Normal blood pressure
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The heart pumps blood throughout the body, and during its movement, the flowing blood creates a force and pressure on the walls of the blood vessels called “blood pressure.” During its work, the heart - which is a muscle - contracts and relaxes, and this leads to blood pressure having two values, the first is called systolic blood pressure and is recorded when the heart contracts, and the second is diastolic pressure and is recorded when the heart muscle relaxes.
Blood pressure is measured using a special device that may be manual, such as a mercury blood pressure monitor, or automatic, such as electronic blood pressure measuring devices. While the first may be more accurate, the second is easier to use and deal with
Regarding blood pressure, blood pressure must remain less than 130/80 mm Hg.
The device records two readings, the first - which is the highest - represents the systolic blood pressure, and the second - which is the lowest - represents the diastolic. The reading is written as a fraction, the numerator is systolic and the denominator is diastolic. For example, if the systolic pressure is 115 and the diastolic pressure is 75, the blood pressure for this person is written as 115/75.
The unit of measurement is millimeters of mercury, which means that the systolic pressure, for example, is equal to the height of a column of mercury that is 115 millimeters long.
Blood pressure readings are classified according to the following:
Normal blood pressure: systolic less than 120, diastolic less than 80.
Pre-morbid: systolic between 120 and 139, and diastolic between 80 and 89.
High blood pressure in the first stage: systolic 140-159, diastolic 90-99.
Stage 2 hypertension: systolic 160 or higher, diastolic 100 or higher.
For those over 65 years of age, if they have chronic diseases, such as lung disease, type 2 diabetes, or dementia, very high blood pressure may lead to risks such as feeling dizzy and falling.
What should be done for many elderly people is to maintain levels below 150/90, because anything higher than that requires blood pressure medications, as prescribed by the doctor.
Whoever is healthy should have his blood pressure at 130/80 or less, and to achieve this, he should - instead of using medications - first consider focusing on lifestyle changes, such as losing excess weight, following a healthy diet, and maintaining a lower percentage of salt. Of 1500 milligrams per day and exercise for at least ninety minutes per week.
High blood pressure disease
It is a condition in which the blood pressure in the blood vessels is so high that it leads to health damage to the body, such as heart disease and clots. It is considered one of the most important health risks on a global level, and it is called the “silent killer” because the patient may be infected with it for years without knowing it, and it is not discovered until permanent damage has occurred to the body.
Symptoms of high blood pressure
The danger of high blood pressure is that it is a disease that develops over the course of years, and many more years may pass before it is detected. This is because it usually does not have clear symptoms, and they only appear when the pressure reaches very high levels that may be fatal. However, in the early stages of the disease, some patients may feel a slight headache or dizziness, and they may also suffer from nosebleeds (epistastes) more frequently.
But waiting for symptoms to appear is wrong, because by the time they appear, the pressure will have exhausted the body and its organs, causing permanent damage to the heart, arteries, eyes, and other organs. Therefore, measuring blood pressure periodically by a doctor is the key to early diagnosis of the disease.
Species
Primary hypertension:
It is also called essential hypertension, and this disease has no clear known cause. It represents 95% of high blood pressure cases, and it develops over years. Although there are no clear causes for this type, there are risk factors associated with it that increase the possibility of developing it.
Secondary hypertension:
It results from a specific organic cause, which makes it secondary to it. It usually appears suddenly, and its readings are higher than the initial high blood pressure, and it represents 5% of high blood pressure cases. Many health conditions lead to secondary high blood pressure, such as kidney disease, adrenal gland tumors, some types of drugs, and aortic stenosis, where a suffocation occurs in the vicinity of the artery a short distance after it leaves the heart, which requires the heart to pump blood more forcefully in order to cross this suffocation.
Risk factors for high blood pressure
Regarding age: the older you are, the higher your chances of developing high blood pressure.
As for masculinity, men are more susceptible to high blood pressure than women, and women usually develop the disease after menopause.
Genetics, as it is believed that genes play a role in the disease, and therefore it is more common in certain families, and it is also more common in blacks than in whites.
Overweight and obesity, because increasing body mass requires the heart to pump a larger amount of blood sufficient to deliver oxygen and nutrients to parts of the body.
Lack of physical activity.
Use of tobacco products such as smoking and hookah.
Eat a lot of sodium, from table salt, nuts, snacks, canned foods, and processed meats.
Eat a little potassium, which is believed to be able to balance sodium in the cells, so not getting enough potassium may mean the accumulation of large amounts of sodium in the blood.
Drink wine.
Stress, which raises blood pressure sharply but temporarily.
Some diseases, such as high blood cholesterol, diabetes, kidney disease, and sleep disturbance.
Complications of high blood pressure
Changes occur in the lining of the blood vessels, making them lose their elasticity and making them more rigid, and more susceptible and ready to accumulate cholesterol on their walls, which leads to their narrowing, and then the vessels close and the blood supply to the organ in question is cut off. If it concerns the heart, the person suffers a stroke, and if it is the brain, he suffers a stroke.
Heart attacks and strokes.
Blood vessel aneurysm, as a result of high pressure on its walls, which leads to the weakening of the blood vessel wall and its swelling. However, if the vessel ruptures, this leads to bleeding that may cause death.
Heart failure, as the heart pumps blood more forcefully, it increases the thickness of its muscles, but in the end it becomes unable to pump blood appropriately to the body, which leads to its failure.
Narrow and weak blood vessels in the kidneys and eyes, and this may lead to kidney failure and vision problems.
Problems with memory and understanding, as it is believed that untreated or uncontrolled high blood pressure may hinder a person’s ability to think, remember, and learn.
Increased risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of disorders that includes increased waist circumference, high blood triglycerides and cholesterol, low high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol), high blood pressure, and high insulin levels. If you have high blood pressure, your risk of developing other components of the syndrome is increased. The more components of the syndrome that apply to you, the higher your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
If a patient with high blood pressure suffers from other health conditions, the risk of complications from the disease increases. These conditions include smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, and a family history of heart disease. This means that dealing with high blood pressure is more necessary and urgent for this category of patients.
Preventing high blood pressure
See a doctor and measure your blood pressure periodically.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits.
Stay away from ready-made and frozen foods, canned foods, and preserved and processed meats such as sausages, as their sodium content is high.
Eat foods rich in potassium, including oranges, bananas, raisins, figs, potatoes cooked with their skins, beans, low-fat milk, and starchy grains containing bran.
Abstain from salt.
Exercising, but after consulting a doctor to determine the appropriate type for you, your age, the intensity of exercise, and the time period, especially if you suffer from other diseases such as diabetes.
Abstain from alcohol and tobacco.
Dealing with stress by practicing relaxation techniques, for example, prayer and meditation. It may also require seeing a doctor to take special medications.
Treatment of high blood pressure
Treatment depends on the type of high blood pressure and the patient's health condition. The doctor may try to put the patient on non-drug treatment, which includes the aforementioned disease prevention instructions, and then monitor his blood pressure. But if the pressure has reached an advanced stage, the doctor may begin drug treatment immediately.
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