preview

Hypertension : High Blood Pressure

Better Essays

Hypertension is commonly known as high blood pressure. What does it mean to have high blood pressure? Blood pressure can be defined as the amount of blood the heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in the arteries. It is when the systolic reading is greater than 140 and the diastolic is greater than 90. Systolic is blood pressure when the heart contracts while diastolic is the time when the heart is relaxed. Primary care physicians are accustomed to seeing cases of hypertension. However this common diagnosis can lead to more serious illnesses such as chronic kidney disease, stroke, heart attack, aneurysm, peripheral artery disease, and even death (Tipton & Sullivan, 2014).
Hypertension usually occurs with no symptoms however its effects are seen in other serious diseases as mention previously. One way of knowing whether a patient is suffering from high blood pressure is to have their blood pressure checked. Most severe cases of hypertension can cause symptoms of severe headache, nausea or vomiting, confusion, vision changes, and nosebleeds. There are many reasons why a patient may have high blood pressure. Eating a diet containing high levels of sodium is one cause. Others include drinking too much alcohol, smoking, obesity, and if a person is more stressed or anxious. Medical history also plays a significant role in whether a person will suffer from hypertension. Histories of diabetes or family history of high blood pressure are risk factors. Certain

Get Access