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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