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High Blood Pressure

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Blood pressure is the force created by the heart as it pushes blood into the arteries and the circulatory system. When the heart pumps, it causes blood to flow through the arteries and into the arterioles. As the blood goes through the arterioles, the arterioles either contract or expand altering both the amount of blood flow and the resistance to blood flow. If the arterioles remain in a contracted form, they create high blood pressure. The heart must then pump harder because the arterioles are exerting a greater resistance to blood flow. 33

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries. The higher your blood pressure the greater your risk of developing narrowed arteries which can lead to heart problems, kidney disease and strokes. The good news is that if your blood pressure is high, it can be lowered by making changes to your lifestyle, for example changing your diet, exercising and losing weight, and when needed, with tablets. This will reduce your risk of developing heart and brain problems that might otherwise occur if your blood pressure is not treated. In many people, blood pressure is not checked or measured, and in some people who have high blood pressure it may not be treated adequately. 9

Your heart pumps blood around your body through a network of tubing called arteries. Every time your heart pumps it forces blood through these arteries and into smaller blood vessels called capillaries. The force that your heart produces in your arteries when it pumps is called your blood pressure. When the heart contracts and forces blood through the arteries your blood pressure goes up, when the heart relaxes it goes down. 9

Still, for most of your waking hours, your blood pressure stays pretty much the same when you are sitting or standing still. That level should be lower than 120/80. When the level stays high, 140/90 or higher, you have high blood pressure. With high blood pressure, the heart works harder, your arteries take a beating, and your chances of a stroke, heart attack, and kidney problems are greater. 7

High blood pressure is considered a major risk factor for heart attack, heart failure and stroke. About half of people having first-time heart attacks and two-thirds of people having first-time strokes suffer from high blood pressure. Most cases of high blood pressure have no cure, but the overwhelming majority can be managed and controlled with diet and medication. 10

Blood pressure is measured using a medical instrument called a sphygmomanometer (pronounced: sfig-mow-mah-nah-meh-ter). A cuff is wrapped around a person’s upper arm and pumped up to create pressure. When the cuff is inflated, it compresses (squeezes on) a large artery in the arm, stopping the blood flow for a moment. Blood pressure is measured as air is gradually let out of the cuff, which allows blood to begin to flow through the artery again when the blood pressure in the artery is greater than the pressure in the cuff. Listening with a stethoscope - the instrument used to hear things like the heart beating inside the body - over the artery allows a doctor or nurse to hear the first pulse as the blood flows through. This is the systolic pressure. The diastolic pressure is noted when the sounds disappear. 12

Systolic pressure is the force of blood in the arteries as the heart beats. It is shown as the top number in a blood pressure reading. High blood pressure is 140 and higher for systolic pressure. Diastolic pressure does not need to be high for you to have high blood pressure. When that happens, the condition is called "isolated systolic hypertension," or ISH. 3

Arteriosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries"). High blood pressure harms the arteries by making them thick and stiff. This speeds the build up of cholesterol and fats in the blood vessels like rust in a pipe, which prevents the blood from flowing through the body, and in time can lead to a heart attack or stroke. 43

When a child has high blood pressure, the heart and arteries have a much heavier workload. The heart must pump harder and the arteries are under greater strain as they carry blood. If high blood pressure continues for a long time, the heart and arteries may no longer work as well as they should. Other organs that are receiving the blood, like the kidneys and brain, may also be affected. Having high blood pressure puts a child at a higher risk for stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, loss of vision, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). 11

While a child may not show symptoms of high blood pressure, it still affects the body and puts the child at risk for those long-term health problems. In rare cases, severe hypertension can cause headaches, visual changes, dizziness, nosebleeds, heart palpitations, and nausea. If your child has severe high blood pressure and experiences any of these symptoms, seek medical care immediately. 11

Pressure inside your arteries can cause the muscles that line the walls of the arteries to thicken. Thickening causes the arteries to narrow. A heart attack or stroke can occur if a blood clot blocks blood flow to your heart or brain. 38

Damaged arteries cannot deliver enough oxygen to other parts of the body. For this reason, high blood pressure can harm the brain and kidneys. High blood pressure also increases the risk for stroke, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness. 30

The cause of high blood pressure often cannot be found in many teens with hypertension. When the cause is unknown, a person has what’s called essential or primary hypertension. In cases where the cause of high blood pressure is known (called secondary hypertension), it is usually the result of kidney problems, hormonal disorders, abnormalities of the aorta (the main artery that carries oxygenated blood to the body), or a narrowing of certain smaller arteries. Most teens who are diagnosed with hypertension have essential hypertension. 12

Because high blood pressure can cause so many problems, treatment is important. The goal of treatment is to lower blood pressure enough so that your risk of heart disease and stroke is lowered. This generally means having a systolic pressure of around 135-140 mm Hg or less, and a diastolic pressure of around 85-90 mm Hg or less. However, if you have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, your health care provider will work with you to get your blood pressure below 130/80. Also, although maintaining normal systolic and diastolic pressures is important, the systolic pressure is the one most associated with heart disease and other problems in older adults. In most cases, blood pressure is lowered gradually over days or weeks. 39

High blood pressure (hbp) or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from the pumping heart to all the tissues and organs of the body. High blood pressure does not mean excessive emotional tension, although emotional tension and stress can temporarily increase blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80; blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 is called "pre-hypertension", and a blood pressure of 140/90 or above is considered high. 1

The Panacea offers these health-extracts to help people investigate health-related subjects in greater depth using the references given in each paragraph. Kindly note that these are current extracts from the web, meant for research, and that these are not meant to be medical advise. For all your health-related needs you must consult trained and licensed personnel.

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