High Blood Pressure or Hypertension Silent Killer
High blood pressure or hypertension – to give it the correct medical term – is regarded as the
silent killer. It is a disease of the modern age. The fast pace of life and the mental and physical
pressures caused by the industrial and metropolitan environments give rise to psychological
tensions. Worry and mental tension increases the adrenaline in the blood stream and this, in
turn, causes the pressure of the blood to rise.
The blood which circulates through the arteries within the body supplies every cell with
nourishment and oxygen. The force exert by the heart as it pumps the blood into the large
arteries creates a pressure within them and this is called blood pressure. A certain level of blood
pressure is thus essential to keep the blood circulating in the body. But when the pressure
becomes too high, it results in hypertension which is caused by spasm or narrowing of the small
blood vessels, known as capillaries, throughout the body. This narrowing puts more stress on
the heart to pump blood through the blood vessels. Hence, the pressure of the blood to get
through rises in proportion to the pressure on the heart.
The blood pressure is measured with the instrument called sphygmomanometer in millimeters of
mercury. The highest pressure reached during each heart beat is called systolic pressure and
the lowest between the two beats is known as diastolic pressure. The first gives the pressure of
the contraction of the heart as it pushes the blood on its journey through the body and indicates
the activity of the heart. The second represents the pressure present in the artery when the heart
is relaxed and shows the condition of the blood vessels. The blood pressure level considered
normal is 120/70, but may go up to 140 /90 and still be normal. Within this range, the lower the
reading, the better. Blood pressure between 140/90 and 160/95 is considered border line area.
From 160/96 to 180/114 , it is classed as moderate hypertension, while 180/115 and upward is
considered severe. A raised diastolic pressure is considered more serious than the raised
systolic pressure as it has a serious long-term effect. The higher the pressure the greater the
danger it causes to the wall.
Symptoms
Mild and moderate hypertension may not produce any symptoms for years. The first symptoms
may appear in the form of pain toward the back of the head and neck on waking in the morning,
which soon disappears. Some of the other usual symptoms of hypertension are dizziness, aches
and pains in the arms, shoulder region, leg, back, etc., palpitations, pain in the heart region,
frequent urination, nervous tension and fatigue, crossness, emotional upset, tiredness and
wakefulness.
A person suffering from high blood pressure cannot do any serious work, feels tired and out of
sorts all the time. He may experience difficulty in breathing and suffer from dyspepsia.
Hypertension, if not eliminated, may cause heart attacks or strokes or other disability conditions
such as detachment of the terina.
Causes
The most important causes of hypertension are stress and a faulty style of living. People who
are usually tense suffer from high blood pressure, especially when under stress. If the stress
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