Hypertension or High Blood Pressure: Types, Causes and Preventions
Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure and is the most common preventable medical condition. The prevalence of hypertension in India is between 200 to 250 million, which means millions of people in India are hypertensive, and have a systolic blood pressure of at least 140mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure of at least 90mmHg. Excessive intake of salt is one of the leading causes of high blood pressure. Mostly, there are no noticeable symptoms or sometimes minor symptoms, making it a more life-threatening medical condition. Extreme hypertension can also damage vital organs such as the heart, brain or even kidneys and if left untreated it can cause a heart attack, stroke or other serious health problems. Connect with Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital which offers the best medical assistance and 24/7 emergency care. Let us begin with understanding hypertension.
What is Hypertension?
Hypertension or high blood pressure is when blood exerts greater pressure or force on the walls of arteries. Blood pressure can be measured in two ways: by the force exerted by the blood on the blood vessels and by the resistance to blood flow in arteries, causing the heart to work harder to pump the blood. When the blood pressure is consistently higher than 140/90 mmHg, it is considered hypertension. Let us understand what these numbers mean, the first number is known as systolic pressure, the pressure in your arteries when the heart beats and pumps out the blood, and the second number is diastolic, the pressure in your arteries when the heart takes the rest. There are several types and stages of hypertension as discussed below.
Types and Stages of Hypertension
There are most commonly two types of hypertension such as primary hypertension and Secondary hypertension. It develops in four stages, elevated, stage 1, stage 2, and the last one is hypertension crisis. Let’s understand them one by one.
Types
Primary Hypertension: It is the most common type of hypertension and it affects patients with no noticeable or obvious causes. Primary hypertension is thought to be caused by a combination of factors such as genetics, lifestyle, age, and diet.
Secondary Hypertension: Apart from primary hypertension, this type of hypertension describes high blood pressure has a noticeable cause. It is not as common as primary hypertension and around 5-10% of cases are identified as secondary hypertension. It can be caused by underlying conditions such as kidney disease, heart disease or certain medications.
Stages
Elevated: In the elevated stage, the systolic blood pressure(SBP) is 120-129 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure(DBP) is less than 80 mmHg.
Stage 1: In this stage, SBP is around 130-139 mmHg and DBP is 80-89 mmHg.
Stage 2: In this stage, SBP is higher than 140 mmHg and DBP is higher than 90 mmHg.
Hypertension Crisis: This stage is considered a medical emergency as the SBP in this case crosses 180 mmHg and DBP rises above 120 mmHg.
According to some research, it is estimated that around 28% of Indian people above 18 years of age have hypertension and it is more prevalent in men than women.
Causes of Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure can be caused by several factors including:
Genetics: Hypertension often runs in families and one can inherit this medical condition from their parents.
Age: Age is also one of the common factors, causing high blood pressure. As one grows older, he or she is more likely to get hypertension. People above the age of 65 are more at risk of hypertension.
High Salt Intake: Excessive salt(sodium) intake can also cause hypertension. Salt causes the body to retain fluid, which increases blood volume and raises blood pressure.
Lifestyle: A sedentary lifestyle like eating an unhealthy diet, and not getting enough physical activity and sleep can increase the risk of hypertension.
Smoking and Alcohol: Smoking and consumption of alcohol can have synergistic effects and can cause hypertension in people who consume alcohol and smoke.
Certain Health Conditions: People with chronic kidney disease, diabetes and thyroid disorders are at greater risk of getting hypertension.
Stress: Stress can temporarily raise blood pressure and prolonged stress can lead to hypertension.
Can Hypertension be Prevented?
Early stages of hypertension can be prevented by adopting several lifestyle changes.
Maintain a healthy weight: Increased weight or obesity can also put someone at risk of getting hypertension and losing weight can help in reducing high blood pressure.
Regular exercise: Engaging in regular exercise can help improve cardiovascular health and can have a significant impact on lowering blood pressure.
Take a healthy diet: Reduce your intake of sodium (salt) and include various fruits and vegetables in your diet to maintain normal blood pressure.
Limit alcohol and quit smoking: Limiting alcohol consumption and quitting smoking can significantly improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of hypertension.
Conclusion
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common medical condition affecting a large number of adults and is preventable but it can lead to severe health complications if left unmanaged. Mostly symptoms of hypertension are untraceable and generally ignored by people but it can turn into a fatal or life-threatening condition. It is also known as a “silent killer” because of this characteristic and it has contributed to 57% of deaths by stroke caused by hypertension. By understanding its various causes and preventive methods one can reduce the risk of having hypertension. Connect with Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital which offers the best medical assistance and 24/7 emergency care.
Disclaimer
Though all attempts are made to provide correct information on the subject, inadvertent & typographical errors arising out of manual intervention cannot be ruled out. Any such discrepancies should be brought to the blogger's notice for correction.