Hypertension
It's often called the Silent Killer. Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is a serious health problem that can go undetected for years. Here's Dr. Firstname M. Lastname, an Internist with Medical Center/Hospital, to tell us more.
What is high blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushin against the walls of the arteries. High blood pressure occurs when the arteries become constricted and the pressure exceeds 140/90 for an extended period of time. Untreated, Hypertension can cause a number of long standin complications, including Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Attacks, Kidney Failure, and Strokes.
What causes high blood pressure?
The medical community is uncertain as to the exact cause, but we believe heredity plays a large part in making individuals susceptible to the disease. Excessive salt in the diet may play a role as well.
How do you know if you have high blood pressure?
Some of the symptoms include headaches, visual disturbances, lethargy and fatigue. However, many times there are no symptoms and a diagnosis is unfortunately made after a stroke or heart attack occurs. So have your blood pressure checked regularly.
How do you treat a patient with hypertension?
Lifestyle modification is an important first step, including proper diet, regular exercise, and quitting smoking. In addition, there are many classes of medicine used to treat blood pressure. Some have virtually no side effects. This is important, as a patient should not be inconvenienced by their medicine. The choice of medication should be tailored to each individual.