Analysis of Hypertension Condition - Research Paper Example

?HYPERTENSION s: Admission no: Hypertension is a disease or condition in which the arteries pump blood at a very high pressure. Another term that can be used to refer to this disease is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood that the heart pumps and the resistance to blood flow in the arteries. Blood pressure can be high when the arteries are narrow and the heart pumps more blood. If hypertension is not prevented at an early stage it can lead to heart problems such as heart attack, stroke or even heart failure. Hypertension can be divided into two categories i.e. essential hypertension and secondary hypertension. Essential hypertension is one with no known cause. Secondary hypertension is one with a known cause. The cause can be tumor or kidney diseases. One can have high blood pressure for a good number of years without realizing the symptoms. Hypertension develops over several years and can in due course affect nearly every person. It is believed that over half of all Americans with hypertension do not have their high blood pressure under control. Hypertension is caused by various factors as outlined below; Causes of hypertension, Smoking- according to research people who smoke tend to have greater chances of getting heart-related diseases such as heart attack. The nicotine present in tobacco products causes a reduction in oxygen supply to the heart. This results to increased blood pressure and heart rate. At times it can lead to clotting of blood which can cause damage to arteries. Obesity or overweight is another cause of hypertension. Obesity is characterized by too much fat in the body. These fats can cause narrowing or even blockage of arteries that allow passage of blood and as a result can cause hypertension. In addition as a person gains more weight, more blood is needed to supply more oxygen and nutrients to the body hence blood pressure has to increase. Too little potassium in the diet is a common cause of high blood pressure. Potassium aides in balancing the quantity of sodium in a person’s cells. If one doesn’t get adequate potassium in the diet or retain sufficient potassium, one can build up too much sodium in the blood which increases the risk of getting high blood pressure. Another cause of hypertension can be drinking too much alcohol. Over time heavy alcohol consumption can injure your heart. Having more than two drinks a day can raise your blood pressure. High levels of stress can result to a temporary but remarkable increase in blood pressure. If you try to relax by eating more using tobacco or drinking alcohol you may only increase problems with high blood pressure. Certain chronic conditions also may increase your risk of high blood pressure including high cholesterol, diabetes or kidney disease. In addition, lack of physical activity physical exercise is useful in controlling blood pressure, cutting weight and even managing stress. Lack of physical activity can lead to obesity which results to high blood pressure. Genetics is also a common cause of high blood pressure. According to research genes are some of the factors that cause hypertension. Most successful studies have shown that gene mutations can cause hypertension. Certain genetic factors contribute to development of high blood pressure (Bianchi G, 1997). According to Hall et.al, (2007), high levels of salt intake; Sodium consumption should be limited to 1500milligrams per day and that applies to everyone, even healthy people who do not have hypertension, diabetes or any other related disease diseases. Salt causes retention of fluids in the body and this can lead to high blood pressure. Symptoms of hypertension there is no guarantee that a person with hypertension will present any symptoms of the condition. About 33% of people actually do not know that they have high blood pressure, and this ignorance can last for years. For this reason, it is advisable to undergo periodic blood pressure screenings even when no symptoms are present (Coulstron, et al, 2008).Extremely high blood pressure may lead to some symptoms, however, and these include: Severe headaches , problems with vision, chest pains, dizziness, nausea, breathing problems and irregular heartbeat. Diagnostic tests for high blood pressure, Hypertension can be diagnosed by measuring a person’s blood pressure. Health professionals use a device called sphygmomanometer to measure blood pressure. A normal person ought to have blood pressure of below 120/80mmHg. Measurements higher than this indicate high blood pressure. The upper number indicates systolic measurement while the lower number represents diastolic measurement. Before the test is done a physical examination should be done and medical history of the person and his family members determined. Other tests that can be used to diagnose hypertension include electrocardiograms and echocardiograms. These tests assess the physical structure of the heart by measuring its electrical activity. However further blood tests may be needed to identify the causes of electrical hypertension and also testing sugar levels and amounts of cholesterol. Pathophysiology People with hypertension tend to have elevated vascular resistance or cardiac output. The cardiac output is normally high in younger people. Increased systematic vascular resistance is common in older people. An increase in systemic vascular resistance and an increase in vascular stiffness augment the weight imposed on the left ventricle; this induces left ventricular hypertrophy and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. A common cause of hypertension in elderly people is environmental factors such as sodium ingestion. Alterations in sympathetic nervous system function may play in an essential role in the age-related increase in blood pressure. Complications, Several complications arise from hypertension among them being heart attack, heart failure or stroke. Hypertension can lead to hardening and thickening of arteries which can cause heart attack. Narrow arteries may limit the flow of blood to the heart tissues hence causing heart attack. If blood supply to the brain is hindered it can lead to stroke. Torn or weakened blood vessels are a common complication of high blood pressure due to the force exerted by blood as it flows through the narrow arteries. This is harmful as it prevents organs from functioning normally. Aneurysm can result from weakening or bulging of blood vessels. Another complication which may not be common is trouble with memory or understanding. The kidneys act as filters to rid the body of wastes. Over time, high blood pressure can narrow and thicken the blood vessels of the kidneys. The kidneys filter less fluid and waste accumulates in the blood. The kidneys may fail altogether. When this occurs medical treatment or a kidney transplant may be needed. High blood pressure can strain the vessels in the eyes and the optic nerve. High blood pressure can place a strain on the blood vessels in the eyes. Hypertension can make the blood vessels to either narrow or bleed when they are exposed to too much blood pressure force. Also the optic nerve may swell, decreasing the ability to see well. Prevention and treatment, several things can be done to prevent or treat high blood pressure among them being taking healthy diet i.e. low salt intake. Other prevention measures could be regular exercises, managing stress, avoiding smoking of tobacco, reducing alcohol intake, taking foods rich in potassium and calcium and taking prescribed medicine. Regular exercise is essential in maintaining healthy weight. Individuals who are physically vigorous have a lower risk of getting high blood pressure -- 20% to 50% lower -- than people who are not active. You don't have to be a marathon runner to benefit from physical activity. Even light duties if done every day can help lower your risk (Blanchette, 2006). REFERENCES: Bottom of Form Carethers, M., and P. L. Blanchette. "Pathophysiology of hypertension." Clinics in geriatric medicine 5.4 (2006): 657-674. Bianchi, Giuseppe. "Pathophysiology of hypertension." Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension 6.2 (2000): 167-168. Hall, J. et al (2007) Comprehensive Hypertension. Philadelphia: Mosby. Bottom of Form Top of Form Coulstron, et al (2008). Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease. Amsterdam: Academic Press, Internet resource. Bottom of Form Read More