Understanding Hypertension

It is popularly believed that high blood-pressure strikes after 40 which is an absolute misnomer. The best way to avoid it is by leading a stress-free life as far as possible, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and having regular health check-ups.

I had two friends for tea the other day and one topic led itself into another. Finally we came upon the topic of blood pressure. One of them was saying ‘ Doctor says my husband has high blood pressure and has to reduce weight for which he has prescribed walks and a special diet’. She then added ‘Where is the need for all this? Just one pill in the morning and he should be fit, shouldn’t he? He does not have the time for walks, special diet and all that.’ Then she added ‘ the blood pressure is just a little high, but doctors these days make such a big fuss… eat this, don’t eat this and what not. My husband is just 35…” she went on and on in this stream.

I was quite aghast at her trend of thinking. Her husband was diagnosed of hypertension (as high blood pressure is medically termed as) and she wanted to know why he should reduce or go on a special diet when a pill a day can do the trick … But then I realised that my friend was not isolated in her ignorance.

There must be many more who take high blood pressure for granted.

High blood pressure or hypertension should never be taken lightly even if it is just a little higher than normal for if ignored and not taken care of immediately it can lead to serious repercussions

First of all we need to understand what blood pressure is all about. It is explained here in a very easy to understand manner.

What is Blood Pressure?

In simple terms, blood pressure is the pressure that the blood exerts on the blood vessels while circulating.

When the heart contracts, it forcefully drives the blood into the arteries. This is ‘systolic blood pressure’. And when the heart relaxes, the pressure is comparatively low and termed; ‘diastolic blood pressure’

What should the blood pressure be?

A systolic pressure of 120 mm Hg and a diastolic pressure of 80 mm Hg are considered normal. These pressures are read as 120/80.

What are the functions of blood pressure?

Blood pressure has three important functions:
1. To take blood back to the heart after making its way through more then 60,000 miles long blood vessels.
2. To exchange nutrients and waste products between the various cells of the body and the blood capillaries.
3. To filter (and therefore purify) blood in the kidneys and the lungs.

What is Hypertension or high blood pressure?

Hypertension is a result of interaction of Cardiac (heart) output and the resistance to this blood flow by arteriole. As such if blood flow increases the resistance will decrease and normal blood pressure will be maintained. If one of these two factors or both increase, the blood pressure goes up.

What are the probable factors that may lead to hypertension?

In ninety percent of the cases the cause of hypertension is not known. This type of hypertension is called essential or primary hypertension. However, some other factors which could lead to hypertension are:
1. Heredity: It is possible that some gene may be responsible for hypertension, but it is now well understood that if environmental forces are not at play, heredity can have little influence.
2. Tensions: Mental tensions leads to excessive secretion of catecholamines (adrenaline and non adrenaline). These secretions stimulate the nerve endings in the brain stem to cause an elevation of the blood pressure.
3. Excessive intake of salt: Studies have shown that in all those countries, where the average salt intake is high, the incidence of high blood pressure too, is high. Studies have further suggested that those people who are genetically prone to hypertension should limit their salt intake.
4. Obesity: Obesity is even more strongly correlated to hypertension than excessive intake of sodium. Weight reduction will lower the blood pressure of both hypertensive and normotensive individuals. Incidence of high blood pressure is 2½ times more in obese than in normal persons. Another alarming fact is that in obese people high blood pressure develops much earlier in life.
5. Other factors: Sedentary life style, smoking and alcohol consumption can all lead to high blood pressure.