Hypertension

Hypertension – commonly referred to as high blood pressure, occurs when the force of the blood produced by the pumping of the heart, and the size and condition of the arteries makes it hard for blood to travel through the body. It is expressed as two numbers the systolic pressure and the diastolic pressure.

Causes: often no cause can be identified (called essential hypertension), other causes include:

• Too much salt in your diet
• Alcohol abuse
• Birth control pills
• Anxiety and stress
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Obesity

Symptoms

• Headache
• Excessive weight gain or loss
• Sweating
• Numbness
• Angina (chest pain)
• Irregular heartbeat
• Nosebleeds

Diagnosis:

• Sphygmomanometer (Blood Pressure Cuff)
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Echocardiogram
• Blood testing

Treatment Options:

• Transition to a low salt diet
• Aerobic exercise
• Medication
• Biofeedback

Importance: can lead to other more serious conditions including:

• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Aneurysms