) – no cause has been identified.
2. Secondary high blood pressure – the high blood pressure has an underlying cause, such as kidney disease, or a specific medication the patient is taking.

The risk of developing hypertension increases as people age.

Even though there is no identifiable cause for essential high blood pressure, there is strong evidence linking some risk factors to the likelihood of developing the condition. Most of the causes below are essential high blood pressure risk factors; there are also a couple of secondary high blood pressure examples:

 

1) Age

The older you are the higher your risk of having high blood pressure.

 

2) Family History

If you have close family members with hypertension, your chances of developing it are significantly higher. An international scientific study identified eight common genetic differences that may increase the risk of high blood pressure.

 

3) Temperature

A study that monitored 8,801 participants over the age of 65 found that systolic and diastolic blood pressure values differed significantly across the year and according to the distribution of outdoor temperature.

Blood pressure was lower when it got warmer and rose when it got colder.

 

4) Ethnic Background

Evidence indicates that people with African or South Asian ancestry have a higher risk of developing hypertension, compared to people with predominantly Caucasian or Amerindian (indigenous of the Americas) ancestries.

 

5) Obesity and Overweight

Both overweight and obese people are more likely to develop high blood pressure, compared to people of normal weight.

 

6) Some Aspects of Gender

In general, high blood pressure is more common among adult men than adult women. However, after the age of 60, both men and women are equally susceptible.

 

7) Physical Inactivity

Lack of exercise, as well as having a sedentary lifestyle, raises the risk of hypertension.

 

8) Smoking

Smoking causes the blood vessels to narrow, resulting in higher blood pressure. Smoking also reduces the blood’s oxygen content so the heart has to pump faster to compensate, causing a rise in blood pressure.

 

9) Alcohol Intake

People who drink regularly have higher systolic blood pressure than people who do not, according to researchers. They found that systolic blood pressure levels are about 7 mmHg higher in frequent drinkers than in people who do not drink.

 

10) High Salt Intake

Researchers reported that societies, where people don’t eat much salt, have lower blood pressure than places where people eat a lot of salt.

 

11) High Fat Diet

Many health professionals say that a diet high in fat raises high blood pressure risk. However, most dietitians stress that the problem is not how much fat is consumed, but rather what type of fats.

 

Fats sourced from plants such as avocados, nuts, olive oil, and omega oils are good for you. Saturated fats, which are common in animal-sourced foods, as well as trans fats, are bad for you.

 

12) Mental Stress

Various studies have offered compelling evidence that mental stress, especially over the long term, can have a serious impact on blood pressure. One study suggested that the way that air traffic controllers handle stress can affect whether they are at risk of developing high blood pressure later in life.

 

13) Diabetes

People with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing hypertension. Among patients with type 1 diabetes, high blood sugar is a risk factor for incident hypertension – effective and consistent blood sugar control, with insulin, reduces the long-term risk of developing hypertension.

People with type 2 diabetes are at risk of hypertension due to high blood sugar, as well as other factors, such as overweight and obesity, certain medications, and some cardiovascular diseases.

 

14) Psoriasis

A study that followed 78,000 women for 14 years found that having psoriasis was linked to a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes. Psoriasis is an immune system condition that appears on the skin in the form of thick, red scaly patches.

 

15) Pregnancy

Pregnant women have a higher risk of developing hypertension than women of the same age who are not pregnant. It is the most common medical problem encountered during pregnancy, complicating 2% to 3% of all pregnancies.

How to Prevent Hypertension

• Reduce salt intake (to less than 5g daily).
• Eat more fruit and vegetables.
• Be physically active regularly.
• Avoid tobacco use.
• Reduce alcohol consumption.
• Limit the intake of foods high in saturated fats.
• Eliminate or reduce trans fats in diet.

 

How to Manage Hypertension

• Reduce and manage stress.
• Regularly check blood pressure.
• Treat high blood pressure with prescribed medications consistently.
• Manage other medical conditions.

 

Author’s Note
That will be all for now. I am tired. Some buttosky treat will lower my blood pressure abi…

Stay safe, you all!