High blood pressure is a very common condition. The long-term complications from hypertension may cause health problems, such as heart disease and other.
Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood the heart pumps as well as the amount of resistance to blood flow in arteries.
One can have high levels of blood pressure (hypertension) for many years without any significant symptoms. Even though, damage to both blood vessels and the heart is ongoing and can be detected with medical tests even in the early stages of the disease. It is important to know that untreated and uncontrolled hypertension increases the overall risk of various very serious complications and life-threatening health problems, such as heart attack and stroke.
High blood pressure can be easily detected and treated with medications and change of lifestyle and diet. Many patients high levels of blood pressure have no significant or visible signs or symptoms, even when blood pressure marks are reaching high levels that may be potentially dangerous.
Some people may have headache, shortness of breath or even nosebleeds. However, these signs aren't too specific and more often than not occur when high blood pressure already has reached a severe levels.
There are two main types of conditions connected with high levels of blood pressure.
Primary hypertension, also known as essential hypertension
For most adult patients there is no identifiable cause for higher levels of blood pressure. This exact type of high blood pressure is called primary, or essential, hypertension. It tends to develop gradually over the course of many years.
Secondary hypertension
Many patients suffer from hypertension caused by a defined underlying condition. This condition, known as secondary hypertension, tends to appear suddenly. It usually causes higher and more dangerous blood pressure levels than primary hypertension. There are numerous conditions and medications that can lead to secondary hypertension:
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Various kidney problems
• Adrenal gland tumors
• Problems with the thyroid gland
• Congenital defects in blood vessels
• Certain drugs and medications (birth control medication, some types of cold remedies, decongestant drugs, OTC (over-the-counter) pain-relievers as well as some common prescription drugs
• Many illegal drugs, such as stimulants (cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamines, etc.)
• Chronic alcoholism and alcohol use
Hypertension has many risk factors:
• Age
• Race
• Family history
• Obesity, being overweight
• Low levels of physical activity
• Smoking tobacco
• High levels of salt (sodium) in the diet
• Low levels of potassium in the diet
• Low levels of vitamin D in the diet
• Alcohol abuse
• High levels of stress
• Certain chronic conditions, such as kidney disease, diabetes, sleep apnea
• Pregnancy often contributes to developing higher than usual levels of blood pressure
Untreated and uncontrolled hypertension can lead to many complications, such as:
• A heart attack
• A stroke
• Atherosclerosis
• Aneurysm
• Heart failure
• Weakened blood vessels
• Narrowed blood vessels in the kidneys
• Thickened, narrowed and torn blood vessels in the eyes
• Various metabolic conditions and metabolic syndrome
• Problems with memory
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