HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (HYPERTENSION); WHAT YOU MUST KNOW

High blood pressure is a trait rather than disease and quantitative rather than qualitative.

Therefore, any definition of hypertension is arbitrary.
According to principle and practice of medicine written by Davidson; 'practical definition of hypertension is the level of blood pressure at which benefits of treatment outweigh the costs and hazard'.

Hypertension as a condition is asymptomatic (no symptoms) but long standing and untreated one has adverse effects on some organs in the body. These are called target organs;
BRAIN- where it can cause stroke and other brain conditions.
KIDNEY
BLOOD VESSELS,
EYE-Retinopathy
HEART

Hypertension is said to be primary or secondary. the primary is essential and accounts for 90 percent of people living with hypertension and this type has no known causes but there are risk factors.

NON MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS
Age- above 40 year in men and after menopause in women

Sex- men are more predisposed than women

Race- more in black

Family history- more risk with people who have family history of hypertension.

MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS

High salt intake

Heavy consumption of alcohol

Obesity

Lack of exercise

Impaired intrauterine growth

Smoking

High blood cholesterol

very little evidence of stress as a risk factor

This is where you come in and why i am writing this article. These modifiable factors are something we can reduce or completely remove out of our lives.
And if you are addicted to either smoking or alcohol you need to seek help.

Secondary hypertension are caused by disease in the body like vascular disease, hormonal disease, sometime diabetes and many more. But the scope of secondary hypertension is beyond this discussion.

If you are already hypertensive, you need to know that there is no permanent cure but if you are drug and hospital compliant, it is less risky and very cheap to manage.

Avoid self medication and always discus your problems with your doctor.