Hypertension, high blood pressure or hypertension is a very common disease. High blood pressure is especially common in our western world, as many people lead unhealthy lifestyles. High blood pressure attacks the heart and without treatment can lead to death in the long term.
What is high blood pressure?
Schematic diagram showing the anatomy and structure of the arteries and circulatory system in hypertension. Click to enlarge. Pressure created when the heart pumps blood into the arteries. Blood pressure, is the force with which the blood pushes against the artery walls and flows through the veins. What makes high blood pressure significant is that it has no symptoms initially, but can cause serious complications in the long run. Many people have high blood pressure without knowing it. In Western countries, the incidence is 50 percent. Of these, however, only 5 percent are successfully treated. At least awareness of the dangers of high blood pressure has increased significantly. If blood pressure is permanently elevated, the heart has to work harder or perform better. This then leads to permanent damage to the blood vessels. The blood vessels become narrower and systolic blood pressure rises as the heart has to pump against ever-increasing resistance. In the long run, this leads to complications such as: Heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, angina pectoris or eye damage. In order not to get ill from one of the mentioned effects, prevention, combined with therapy, is very important. Hypertension poses a high risk of becoming seriously ill or even dying from it. Preventive examinations are vital.
Causes
Reasons or causes for high blood pressure, also called hypertension, are many. But the cause can usually not be concretely clarified. Genetic predisposition plays a role in most cases. In about 10 percent, high blood pressure is caused by other diseases. This is called secondary hypertension. In this case, normal blood pressure usually returns as soon as the cause is treated. These include: Chronic kidney disease, pregnancy, taking the pill, alcohol, thyroid dysfunction, growths or the like on the adrenal gland. Causes that cannot be changed:
Age: The older you get, the more likely you are to get high blood pressure. This is largely due to hardening of the arteries. Origin: Africans often have higher blood pressure than Europeans. High blood pressure develops at a young age and complications are more severe as a result. Social status: High blood pressure is also more common among the less educated and lower social groups. Heredity: Genetically determined high blood pressure. Gender: In general, men are more likely to develop high blood pressure than women. However, this is mostly due to an unhealthier lifestyle in men. Causes to change:
Obesity: obesity is closely associated with high blood pressure. Your doctor can help you calculate your body’s BMI and support you in achieving it. Sodium (salt) sensitivity: some people have a high sensitivity to sodium (salt), and their blood pressure increases when they consume salt. Reducing sodium intake can help lower blood pressure. Fast foods and preserved foods, or medications such as pain relievers, are particularly high in sodium. Alcohol: Drinking more than one or two alcoholic beverages per day can raise blood pressure. Pill: Some women develop high blood pressure from taking the pill. Drugs: Certain narcotics, such as amphetamines, diet pills, and some medications used for colds and allergies, as well as smoking, can raise blood pressure.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
At first, high blood pressure often causes no clear symptoms. If hypertension persists over a long period of time, nervousness and fatigue may occur. Migraine-like headaches are typical, which occur mainly in the morning after getting up and tend to be more noticeable in the back of the head. Constantly elevated blood pressure can also cause problems falling asleep and sleeping through the night. Those affected then often feel “exhausted” and exhausted the next day. People who have had high blood pressure for a long time or who also suffer from sleep apnea are particularly affected. Externally, hypertension is noticeable by a slightly reddened face.Sometimes visible red veins appear or white spots appear in the nail bed. Sometimes high blood pressure is also manifested by shortness of breath, dizziness and nosebleeds. Visual disturbances, ringing in the ears and nausea may also occur. A rapid increase in blood pressure – for example, during stress – leads to acute symptoms such as headaches, impaired consciousness and a feeling of tightness in the chest. In rare cases, circulatory collapse can also occur. Due to the variety of possible hypertension symptoms, the typical signs are often mistakenly attributed to other causes such as menopausal symptoms or the flu]. Early clarification is therefore all the more important.
Course
Hypertension often begins with a sudden onset of severe headache. These may be accompanied by altered perception. Many patients initially complain of dizziness or chest pain. If you experience shortness of breath after minor exertion, or nausea is accompanied by a severe headache, you should seek urgent medical attention.
