| General Illness Information |
Common Name: |
High
Blood Pressure |
|
Medical Term:
|
Hypertension. |
| Description: |
Hypertension
is defined as a sustained elevated blood pressure (systolic blood
pressure of 140 mm Hg or greater and/or diastolic blood pressure
of 90 mm Hg or greater).
50 million people in the US have
hypertension; 20% of the U.S. population.
It is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular
disease.
Even
though most patients have no symptoms, treatment of hypertension
is most important. The complications of hypertension usually take
years to develop, and early treatment is important to prevent
these serious complications.
|
| Causes: |
Over 90% of High
Blood Pressure has no identified cause. These are
labeled as essential or primary hypertension.
Secondary causes of hypertension
include four areas:
Renal
Endocrine
Vascular
Medication and chemical induced.
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| Prevention: |
|
Essential hypertension
(from unknown causes) cannot be prevented at present. If you
have a family history of hypertension, obtain frequent
blood-pressure checks.
|
|
If hypertension is
detected early, treatment that includes diet, exercise,
stress management, smoking cessation, alcohol reduction, and
medication can usually prevent complications.
|
|
| Signs
& Symptoms |
|
High blood pressure should be considered
asymptomatic ( no symptoms) except in extremes or after
related cardiovascular complications develop
Headache can be seen especially with higher blood
pressures. This is often present on awakening and occipital in
nature.
Because hypertension causes target organ
damage in the blood vessels of the heart, brain, kidneys
and eyes, sustained untreated hypertension may manifest with
symptoms and signs of disordered function in these organs.
|
|
| Risk Factors |
|
Family history
Obesity
Alcohol
Excess dietary sodium
Stress
Physical inactivity
|
| Diagnosis & Treatment |
|
Hypertension is a clinical diagnosis.
24
hour ambulatory blood pressure readings may be necessary to
make a diagnosis.
In
addition, the following investigations may be done at the
time of diagnosis:
CBC (Complete blood count)
· Complete
urinalysis (sometimes reveals proteinuria)
· Potassium,
calcium and creatinine
· Cholesterol
(total, LDL,and HDL)
· Fasting
blood glucose
EKG,
Chest X-Ray
Other
specialized tests such as renal perfusion scans,
echocardiograms and angiograms may be considered.
|
| General
Measures: |
|
The goal is generally
treat to diastolic pressure of higher than 90 mm Hg and
systolic pressure higher than 140 mm Hg.
Weight reduction for obese patients may
lower blood pressures
Smoking cessation is an important part of
a cardiovascular risk reduction program
Biofeedback and relaxation exercises may
help to reduce blood pressure
Some patients will respond to a reduced salt diet
Reduce alcohol consumption to < 1
oz/day
Decrease saturated fats and increase
monounsaturated fats
Some patients will respond to a reduced salt diet
Reduce alcohol consumption to < 1
oz/day
Decrease saturated fats and increase
monounsaturated fats
Hypertension has no symptoms. Early and
life long treatment is essential to prevent the
complications. |
|
|
|
| Medications: |
|
There are many medications for treating
hypertension.
Your physician will choose the medications
appropriate for your condition.
There are four main classes of
anti-hypertensive medications:
Diuretics
Beta-Blockers
Calcium Channel Blockers
ACE Inhibitors
These may be used in combination by your
doctor.
Each of these has its own unique
indications, side-effects, contra-indications, and cautions.
If your doctor has prescribed a medication for you, look it up
in the medication section of RxMed.
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|
| Activity: |
|
No restrictions.
Exercise is important in the control of
hypertension.
|
|
| Diet: |
|
|
Low-salt diet.
|
|
Reducing diet if
overweight.
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Low cholesterol
diet if lipids found to be elevated.
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|
| Possible
Complications : |
|
Congestive heart failure
Renal failure
Myocardial infarction
Stroke
Retinopathy |
|
| Prognosis |
|
The prognosis is excellent, with
adequate control of Blood Pressure.
Many studies have demonstrated that
proper control of hypertension will prevent all the complications.
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