Hypertension: Symptoms and Causes
What is Hypertension
The common term for hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is measured by taking into account how much blood passes through the blood vessels and the amount of resistance the blood meets while the heart is pumping.
If one has a healthy heart and arteries then the blood pressure will be at an optimum level. When the arteries get clogged down by plaque formation, they get narrowed and therefore offer more resistance to the blood flow. The narrower the arteries, there will be an increased resistance which will lead to high blood pressure, known as hypertension. If one has hypertension for a long period of time, then it can lead to cardiovascular diseases as well.
Symptoms of Hypertension
At time, it may be difficult to diagnosis hypertension as the symptoms are not easy to point out. Hypertension symptoms are very common so they often get missed. Some of the symptoms are:-
- Constant headache or sudden bouts of headache
- Shortness of breath
- Nosebleeds
- Dizziness
- Vision problems
- Blood in urine
- Irregular heartbeat
As you can see, these are not very specific symptoms. Many of these do not occur until one has had high blood pressure for a long period of time.
Causes of Hypertension
Let us examine the different causes of hypertension. It is very hard to find the primary cause of hypertension as it develops gradually over the years and as the arteries narrow down. This type of hypertension is known as Primary or Essential Hypertension.
Another cause of hypertension, known as Secondary Hypertension, which is caused when people have some underlying health conditions, such as kidney problems, thyroid problems, and obstructive sleep apnea. Another secondary cause can be the use of certain medications , such as birth control pills, decongestants, and some prescription drugs.
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In today’s challenging times, hypertension is becoming a very common condition. Although medications are available for treatment, but the best way to control high blood pressure is through significant lifestyle changes. More importantly, one should exercise and eat healthy on a daily basis to avoid these conditions.
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