Complications
Several complications can arise with high blood pressure. Short-term high blood pressure causes inner turmoil and can lead to a heart attack if you have a pre-existing condition of the heart or blood vessels. A chronically elevated pulse damages the blood vessels and the heart, increasing the risk of heart and kidney failure, stroke and heart attack. The vascular walls and heart muscle in particular are put under excessive strain by high blood pressure. Vascular blockages, vascular bulging and permanent damage to the heart valves occur, increasing the risk of cardiac rhythm disturbances and heart failure. The increased stress on the vessels also causes a further increase in blood pressure and, as a result, greater complications. Persistently elevated blood pressure also damages the retina and optic nerve, which can cause visual impairment and, in rare cases, blindness. Rarely, an elevated pulse leads to blood pressure derailment with chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, visual disturbances, seizures, and life-threatening organ damage to the heart, kidneys, and brain. Prolonged high blood pressure thus lowers overall life expectancy and increases the risk of serious illness and symptoms. However, if high blood pressure is treated early, complications can usually be kept to a minimum.
When should you see a doctor?
High blood pressure is often not immediately noticeable, yet this disorder can be very dangerous. However, many negative consequences of hypertension do not present themselves acutely, but only become apparent as long-term damage. Symptoms of high blood pressure include headaches, dizziness, nosebleeds and ringing in the ears. Anyone who notices these symptoms should consult a doctor as soon as possible so that possible hypertension can be diagnosed and treated. High blood pressure should by no means be downplayed or dismissed as harmless. The possible consequences, such as heart attack, kidney infarction or a stroke, are life-threatening. Anyone who belongs to a high-risk group should have their blood pressure checked regularly. This can also be done at the pharmacy or with a home blood pressure monitor. Risk groups include, in particular, people who are heavily overweight, people who suffer from diabetes or other metabolic diseases, and patients with known cardiovascular diseases. People over the age of 50 are also advised to have their blood pressure checked regularly as a precaution. From a reading of 140 to 90 mm Hg, an otherwise healthy adult should see a doctor. Lower values apply to diabetics and other risk groups. In the event of an acute rise in blood pressure, the emergency physician must be called immediately, especially if people are affected who have already suffered a heart attack or stroke.
Treatment and therapy
Many people can significantly lower their high blood pressure through lifestyle changes such as weight loss and adequate exercise. However, additional medications are often needed to control blood pressure. Medical treatment is definitely advisable in this case. The most important measures are first to reduce weight combined with sufficient exercise. Try to eat low-salt and low-fat foods and prefer healthy foods. Refrain from the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes. Allow yourself regular relaxation. You should also check your blood pressure regularly. There are special devices for home use.It is important that the real values can be measured unaltered with it. Keep a log of your blood pressure. Many people are able to do without blood pressure-lowering medication because they have changed their lifestyle. Put your resolutions into practice too! Your body will thank you with life.
Outlook and prognosis
In hypertension, the prognosis depends on the form of elevated blood pressure. Thus, it matters whether primary or secondary hypertension is present and how long the steadily elevated blood pressure has been present. In principle, the prognosis is very good if the condition is diagnosed early and appropriate countermeasures are taken, since in this case usually no vessels or organs have yet been damaged. In the case of secondary hypertension, the prognosis is also very good if the triggering disease is successfully treated. The patient can also have a significant influence on the outlook and prognosis. An important factor here is an improvement in lifestyle: the prognosis can be improved with every measure that helps to keep blood pressure constantly within the normal range. These include reducing weight in the case of overweight, giving up smoking, and eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise. If these measures do not help, however, the prognosis can also be influenced by appropriate medication. On the other hand, high blood pressure that has gone undetected for a long time may already have led to secondary damage to vessels or organs. In this case, the prognosis depends on the progress of the disease. The likelihood of irreversible damage to vessels and organs becomes higher the longer hypertension is not detected and treated.
Here’s what you can do yourself
Basically, any treatment of hypertension must be accompanied by a specialist. In parallel, there are other measures that make life with the disease easier. One of them is to avoid stress. Thus, a walk can help to reduce stress. Alcohol and cigarettes promote high blood pressure, so sufferers should avoid them. Autogenic training, yoga and relaxation exercises can be performed at home at any time. This calms the circulation and automatically lowers blood pressure. A change in food intake can also help. Herbs have a very intensive flavoring effect, and salt can often be dispensed with. People who often eat convenience foods should avoid them from time to time and eat fresh fruit and vegetables instead. People who are overweight often suffer from high blood pressure. In addition to regular exercise, they should make sure that they reduce their weight. Switching to a diet low in salt and fat will help. Regular checks of the pressure are necessary. If indicated, the specialist prescribes a device that is accurate yet easy to use. Pharmacies also offer low-cost blood pressure measurement.
