Hypertension: the hidden threat

I. Introduction
Hypertension is the medical term for abnormally high blood pressure, which
results from increase output of blood from the heart, increase resistance to its
flow
through the arteries, or both. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of merc
ury and is
expressed as systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure is
always
higher than diastolic pressure and it is recorded when the time comes when the h
eart
relaxes between beats.
There are two kinds of hypertension: the secondary and the primary or
essential. some other disorder is the cause; more commonly it is known as essent
ial or
primary hypertension if no specific cause is found. Individuals with high blood
pressure
are at a greater risk of suffering a stroke or a heart attack, though treatment
of
hypertension reduces this risk.
Hypertension is one of the most common cardiovascular disease in united
states of America especially in Asia, but so many people know little or nothing
about it.
For example the 1996 Malaysian national health and mortality survey estimated th
at
only 33 percent out of 100 Malaysians suffered from hypertension. Although that
this
disease itself doesnâ t kill, its complications can be very deadly. Atherosclerosis,
or the narrowing of arteries due to the buildup of plaque along the inner lining
, is a lethal and highly prevalent condition in most developed countries. The pl
aques consist principally of fat and cholesterol deposits but also contain blood
platelets, decomposing muscle cells, and other tissue. Since plaques usually re
duce blood flow in major arteries, their presence represents a serious health ri
sk, leading to heart disease, stroke, and the disruption of kidney and intestina
l function. Poor circulation, also a result of plaque buildup, impairs movement
of the limbs. Fragments of the plaques may break off and travel through the bloo
dstream to obstruct smaller vessels. The plaques unfortunately become larger and
more numerous with age, especially in people with high levels of cholesterol in
their diet and bloodstream.

