High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

High blood pressure contributes to heart disease, strokes, and kidney failure. Some risk factors for these complications are: diabetes, hypertension, high blood fats, smoking, obesity, stress, physical activity, and family history. Hypertension is serious because it causes the heart and arteries to work harder, leading to heart attack and strokes.
Arteriosclerosis is the hardening or thickening of the arteries and loss of elasticity of the walls of arteries. Arteriosclerosis is a disease that causes a buildup of fatty substances within the arteries and alerts the function of tissue and organs; it becomes more severe over time when not treated. The fatty buildup comes from substances like cholesterol, cellular waste, calcium, and fibrin, which is a filamentous protein formed by the action of thrombin and fibrinogen. This fatty buildup may completely or partially block the flow of blood through the arteries, making it hard for blood to get to the rest of the body. When arteries become completely clogged, you have a heart attack.
Your arteries, capillaries, and veins carry oxygen and nutrients to all body tissues. The inside layer of an artery is smooth and allows blood to flow quickly. When you have high blood pressure, the arteries become scarred, harden, and lose elasticity. The outside layer of the artery is strong, which allows blood to flow forcefully, Blood and oxygen enter the capillaries, where the oxygen and nutrients are released. Waste products are collected and flow into the veins. The cleansed blood circulates back to the heart where pulmonary circulation allows the exchange of gases in the lungs. When tissues can't get enough oxygen from the blood you get pain, especially in the legs.
High blood pressure will affect the kidneys' ability to filter blood. Kidneys have their own feedback system that works to maintain optimum blood pressure. When this feedback system senses blood pressure is too low, it tries to compensate by raising blood pressure. When blood flow to the kidneys' filtering system is reduced or blocked because of narrowing of the arteries, they cease to function, and this leads to kidney failure.
How can you tell if your blood pressure is high? You have it measured. It takes more than one blood pressure reading, because a lot of things can cause the heart rate to go up temporarily. You need to take several measurements at different times of the day. Keep a record of your readings and take them with you when you go to the doctor.
When you go to the doctor for a physical, he may touch your chest to see if the heart is enlarged and thump lightly on your chest to get an idea of the shape of the heart. The doctor places a stethoscope on the chest to hear the sound of the heart, listening for arrhythmias or murmurs. An X-ray shows the size and position of the heart and any obvious deformities. You may need an echocardiograph and/or electrocardiograph done. The next step in finding heart problems would probably be an exploratory procedure; the last resort would be open-heart surgery. There are many new techniques and tests being developed in the medical field every day to detect heart problems.
There are different types of high blood pressure. Essential hypertension develops without apparent cause. Some people call it "white coat hypertension," because it is often high when you're in
the doctor's office. Systolic hypertension is when the upped upper number is high. Borderline hypertension means your readings are between high and normal. Secondary hypertension arises from an identifiable disorder.
Heart failure usually develops slowly. You will not notice the symptoms immediately but over time, it progresses to a point where it becomes serious.
Some Symptoms:
1. Chest pain in the corner of the chest that lasts for several minutes, or goes away and comes back. It may feel like pressure or fullness.
2.  Shortness of breath
3.  Dizziness
4.  Fainting
5.  Irregular heartbeat
6.  Nervousness
7.  Nausea
8. Profuse sweating
9.  Discomfort or swelling in feet, ankles, legs, jaw, neck, and occasionally, the abdomen.
10. Persistent coughing or raspy breathing

Tell the doctor if you have these symptoms, especially if you have more than three or four of them.
Heart attacks happen suddenly, but the causes may take years to develop before the attack occurs. If you abuse your body for years with an unhealthy diet and lifestyle, it will catch up with you eventually.
If you think you may be having a heart attract, call 911. If a heart attack has occurred and the person is unresponsive, call 911 and do CPR, but only if you have had training. Unless you can't take aspirin, take 1 at the time of the attack. If you take nitroglycerin, follow the doctor's order, which is usually to take one and repeat at five minute intervals for a total of three doses. If you are not better in fifteen minutes call the doctor or 911.