The heart, the organ responsible for blood circulation in the body, collects oxygen-poor blood and pumps oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. The pressure on the artery wall during these processes is called blood pressure. A blood pressure higher than 140 mmHg, commonly known as blood pressure, is called hypertension.
Causes of Hypertension
Hypertension occurs when blood pressure in the arteries is high. The amount of blood pumped by the heart and the width of the arteries directly affect blood pressure. Excessive pumping of blood by the heart and insufficient width of the arteries can increase blood pressure. In addition, some conditions may also pose a risk for hypertension. These situations are as follows:
Family History: Having hypertension in a family member may increase the likelihood of developing hypertension.
Smoking Smoking can cause hardening of the arteries by damaging the blood vessel wall. Damage to a blood vessel can lead to increased blood pressure.
Drinking Alcohol Alcohol use can negatively affect cardiovascular health and cause an increase in blood pressure.
Insufficient Physical Activity: Regular exercise helps to maintain cardiovascular health and prevent hypertension. Inadequate physical activity can negatively affect cardiovascular health and increase the likelihood of developing hypertension.
Excess Salt Consumption: Excess salt consumption can cause water retention in the body. Blood pressure may increase as a result of water retention in the body.
Low Potassium Levels: Potassium is a mineral that helps balance the amount of salt in the body, and therefore its deficiency may be associated with increased blood pressure.
What are the Symptoms of Hypertension?
Symptoms of hypertension may not be present in the first stage of the disease. Some of the symptoms seen in hypertension, which can progress without symptoms in the early period, are as follows:
Headache
Shortness of breath
Sudden nosebleeds,
Frequent urination,
Sweating
Palpitations
Hypertension Prevention and Control
It is important for a person with hypertension to manage the disease correctly. High blood pressure can cause excessive pressure on the artery wall. High pressure on the arterial wall can damage blood vessels and body organs. The higher the blood pressure, the greater the damage to the body. Some of the effects of high blood pressure on the body are as follows:
Heart attack or stroke: High blood pressure can cause hardening and thickening of the arteries. Hardening and thickening of the arteries can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Aneurysm: Increased blood pressure can cause a blood vessel to weaken and swell. This is called an aneurysm. The rupture of an aneurysm can pose a risk to vital activities.
Heart Failure: With high blood pressure, the heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body. Heart failure can occur as a result of increased workload on the heart.
Healthy lifestyle habits can help prevent hypertension and control hypertension. Regular use of medication recommended by a doctor is also important in relieving the symptoms of hypertension. Some of the things to be done to prevent hypertension and to keep existing hypertension under control are as follows:
Eating a Balanced and Regular Diet: Eating a balanced and regular diet can help maintain cardiovascular health and prevent hypertension.
Not Smoking Chemical substances in cigarettes adversely affect human health. Not smoking or being in smoking environments can help prevent hypertension.
Regular Exercise: Regular exercise helps control weight, promotes cardiovascular health and helps reduce the negative effects of chronic diseases.
Regular and Adequate Sleep: Inadequate sleep may predispose to an increased risk of heart disease, blood pressure and some other chronic diseases. Therefore, paying attention to sleep patterns can help prevent hypertension.
Choosing holistic treatment methods for hypertension helps to manage the disease and alleviate its negative effects. One Dose Health offers 24/7 online healthcare services with specialized physicians, allowing you to receive healthcare services from anywhere you are. If you want to learn more about hypertension, you can benefit from the One Dose Health online health service and help protect your health.
The number of people diagnosed with hypertension is increasing worldwide due to factors such as unhealthy diet, sedentary life, busy and stressful working conditions. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1.28 billion adults between the ages of 30-79 worldwide suffer from hypertension. If not intervened early, hypertension can cause damage to vital organs such as the heart, kidneys and brain. You can read the rest of the article for what you wonder about hypertension.
What is Hypertension?
The pressure exerted by the blood coming out of the heart on the vessels is called blood pressure. The highest pressure applied to the vessels during contraction is called systolic pressure, popularly known as systolic pressure, which increases during contraction of the heart muscle and decreases during relaxation. The name of the heart muscle is high blood pressure, and the lowest pressure value that occurs during the relaxation of the heart is diastolic. In cases where systolic blood pressure, i.e. large blood pressure, is higher than 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure, i.e. small blood pressure, is higher than 90 mmHg, hypertension (high blood pressure) can be mentioned, i.e. small blood pressure. Blood pressure values are expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). According to the World Health Organization, a blood pressure value of 120/80 mmHg in adults is considered normal blood pressure.
What are the Causes of Hypertension?
In most cases, hypertension has no specific cause. This condition is called essential or primary hypertension. In some cases, high blood pressure can be caused by another underlying health condition. Blood pressure that occurs due to an underlying health problem is called secondary hypertension. The main causes of secondary hypertension can be listed as follows:
Health problems with the kidneys,
Sleep apnea
Congenital heart anomalies,
Arteriosclerosis
Diabetes
Health problems related to the endocrine system such as thyroid gland, adrenal gland,
Some medicines used
In addition to the reasons listed above, there are some risk factors that can cause high blood pressure. These risk factors include obesity, lack of physical activity, harmful habits such as smoking and alcohol, genetic predisposition, and excessive salt use.
Symptoms of Hypertension
In some cases, hypertension may not show any symptoms for many years. In some cases, high blood pressure may manifest itself with certain symptoms. Some of the common symptoms of hypertension are as follows:
Pain in the head and nape of the neck,
Swelling of the feet and legs,
Breathing difficulties,
Feeling of pressure in the ears or tinnitus,
Nosebleeds without any impact,
Dizziness, a feeling of instability,
Pain in the chest area,
Frequent urination, especially at night,
Blurred or double vision,
Numbness and tingling in the head area,
Palpitations
When symptoms such as these are noticed, it is important to measure blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer. If it is high, it is important to seek help from a specialist doctor by calling or visiting the health institution in person.
Hypertension Treatment
Uncontrolled hypertension can lead to more serious health problems such as heart attack, kidney failure and stroke. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are important in the fight against hypertension. For the treatment of hypertension, a detailed medical history of the patient is first taken by a specialist doctor. If the patient has any health problems that may cause hypertension, hypertension treatment is planned accordingly. The important thing in the treatment of hypertension is that the patient and the doctor can act together. Often some lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, quitting smoking and alcohol, exercising, can help control hypertension.
Another treatment option for hypertension is medication. A specialist doctor may prescribe medicines to help the patient control hypertension. In some cases, more than one drug may need to be used.
Thanks to digital health systems, it is now possible to meet with specialized doctors and get help 24/7. Hypertension can often be recognized during a routine examination without any symptoms. Prolonged high blood pressure can cause serious health problems, especially cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, do not neglect to consult a healthcare provider and have regular check-ups.