II. Causes of hypertension

A sudden elevation in blood pressure may be caused by a number of medical
conditions, including sleep apnea and kidney disease. Among the most common caus
es of secondary hypertension is reduce kidney function. One of your kidneys norm
al functions is to help control blood pressure. But essential hypertension or a
kidney disease can injure kidneys, contributing to even higher blood pressure in
forms of secondary hypertension.
Hypertension can be secondary or primary, depending on whether a causes can be i
dentified for it. Causes for secondary hypertension includes disease of:
A.) kidney or adrenal glands
B.) narrowing of artery that supplies the kidney
C.) congenital narrowing of aorta
D.) use of birth pills
E.) alcohol abuse
both environmental and genetics contribute to primary hypertension. Some hyperte
nsion leads to increase of age. Also when a person is over weight, lost of salt,
low potassium, and people who drink high level of alcohol, and some of them ar
e psychological stress. Research says that 99.9 percent of people in the world b
ecome sick because of what they eat and what on its mind. People who eats food s
uch as cheese, beer, and wine are prone to hypertension.
Both environmental and genetic factors are thought to contribute to primary hype
rtension. Blood pressure tends to increase with age. It is also more likely to o
ccur if a person is overweight, has a diet which includes a lot of salt, has a l
ow potassium intake, drinks a high level of alcohol, is physically inactive, and
is under psychological stress. Although it is clear that a tendency to hyperten
sion can be inherited, the genetic factors responsible for this are largely unkn
own.
III. Hypertension effects in human body
Hypertension accelerates atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries which is
the factor contributing to strokes and heart attacks. When the arterioles will b
e damage then it will lead to failure of kidney or brain hemorrhage. The arterio
les can be visualized in the retina, or by examining the eye. Hypertension over
works the heart muscles, and this will result in enlargement of the heart then i
t will lead to heart failure. The four parts of the body that affected by hypert
ension are: brain, heart, kidney, and eyes. The course of essential hypertension
is variable.
If the disease will progresses it is possible that the blood pressure will incre
ase. But often 20 years or more may elapse before sustained hypertension causes
enough damage to produce symptoms or complications is one or more of the target
organs. Occasionally, for no apparent reason there is an abrupt worsening, or ac
celeration, hypertension when blood pressure levels become high. Then it may lea
d to brain hemorrhage, kidney failure, and heart failure. But there are some pat
ient who are not affected with this. .
Although it has no noticeable symptoms, hypertension can damage the kidneys and
can lead to a stroke. Many individuals become blind through complications arisin
g from various diseases of the eye, and from disorders such as cataract and glau
coma. Among children, common causes of blindness include malnutrition, infectiou
s diseases, and parasitic infestations. In adults, other blindness-causing condi
tions include diabetes mellitus and hypertension.
Hypertension helps people increase their atherosclerosis if they hay one, and th
is, the arteries can contribute to strokes and heart attack. And some of the peo
ple died because the arterioles will lead to brain hemorrhaged and kidney failur
e.
IV. diagnosis
Diagnosis of hypertension is not always straightforward. Within the general popu
lation there are some people with low blood pressure, some with normal, and some
who are diagnosed as being hypertensive, but the point at which a person is sai
d to be hypertensive is not easy to define.
Blood pressure is read at two points: at the systole, which is the high point at
 which the heart contracts to empty its blood into the circulatory system; and a
t the diastole, the low point at which the heart relaxes to fill with blood retu
rned by the circulation. Most guidelines suggest that if a personâ s diastolic pressu
re is greater than 90 to 95 mm and their systolic pressure is greater than 140 t
o 160 mm, then that person should receive treatment in order to lower the blood
pressure. Normally, blood pressure is measured on several separate occasions bef
ore a diagnosis is made. Blood and urine samples are tested at the same time. Th
e simple procedure for diagnosing hypertension is to check a patientâ s blood pressur
e. This is done through the use of a sphygmomanometer. A rubber cuff is wrapped
round the upper arm and inflated, compressing the artery to stop the blood flow.
A stethoscope is placed on the arm to listen for the return of the blood as the
cuff gradually deflates. Readings taken at the point when the blood forcefully
returns and when it is flowing smoothly again determine the blood pressure.
V. Treatment
Probably no more than 3 percent of all hypertensive patients can be cured by sur
gical, means- removal of diseased kidney or a tumor of the adrenal glands. Dr.
Philip Chua a chairman of cardiovascular centre in Philippines says that: â a person
suffers from hypertension when their blood pressure is persistently elevated bey
ond normal levelâ . But then again Dr. Goh Ping Ping a senior consultant cardiologist
and change general hospital in Singapore adds that: â almost of the population donâ t se
or feel clearly this kind of symptoms. For cases of more severe hypertension or
when blood pressure does not respond to diet and exercise, drugs are also requi
red. The desirability of drug therapy for mild hypertension is debated, because
drugs can sometimes have side effects that exceed their usefulness.
Many studies show that if blood pressure is maintained within normal or nearly n
ormal limits with appropriate medication, the complications of hypertension are
signify reduced. Because hypertension seldom disappears spontaneously, treatment
is usually a lifelong process.
VI. Hypertension prevalence
It has been estimated that in the united states at least 60 million people have
hypertension. (this can mean a systolic pressure greater than 139, or a diastoli
c pressure greater than 89 or both). It is more frequent and more severe in blac
k than white U.S. populations and is uncommon but not unheard of in children and
adolescents. It usually appears after the age of 30 and slightly more common in
women than in men after the age of 65.
It occurs through out the world and is most prevalent in Japan. In un acculturat
ed societies that consume little or no salt the incidence of hypertension extrem
ely low, and the blood pressure doesnâ t tend to rise with age as it does among peopl
e in westernized industrial societies.
VII. Conclusions
Therefore, hypertension can kill people even in the age of 35 and also it will l
ed to Severe hypertension in pregnancy, it is known as pre-eclampsia; this can l
ead to eclampsia, which may be fatal. Treatment is to lower the blood pressure w
ith drugs, and in serious cases premature delivery of the baby will alleviate sy
mptoms. This disease is from food that we eat, if we canâ t control the food we eat w
e may lead to this and we may die in an early age. Since we know that the food w
e eat especially cheese, over of salt, and other salty food can lead to hyperten
sion and hypertension may lead to increase of blood pressure, strokes, and heart
attack.