Basic Knowledge of High Blood Pressure

The disease and its causes. Blood pressure readings are taken to learn the force with which blood is pressing on artery walls. The heart exerts the highest pressure (systole phase) when it is pumping a fresh supply of blood, and the lowest pressure (diastole phase) when it pauses between beats to fill with blood. When readings are repeatedly above 150 systolic and 100 diastolic, they indicate that the blood circulation of the patient is impaired, and he is said to have high blood pressure, or hypertension.

Factors within the blood vessels, such as the elasticity and resistance of the circulatory system, play a major role. The amount of blood within the circulatory system, the thickness of that blood, and the amount of blood put out by the heart with each beat are other considerations.

Known causes of high blood pressure include anemia, hyperthyroid disease, chronic kidney disease, certain endocrine disorders, brain tumors, and congenital defects in the aorta. However, in most patients suffering from high blood pressure, the cause is unknown.

Symptoms. Elevated or high blood pressure itself rarely produces any significant symptoms. There can be complaints of dull, pounding headache over the back of the head, which start in the morning and wear off during the day. There can be nervousness, dizziness, palpitations, and weakness. Nosebleed is sometimes a symptom.

With kidney disease there may be blood in the urine.

When there is cerebral arteriosclerosis or coronary hearth disease, the symptoms are as described in the book under those headings. When hypertensive heart disease develops, heart failure and its symptoms can follow. On rare occasions, hypertension will develop rapidly and progressively - with acute attacks marked by headaches, visual disturbances, vomiting, coma, and convulsion.

Complications. These depend upon the organ involved. With the kidneys, kidney failure with uremia can develop. With coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, in which there is death of some of the tissues of the heart muscle, can develop. If hypertensive heart disease develops, a common follow-up is congestive heart failure. When there is involvement of blood vessels of the brain, complications include cerebral vascular accidents such as strokes.

Prevention. The cause should be established, if possible. If one kidney is involved, surgery very often can either cure the condition or delay the onset of serious symptoms. If tumors of the endocrine system are the cause, surgery may be the cure. If a patient is badly overweight, that condition should be corrected.

The emotional state of a patient could be a factor and should be investigated and treated, if possible. When no cause is found, the doctor will prescribe a program of diet and medication to make the patient more comfortable.