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Everything You Need To Know About High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
You may be more likely to have high blood pressure due to your genetics, age, and whether you have certain health conditions. Treatment may include medication and lifestyle changes.
Your blood pressure measurement takes into account the amount of blood passing through your blood vessels and the amount of resistance the blood meets while the heart is pumping.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the force of blood pushing through your vessels is consistently too high. In this article, we'll cover the basics of hypertension, including its symptoms, causes, how it's treated, and more.
Narrow arteries create more resistance for blood flow out of the heart. The narrower your arteries, the more resistance there is, and the higher your blood pressure will be. Over the long term, the increased pressure can cause health issues, including heart disease.
Hypertension is quite common. Since guidelines changed in 2017, nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association.
Hypertension typically develops over several years, usually without causing any symptoms. But even without symptoms, high blood pressure can cause damage to your blood vessels and organs, especially the brain, heart, eyes, and kidneys.
Early detection is important. Regular blood pressure readings can help you and a doctor notice any changes. If your blood pressure is elevated, a doctor may have you check your blood pressure over a few weeks to see if the number stays elevated or falls back to typical levels.
Treatment for hypertension includes both prescription medication and healthy lifestyle changes. Without treatment, it could lead to health issues, including heart attack and stroke.
Your blood pressure reading consists of two numbers:
Five categories define blood pressure readings for adults:
A blood pressure reading is taken with a pressure cuff. It's important to have a cuff that fits for an accurate reading. An ill-fitting cuff may deliver inaccurate readings.
Blood pressure readings are different for children and teenagers. Ask your child's doctor for the healthy ranges for your child if you need to monitor their blood pressure.
There are two types of hypertension. Each type has a different cause.
Essential (primary) hypertensionEssential hypertension, also called primary hypertension, develops over time. Most people have this type of high blood pressure.
A combination of factors typically play a role in the development of essential hypertension:
Secondary hypertension often occurs quickly and can become more severe than primary hypertension. Several conditions that may cause secondary hypertension include:
Secondary hypertension may also be a side effect of certain medications.
Hypertension is generally a silent condition. Many people won't experience any symptoms. It may take years or even decades for the condition to reach levels severe enough that symptoms become apparent. Even then, some people may attribute these symptoms to other causes.
Getting regular blood pressure readings is the best way to know if you have hypertension. Most doctors' offices take a blood pressure reading at every appointment.
Symptoms of severe hypertension, such as in a hypertensive crisis, can include:
Read more: "Symptoms of High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)"
Because hypertension is often a silent condition, it can cause damage to your body for years before symptoms become obvious. Without treatment, you may face serious, even fatal, complications.
Hypertension can damage your arteries, making them tougher, tighter, and less elastic. This damage makes it easier for deposits to collect in your arteries and restrict blood flow through your body, affecting multiple systems.
Complications of hypertension include:
Read more: "The Effects of Hypertension on the Body"
Diagnosing hypertension is as simple as taking a blood pressure reading. Most doctors' offices check blood pressure as part of a routine visit. If you don't receive a blood pressure reading at your next appointment, feel free to request one.
If your blood pressure is elevated, a doctor may request more readings over the course of a few days or weeks. Doctors rarely diagnose hypertension after just one reading. They'll need to see evidence of a sustained problem.
That's because your environment can contribute to increased blood pressure, like the stress you may feel by being at the doctor's office (known as "white coat syndrome"). Also, blood pressure levels change throughout the day.
If your blood pressure remains high, a doctor will likely conduct more tests to rule out underlying conditions. These tests can include:
If a doctor diagnoses you with primary hypertension, lifestyle changes may help reduce your high blood pressure. If lifestyle changes alone aren't enough, or if they stop being effective, they may prescribe medication.
Medications for hypertensionMany people go through a trial-and-error phase with blood pressure medications. A doctor may need to try different medications until they find one or a combination that works for you.
Some of the medications used to treat hypertension include:
Read more: "11 Common Blood Pressure Medications"
Treating secondary hypertensionIf a doctor discovers an underlying issue causing your hypertension, treatment will focus on that other condition. For example, if a medication you've started taking is causing increased blood pressure, your doctor will try other medications that don't have this side effect.
Sometimes, hypertension is persistent despite treatment for the underlying cause. In this case, a doctor may work with you to develop lifestyle changes and prescribe medications to help reduce your blood pressure.
Treatment plans for hypertension often evolve. What worked at first may become less useful over time. Your doctor will continue to work with you to refine your treatment.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common health issue in the United States. Treatment for hypertension varies depending on factors such as the severity of your condition and which medications a doctor thinks will work best for you.
