Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Hypertension is a risk factor for developing a cardiovascular disease (such as a stroke or heart attack) and kidney damage, sometime in the future.

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.

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 upper number is high. Borderline hypertension means your readings are between high and normal. Secondary hypertension arises from an unidentifiable disorder.

The diastolic pressure (the second and lower number) is the measurement of force as the heart relaxes to allow the blood to flow into the heart. High diastolic pressure is also a strong predictor of heart attack and stroke especially in young adults.

Doctors measure and treat both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and aim for the recommended ideal of <140/85 mm Hg, however, due to the overwhelming evidence of the importance of systolic hypertension, it has been suggested that one should not even bother measuring diastolic pressure, except in cases where diastolic hypertension was suspected.

Having diabetes raises your risks of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and other health problems. If you have diabetes and high blood pressure together, this raises your risk of health problems even more.

Some risks Factors:

• Lack of physical activity
• Obesity
• Diet  (eating a lot of salt, not eating enough fruits and vegetables)
• High fat (raises the triglyceride level)
• Excess alcohol
• High cholesterol blood level
• Kidney diseases that affect kidney function

A study found that those with well-controlled diabetes and blood pressure had nearly a third less risk of dying from heart attack, stroke, etc.

Some Symptoms:

• Chest pain in the center of the chest that lasts for several minutes, or goes away and comes back. It may feel like pressure or fullness.
• Shortness of breath for no identifiable reason.
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Irregular heartbeat
• Nervousness
• Nausea
• Profuse sweating
• Discomfort or swelling in feet, ankles, legs, jaw, neck, and occasionally the abdomen
• 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 and strokes 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.