Overview
According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls.” Normally, you blood pressure changes throughout the day.
A Normal Blood Pressure is 120mmHg/80mmHg. The top number is known as the Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) while the bottom number is the Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP). The SBP measures the pressure in your arteries when the heart beats. The DBP measures the pressure in your arteries in between beats. (i.e., when the heart is resting)
High blood pressure (Hypertension) is when the force of the blood is too high within the arteries, during heart contraction or relaxation.
Causes/Risk Factors
- High Blood Pressure usually develops over time but these factors may cause it:
- Being overweight
- Having lots of salt in your diet
- Sedentary Lifestyle: Not getting much physical activity/ Overweight
- High stress levels
- Not getting enough sleep
- Excessive alcohol use
- Smoking or use of e-cigarettes
- Kidney disease, Diabetes and Gout
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Being African American/Black
- Middle Age or Older
- Hypertension can also develop during pregnancy.
Symptoms
High blood pressure usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it. But very high pressures can produce symptoms such as headache, changes in vision, or chest pain.
Diagnosis
The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults (2017 Guideline)1
Normal "systolic: less than 120 mm Hg
diastolic: less than 80 mm Hg"
Elevated "systolic: 120–129 mm Hg diastolic: less than 80 mm Hg"
High Blood Pressure "systolic: 130 mm Hg or higher
diastolic: 80 mm Hg or higher"
Even higher blood pressure (with the systolic blood pressure 180 or higher, the diastolic blood pressure more than 120, or both) is called a hypertensive urgency, if presenting with no associating symptoms. If any symptoms indicating damage to the brain, heart, or kidneys, it is then known as a Hypertensive Emergency.
Treatment/Prevention
Treatment and prevention of Hypertension is focused on Lifestyle modification and medication.
Lifestyle modification:
Eating a healthy diet, including limiting sodium (salt) and alcohol.
Choose foods low in calories and fat and high in fiber.
Stay at a healthy weight, or lose weight if you are overweight.
Limit serving sizes.
Getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week (about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week)
Drink fewer or no alcoholic beverages.
Reduce stress and Get enough quality sleep.
Quit Smoking.
Medication:
Sometimes lifestyle modification alone is not enough in controlling high blood pressure. And so, the introduction of an anti-hypertensive is needed. Some people may need to take 1 or more medications on a daily basis to control high blood pressure. Take it exactly as directed is imperative.
Complication
Heart attack
Heart failure
Stroke
Kidney failure
Loss of eyesight
Death
Reference
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, May 18). High blood pressure symptoms and causes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/about.htm High blood pressure (hypertension).
StayWell. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://demo.staywellhealthlibrary.com/az-search/content/diseases-and-conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/