Research Paper

When researching my familys health history it did not take long to

notice a common health concern that was effecting some of my family
members as young as 31 years old, this came to a shock for me I had no
idea this disease could be effecting such a large range of people. This
condition commonly known as high blood pressure, but medically speaking
correct term is hypertension. As soon as I seen how common hypertension is
on both my paternal and maternal sides of the family I knew I had found
what I would do for my research paper. In this paper I will research what is
means to have hypertension, its causes, treatments, preventative measures
and the effects of diet and exercise.
Hypertension is a common condition in which the long-term force of
the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually
cause health problems, such as heart disease. Blood pressure is determined
both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance
to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the
narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure (Mayo Clinic).

(Stats about high BP) ->

When it comes to testing for hypertension it is quite easy, most of us get

tested at doctor appointments such as physicals or well checks. This test is
commonly known as checking of blood pressure, which starts with putting a
rubber/cloth like cuff around the upper arm then ether it is manually or
electronically inflated. Once inflated, the cuff compresses a larger artery in
the bicep, momentarily stopping blood flow. Next, air in the cuff is slowly
released while the healthcare professional measuring the blood pressure by
listing with a stethoscope (stethoscope: an instrument used to hear and
amplify the sounds produced by the heart, lungs, and other internal organs)
or if using a maundering device which will give you an electronic readout.
When the blood starts to pulse through the artery, it registers sounds that
continue until pressure is the artery exceeds the pressure in the cuff. The
healthcare provider watches the monitors gauge (if done manually) before
recording two measurements. These two reading are none as Systolic and

Diastolic pressure , Systolic pressure is the blood flow on the artery wall
when the heart beats or contracts, forcing blood out into the body. The
number on the gauge when the first heartbeat is detected is the systolic
pressure. It is the higher of the two pressures in a reading, and it is the
number that appears on top. Diastolic pressure is the pressure on the artery
walls between heartbeats, or when the heart relaxes between contractions.
The diastolic pressure is the number recorded when the last sound is
registered. It is the lower of the two pressures in a reading, and this number
appears on the bottom.