HYPERTENSION - A new age lifestyle disease.
Hello friends, Firstly a very good afternoon,hope you all are having a fantastic day. I am Dr.Shruti Vedala and i am going to discuss about Hypertension and its various causes and complications in brief .
1)So first of all what is hypertension?
A)Hypertension is a medical condition where the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated,which causes many health problems,increases the risk of heart diseases and stroke.
2) So now how do we know that a person has hypertension?
A)To know this one must always know the normal BP measurement which is 120/80 mm of Hg,if it is more than 130/90 mm of Hg that person is known to have elevated BP . Remember one must always check BP more than twice to confirm the diagnosis as sometimes there can be error of the machine.
3) Lets now know how is blood pressure determined in our body?
A)It is determined by the amount of blood the heart pumps and the amount of resistance to the blood flow by the arteries.
The more blood the heart pumps,the narrower your arteries and the higher your blood pressure.
Sometimes a person can have high blood pressure without any symptoms for years but fortunately its not very expensive to detect high blood pressure.And once you know you have it,you can work with your doctor to control it.
4) Now lets just go through the signs and symptoms of high blood pressure :
Some people do not have any signs and symptoms of high blood pressure but some have symptoms such as headaches,shortness of breath,nosebleeds,vertigo,tinitus ,fainting episodes,sweating,anxiety,sleeping problems.
5) Risk factors of HTN :
A number of risk factors increase the chances of having hypertension.
Age: Hypertension is more common in people aged over 60 years. With age, blood pressure can increase steadily as the arteries become stiffer and narrower due to plaque build-up.
Ethnicity: Some ethnic groups are more prone to hypertension.
Size and weight: Being overweight or obese is a key risk factor.
Alcohol and tobacco use: Consuming large amounts of alcohol regularly can increase a person's blood pressure, as can smoking tobacco.
Sex: The lifetime risk is the same for males and females, but men are more prone to hypertension at a younger age. The prevalence tends to be higher in older women.
Existing health conditions: Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and high cholesterol levels can lead to hypertension, especially as people get older.
Other contributing factors include:
physical inactivity
a salt-rich diet associated with processed and fatty foods
low potassium in the diet
alcohol and tobacco use
A family history of high blood pressure and poorly managed stress can also contribute.
certain diseases and medications
6)Hypertension and heart disease are global health concerns. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that the growth of the processed food industry has impacted the amount of salt in diets worldwide, and that this plays a role in hypertension.
7)Fast facts on hypertension :
Acute causes of high blood pressure include stress, but it can happen on its own, or it can result from an underlying condition, such as kidney disease.
Unmanaged hypertension can lead to a heart attack, stroke, and other problems.
Lifestyle factors are the best way to address high blood pressure.
8)Causes :The cause of hypertension is often not known.
Around 1 in every 20 cases of hypertension is the effect of an underlying condition or medication.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common cause of high blood pressure because the kidneys do not filter out fluid. This fluid excess leads to hypertension.
9)Treatment :
To control the blood pressure there is a range of treatment options available.
Lifestyle adjustments are the standard first-line treatment for hypertension.
Regular physical exercise
As a Doctor I recommend that patients with hypertension engage in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity, aerobic exercise. This can include either walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming everyday.
Stress reduction
Avoiding stress, or developing strategies for managing unavoidable stress, can help with blood pressure control.
Using alcohol, drugs, smoking, and unhealthy eating to cope with stress will add to hypertensive problems. These should be avoided.
Smoking can raise blood pressure. Giving up smoking reduces the risk of hypertension, heart conditions, and other health issues.
Medications:
People with blood pressure higher than 130 over 80 may use medication to treat hypertension.
I will not go into the total drug treatment but will just brief you here about the class of drugs used in HTN.Drugs are usually started one at a time at a low dose. Side effects associated with antihypertensive drugs are usually minor.
Eventually, a combination of at least two antihypertensive drugs is usually required.
A range of drug types are available to help lower blood pressure, including:
diuretics
beta-blockers and alpha-blockers
calcium-channel blockers
central agonists
peripheral adrenergic inhibitor
vasodilators
angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
angiotensin receptor blockers
The choice of drug depends from individual to individual and any other conditions taht they may have.
Anyone taking antihypertensive medications should be sure to carefully read labels, especially before taking any over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as decongestants.
These may interact with medications used to lower blood pressure.
Diet is what i am going to stress a lot in this seminar.
Some types of hypertension can be managed through lifestyle and dietary choices, such as engaging in physical activity, reducing alcohol and tobacco use, and avoiding a high-sodium diet.
Reducing the amount of salt
Average salt intake is between 9 grams (g) and 12 g per day in most countries around the world.
The WHO recommends reducing intake to under 5 g a day, to decrease the risk of hypertension.
This can benefit people both with and without hypertension, but those especially with high blood pressure will benefit the most.
Moderating alcohol consumption
Moderate to excessive alcohol consumption is linked to raised blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommend a maximum of two drinks a day for men, and one for women.
That apart Eating more fruits and vegetables and less fats
People who have or who are at risk of high blood pressure are advised to eat as little saturated and total fats as possible.
Recommended instead of fat are:
whole-grain, high-fiber foods
a variety of fruit and vegetables
beans, pulses, and nuts
omega-3-rich fish twice a week
non-tropical vegetable oils, for example, olive oil
skinless poultry and fish
low-fat dairy products
It is important to avoid trans-fats, hydrogenated vegetable oils, and animal fats, and to eat portions of moderate size.
Managing body weight
Hypertension is closely related to excess body weight, and weight reduction is followed by a fall in blood pressure. A healthy, balanced diet with a calorie intake that matches the individual's size, sex, and activity level will help.
Complications :
Long-term hypertension can cause complications through atherosclerosis, where the formation of plaque results in the narrowing of blood vessels. This makes hypertension worse, as the heart must pump harder to deliver blood to the body.
Hypertension-related atherosclerosis can lead to:
heart failure and heart attacks
an aneurysm, or an abnormal bulge in the wall of an artery that can burst, causing severe bleeding and, in some cases, death
kidney failure
stroke
amputation
hypertensive retinopathies in the eye, which can lead to blindness
Regular blood pressure testing can help people avoid the more severe complications.
High blood pressure, also called HBP or hypertension, can affect your ability to receive oral healthcare. Performing dental treatments on patients with hypertension can be detrimental! If your blood pressure is too high, many dentists won’t schedule procedures until you receive a health assessment from your medical doctor.
Patients with hypertension can also be in danger from local anesthetics that use vasoconstrictors, such as epinephrine, which increase blood pressure and heart arrhythmia.
High blood pressure medications can also affect your dental wellbeing. Some prescriptions cause dry mouth and may also alter your sense of taste. Meds with calcium blockers can also create gum overgrowth, which can affect a patient’s ability to chew and may require periodontal surgery to correct.
If you’re being treated for high blood pressure, it’s important for you to discuss your condition and your medications with your dentist before beginning any treatments. Most patients being treated for high blood pressure can still have dental procedures, take anti-anxiety medications (often used for oral conscious sedation), and safely receive local anesthetics.
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