| Everyone talks about hypertension. Many individuals, | | | | Renal failure |
| groups, communities, health Organizations and other | | | | Tumors |
| bodies have shown concern and even written about | | | | Birth control pills |
| Hypertension. Statistics shows that approximately 1 | | | | High salt intake |
| billion people worldwide have high blood pressure and | | | | Injury/trauma |
| this number is expected to increase to 1.56 billion | | | | Adrenal and thyroid problems |
| people by the year 2025. That translates to about 1 | | | | Insufficient calcium potassium and magnesium |
| out of every 4 Adults being afflicted with hypertension. | | | | consumption |
| In fact in the United States, recent estimates show | | | | Vitamin D deficiency. |
| that nearly one in three U.S Adults has high blood | | | | Due to its asymptomatic nature, hypertension cannot |
| pressure and because there are no symptoms, nearly | | | | be clearly diagnosed unless if severe. Hence, a |
| one-third of these people don't know they have it. | | | | constant check of blood pressure should be done on a |
| Unfortunately, many may have it for years without | | | | regular basis. Also, the more an individual is aging, the |
| even knowing. With this alarming statistics, you will not | | | | more the frequency of checking. The |
| hesitate to agree with me that there is a call for | | | | Sphygmomanometer is used to check for blood |
| concern for individuals and groups to treat this case | | | | pressure. You need not wait until it gets to 140/90 |
| with all seriousness. | | | | before you conclude you have hypertension. Blood |
| Hypertension simply means high blood pressure and in | | | | pressure between 120/80 to 139/89 is called |
| Medical terms a blood pressure of 140/90 is | | | | pre-hypertension (to indicate an increased risk of |
| considered hypertension; where 140 is the systolic | | | | hypertension) and if you begin to discover such range |
| measurement and 90 represents its diastolic | | | | in values reoccurring, then you will have to see a |
| measurement. A person with hypertension has no | | | | Doctor. |
| explicit symptoms and that is why more than 30% of | | | | Treatment |
| Individuals do not eve know they have it, which makes | | | | Basically, drugs are used as well as a gradual change |
| it even more dangerous and considered a Silent Killer. | | | | in Lifestyle. The major drugs used for the treatment of |
| Nevertheless, extremely high blood pressure may lead | | | | hypertension are as follows; |
| to some symptoms such as Fatigue, dizziness, | | | | Diuretics (furosemid, dichlothiazid, spironolacton). |
| confusion (sometimes), Nausea, severe headaches, | | | | Inhibitors of Angiotensin converting Enzyme |
| problems with vision, breathing disorders, irregular | | | | (captopril, enalapril, ramipril). |
| heartbeat. And in very severe cases, you can find | | | | Antagonists of angiotensin II receptors. For |
| blood in Urine after Laboratory analysis. | | | | example Losartan. |
| Causes | | | | B-adrenoblockers (anaprilin, atenolol, thymolol). |
| The causes of hypertension could be classified into; | | | | A-adrenoblockers (Labetolol, Carvedilol). |
| 1. Primary causes. These are the major risk factors of | | | | A-, B-adrenorblockers (prasosine, terasosine). |
| hypertension in which, even the secondary causes | | | | Calcium ions antagonists (niphedipine, amlodipine, |
| emerge from. These are, | | | | Verapamil). |
| Fast paced lifestyle leading to Unhealthy diets. | | | | Agonists of A2-adrenoreceptors of central action |
| Lack of exercise | | | | (clopheline, methyldopa). |
| Tobacco smoking | | | | Sympatholytics (reserpin, Octadin). |
| Obesity | | | | Direct vasodilators (molsidomin, hydralasin). |
| Physical inactivity | | | | Imidasolines (moxonidine, rilmenidine). |
| Alcohol consumption | | | | Serotonin receptors blockers, for example |
| Stress | | | | Ketanserin. |
| Under this category, we could have a physiological risk | | | | Monateril (calcium antagonists, A2-adrenoblockers). |
| factor or cause of hypertension which is Age. An | | | | So much drugs for hypertension huh! Do not worry |
| ageing Individual has more risk of getting hypertension | | | | about which drugs to use and how to use them. |
| than a younger one. | | | | Leave that to the Doctor. |
| 2. Secondary causes. These are causes due to the | | | | Prevention and conclusion |
| primary causes, most of which results from Tobaccos | | | | It is appalling to know that almost 90% of the causes |
| smoking and unhealthy diets. They include; | | | | of hypertension are due to our life style. This simply |
| Coronary heart diseases | | | | means, the power to reduce the occurrence of |
| Stroke | | | | hypertension lies in our hands. Is there any need to list |
| Atherosclerosis | | | | the ways of prevention? Glance through the already |
| Arteriosclerosis | | | | aforementioned causes once more and then deduce |
| Cancer | | | | their direct opposites-and that would be the preventive |
| Pneumonia | | | | methods of hypertension. |
| Diabetes | | | | |