Hypertension: Symptoms and treatment

It is not clear 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. Therefore it is advisable to undergo periodic blood pressure screenings even when no symptoms are present. Extremely high blood pressure may lead to some symptoms that may include:  Severe headaches, fatigue or confusion, dizziness, nausea, problems with vision, chest pains, breathing problems, irregular heartbeat, and blood in urine.

Hypertension may be diagnosed by a health professional who measures blood pressure with a device called a sphygmomanometer (the device with the arm cuff, dial, pump, and valve). The systolic and diastolic numbers will be recorded and compared to a chart of values. If the pressure is greater than 140/90, you will be considered to have hypertension. A high blood pressure measurement, may be unauthentic or the result of stress at the time of the exam. In order to perform a more thorough diagnosis, physicians usually conduct a physical exam and ask for the medical history of the patient and the family. Doctors will need to know if the patient under examination, have any risk factors for hypertension, such as smoking, high cholesterol, or diabetes.

If hypertension seems reasonable, tests such as electrocardiograms (EKG) and echocardiograms will be used to measure electrical activity of the heart and to assess the physical structure of the heart. Additional blood tests will also be required to identify possible causes of secondary hypertension and to measure renal function, electrolyte levels, sugar levels, and cholesterol levels. Main goal of treatment for hypertension is to lower blood pressure to less than 140/90 - or even lower in some groups such as people with diabetes, and people with chronic kidney diseases. Treating hypertension is important for reducing the risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.

High blood pressure may be treated medically, by changing lifestyle factors or combination of the two. Important lifestyle changes include losing weight, quitting smoking, eating a healthful diet, reducing sodium intake, exercising regularly and limiting alcohol consumption. Medical options to treat hypertension include several classes of drugs. ACE inhibitors, ARB drugs, beta-blockers, diuretics, calcium channel blockers, alpha-blockers, and peripheral vasodilators are the primary drugs used in treatment. These medications may be used alone or in combination, and some are only used in combination. In addition, some of these drugs are preferred to others depending on the characteristics of the patient (diabetic, pregnant etc). If blood pressure is successfully lowered, it is wise to have frequent checkups and to take preventive measures to avoid a relapse of hypertension.

Some of the doctors suggest that a cup of beetroot juice each day can reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Some researchers started off examining the impact of consuming nitrates on laboratory rats, and then confirmed their findings with 15 volunteer humans, all with hypertension.

The following foods are high in nitrates:

§               Beetroot

§               Fennel

§               Cabbage

§               Lettuce

§               Radishes

§               Carrots.

Some of the doctors also suggest that increasing one's intake of vegetables with a high dietary nitrate content, such as green leafy vegetables or beetroot, may be a lifestyle approach that one could easily employ to improve cardiovascular health.

Some of the physicians believe that yoga is effective in reducing blood pressure. Some researchers reported significant improvements in the health of hypertensive patients who used tele-monitoring, which can be used at home. Patients use a portable system allowing them to record and send their blood pressure readings straight to the doctor's office in real time. Some scientists from University of California San Diego have designed molecules that can eventually be used in medications that "switch off" high blood pressure in the human body.

Hypertension can best be prevented by adjusting lifestyle if proper diet and exercise are key components in ones life. It is important to maintain a healthy weight, reduce salt intake, reduce alcohol intake, and reduce stress. In order to prevent damage to critical organs and conditions such as stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure that may be caused by high blood pressure, it is important to screen, diagnose, treat, and control hyper tension in its earliest stages. This can also be accomplished by increasing public awareness and increasing the frequency of screenings for the condition.