Hypertension is the formal name for high blood pressure. Blood pressure measures the strength with which your blood flow pushes against your artery walls.
Ideally, your blood pressure should be below 120/80 mm. High blood pressure occurs when your blood pressure levels exceed average values. When your blood pressure is too high, it puts too much force against your artery walls. This can lead to health problems such as heart disease.
Your blood pressure is a measurement of the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. A high blood pressure reading is given in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and contains two numbers.
- The top number is the systolic pressure. This is the pressure inside your arteries when your heart beats.
- The bottom number is the diastolic pressure. This is the pressure in your arteries between each heartbeat.
Many people with high blood pressure will show no outward signs or symptoms, even with dangerously high blood pressure levels.
Some people may experience signs such as
- Headaches
- Shortness of breath
- Nosebleeds
However, these are not common or specific and often don’t show up until one’s blood pressure reaches a life-threatening level.
Since symptoms are usually rare, it is best to take your blood pressure as part of your yearly physical exam. Once you are over 40, you should get a blood pressure reading yearly.
You should check your blood pressure in both arms, not just one arm. There is a chance that your blood pressure could vary from one arm to the other. Also, ensure your doctor uses an appropriate-sized arm cuff when taking your blood pressure.
Do you have other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, such as a family history of high blood pressure, or a related condition, such as diabetes? In such a case, you should get blood pressure readings taken more frequently.
There are two types of high blood pressure: primary and secondary hypertension.
Primary hypertension, also known as essential hypertension, tends to develop over many years. There are often no identifiable causes of high blood pressure.
Secondary hypertension, unlike primary hypertension, appears suddenly and results in higher blood pressure than primary hypertension. An underlying condition causes secondary hypertension. The most common underlying conditions include:
- Adrenal gland tumors
- Certain defects in blood vessels you are born with (congenital heart problems)
- Kidney disease
- Thyroid problems
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Illegal drugs, like amphetamines and cocaine
- Medications such as
- Birth control pills
- Cold remedies
- Decongestants
- Over-the-counter pain relievers
- Prescription drugs
Numerous factors can put you at risk for high blood pressure, some of which are within your control and others outside your control.
Factors that you have no control over include:
- Age: Your risk of high blood pressure increases as you age. Men tend to experience high blood pressure, more commonly under age 64. Women are more likely to develop high blood pressure after age 65.
- Race: High blood pressure often develops at an earlier age in people with African heritage, as well as severe complications from high blood pressure, such as heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
- Family history: If someone in your family has high blood pressure, you are also at an increased risk.
Although these factors are outside your control, if you know these risk factors, you can take extra precautions to manage and monitor your blood pressure.
You can control many of these risk factors. If you want to ensure your blood pressure stays within the proper range, lifestyle changes can make a big difference.
- Using tobacco products: Both smoking and chewing tobacco can temporarily raise your blood pressure. Exposure to secondhand smoke can also be damaging. Over time, the chemicals in tobacco can damage the lining of your artery walls, causing your arteries to narrow and increasing your risk of heart disease.
- Too much alcohol: Heavy drinking can damage your heart. Moderate drinking is considered one drink per day for women and two per day for men.
- Not enough potassium in your diet: Potassium helps your kidneys flush out sodium from your body. If you don’t get enough potassium in your diet or lose too much potassium due to dehydration, sodium builds up in your body, increasing your blood pressure.
- Too much salt in your diet: Having too much sodium (salt) in your diet can cause your body to retain fluid. It increases your risk of high blood pressure and congestive heart failure.
- Not enough physical activity: Being inactive can build fatty materials in your arteries, potentially contributing to a heart attack. Physical activity helps keep your heart healthy.
- Being overweight: If you are overweight, your body needs to provide more oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. Your heart needs to work harder than usual, increasing your blood pressure.
- Stress: Stress isn’t just a feeling. It can physically impact your body, leading to bad habits, such as overeating, drinking alcohol, or smoking, that contribute to high blood pressure.
Chronic conditions: Several chronic conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, and sleep apnea, can increase your risk of high blood pressure.
High blood pressure can lead to many complications because excess pressure on your artery walls can damage your organs and blood vessels.
- Aneurysm: High blood pressure can weaken your blood vessels, forming an aneurysm. A ruptured aneurysm can be life-threatening.
- Dementia: High blood pressure can lead to a stroke, interrupting blood flow to the brain and leading to vascular dementia.
- Heart attack or stroke: High blood pressure can thicken and harden your arteries, leading to a heart attack or stroke.
- Heart failure: Your heart has to work harder when you have high blood pressure. This can lead to the thickening of the left ventricle or the heart’s pumping chamber. As the muscle thickens, it can be more challenging for your body to pump enough blood to meet its needs, leading to heart failure.
- Vision loss: Vision loss can occur when the blood vessels in your eyes become narrow, thickened, or torn.
- Kidney problems: Narrowed and weak blood vessels going to your kidneys can result in kidney problems.
- Memory issues: Uncontrolled high blood pressure can impact one’s ability to think, remember, and learn.
- Metabolic syndrome: These are a larger group of disorders that can impact your body’s metabolism and result in diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Allow the excellent and caring staff at Sydnor Cardiovascular Clinic in St. Petersburg, FL, led by cardiologist Dr. Lilian Ahiable to care for your heart health. We can help you learn about your blood pressure and devise a plan to control it.
To schedule an appointment, call us at 727-300-2282 or request an appointment online.