In many cases of hypertension, lifestyle changes can be powerful tools for managing — or even reversing — high blood pressure. These changes include incorporating more nutritious fruits and vegetables into your diet, getting more physical activity, limiting your sodium intake, and limiting your alcohol consumption.
Because hypertension often presents with no symptoms, checking your blood pressure regularly is important. Severe hypertension can cause serious health issues, so the sooner you receive a diagnosis, the sooner you can begin to manage it.
Risk Alert: Post-Surgery Blood Clots Can Be Fatal
The Fund has seen an uptick in workers' compensation claims involving member employees who fell on the job, injured themselves, and underwent surgery. The employees ranged from the mid-20s to mid-70s. Each developed post-surgery clots that prevented blood from reaching their lungs and hearts. None survived.
Intersection of Comorbidities and ClaimsMuscle movement pumps blood to vital organs. Patients are often on bed rest after surgery, and the lack of movement makes them prone to blood clots. The risk increases in patients who have additional conditions called comorbidities.
One common comorbidity—obesity—was a factor in the claims filed by our members. Other comorbidities include high blood pressure, lung disease, drug abuse, and diabetes.
The potentially fatal consequences of co-morbidities and blood clots are of course the most compelling reason to manage the risk. A Harbor Health Systems study also suggests workers' compensation claims involving co-morbidities stay open longer and cost more:
As part of a new initiative, our registered nurses will contact injured employees after surgery and stress the importance of complying with discharge instructions. That could include taking blood thinners prescribed by their doctor to reduce the risk of clots. We also encourage injured employees to move as much as possible within their medical restrictions and report potential blood clot symptoms immediately.
The Fund brings 50 years' experience helping Texas educational entities make their workplaces safer. When injuries do occur, our claims team is here to ensure injured employees receive the support they need during their recovery. Fund members who have questions about our post-surgery outreach initiative should contact their claims adjuster.
High Blood Pressure Associated With Environmental Contamination By Tellurium
The likelihood of developing high blood pressure (hypertension) increases with higher levels of tellurium, a contaminant transferred from mining and manufacturing activities to foods. Improved monitoring of tellurium levels in specific foods could help decrease high blood pressure in the general population. The results of a study examining the relationship between tellurium exposure and hypertension were published in the journal Environment International.
The study was led by Nagoya University in Japan. According to Takumi Kagawa, one of the researchers involved in the study, the findings are significant as they indicate that tellurium exposure may contribute to elevated blood pressure, a significant public health concern. "The results indicate diet was the most significant contributor to increased urinary tellurium levels, compared to other lifestyle factors, such as smoking and working status, and physiological factors, such as age and sex. Dietary intake, an important aspect of our lifestyle, plays a significant role in increased urinary tellurium concentrations."
In Japan, cereals and legumes, represented by rice and natto (fermented soybeans), are popular dietary choices. These foods are packed with essential nutrients, such as high-quality carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, that support a person's health.
However, tellurium, a rare metalloid, can also be present in these foods. Mining and manufacturing activities release dust, ash, and slag, which are responsible for the presence of tellurium in the soil. In certain cases, it can be transferred from the soil to crop plants, such as cereals, carrots, and garlic. Consequently, people are exposed to tellurium through food.
The study conducted by Professor Masashi Kato, Takumi Kagawa, and their colleagues involved 2,592 Japanese adults. It revealed that higher levels of tellurium in urine were associated with higher blood pressure and a greater occurrence of hypertension. The results were the same in both mice and humans.
"We administered tellurium to mice in amounts equivalent to what humans might encounter daily and observed an increase in blood pressure," Tomoko Misawa, the lead author of the study, explained. "When we stopped the exposure, both the blood pressure and the tellurium levels in their urine decreased. These results provide a direct link between tellurium exposure and increased blood pressure, confirming findings in humans."
Professor Kato and his team also studied foods that raise the levels of tellurium in urine. They discovered that the consumption of cereals and legumes caused high levels of tellurium, but further testing did not establish a direct link to high blood pressure rates.
"We found that despite raising tellurium levels in the urine, cereal/legume intake did not directly increase the risk of hypertension," said Takumi Kagawa. "Cereals/legumes may contain many diverse nutrients that can mitigate the risk of hypertension despite high levels of tellurium. However, considering that increased tellurium exposure is a latent risk factor for hypertension and foods contribute to this association, careful and continuous monitoring of tellurium levels in individual foods may be crucial."
"The urinary level of tellurium in this study was comparable with the levels in general populations in other countries," Professor Kato said, "Our results indicate an increased potential risk of hypertension by tellurium exposure may be applicable to general populations all around the world."
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