Blood pressure is the measurement of the pressure or force of blood pushing through blood vessels (arteries). Arteries deliver blood from the heart to the tissues of the body. The measurement of blood pressure keeps changing throughout the day. Hypertension — most commonly known as high blood pressure is a serious medical condition during which the force of blood pushing through the arteries becomes too high. Study shows that nearly 1 in 2 American adults (116 million) have hypertension. Expert cardiologists state that hypertension should be diagnosed and treated timely. Ignoring its symptoms or delaying the treatment can increase the risk of some serious complications, such as heart failure, kidney failure, stroke, etc.

Symptoms of hypertension

Usually, hypertension doesn’t show any symptoms. That’s why most people don’t even know they have high blood pressure until it causes some serious health problems. Cardiologists suggest that some people with hypertension may have 

  • Headaches
  • Shortness of breath
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Vision changes
  • Buzzing in the ears
  • Nosebleed

Causes of hypertension

Hypertension has several risk factors. This mainly includes the following but is not limited to.

  • Age is considered a major factor that increases the risk of developing hypertension.
  • Hypertension is more common in men until the age of 64. After the age of 65, women are prone to develop this condition.
  • Hypertension tends to run in families with a history of high blood pressure.
  • Overweight comes among the top causes of hypertension. The more you weigh, the more you are likely to develop this problem.
  • You are likely to develop hypertension if you lead an inactive lifestyle. Lack of physical activity significantly increases the risk of high blood pressure.
  • Excess consumption of alcohol and tobacco increases the risk of hypertension. 
  • Stress and stress-related habits such as eating more, smoking more, or drinking alcohol more increase the risk of high blood pressure.
  • Consuming too much salt is also a major factor that increases the risk of developing this condition.
  • Certain chronic conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, or sleep apnea may also increase the risk of hypertension.

Apart from all the above, pregnancy can also play a major role in increasing blood pressure. 

Hypertension treatments

Hypertension treatment is determined by several factors, such as the cause and severity of the condition and your age as well as overall health. Usually, the doctor starts with dietary and lifestyle changes to reduce blood pressure. If this doesn’t help and proves to be ineffective, the doctor prescribes certain medications. The type of medication the doctor prescribes depends on your blood pressure measurements and overall health Medicines used for high blood pressure treatment include:-

  • Diuretics
  • Beta-Blockers
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors
  • Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Alpha-Blockers