Understand Your Blood Pressure!

What is hypertension?

Hypertension or high blood pressure is the increased blood pressure in the arteries. It increases the risk of associated cardiovascular (heart) diseases such as stroke, myocardial infarction, failure of kidneys or heart, other vascular complications.

What are the blood pressure ranges?

 

Category	Systolic (mm Hg)	Diastolic (mm Hg)
Optimal	<120	<80
Normal	<130	<85
High normal	130-139	85-89
Mild hypertension	140-159	90-99
Moderate hypertension	160-179	100-109
Severe hypertension	≥180	≥110
Isolated systolic hypertension	≥140	<90

Adapted from J Hypertens 1999; 17(2): 151-183

What is blood pressure?

The heart supplies oxygenated or pure blood to all parts of the body through the help of blood vessels called arteries. The force with which the blood pushes against the walls of the artery is known as blood pressure.

The heart pumps blood into the arteries as it is beating. The pressure exerted on the artery walls when it is being filled with blood is known as systolic blood pressure and is 120 mm Hg normally.

The heart relaxes between the beats or pumping the blood into the arteries. This is the time when the blood pressure falls, and is known as diastolic blood pressure. The diastolic blood pressure is normally 80 mm Hg.

What causes blood pressure?

Majority (about 95%) of patients have essential hypertension or primary hypertension. The main reasons behind this hypertension are known to be;

• Genetic factors
• Fetal factors such as low birth weight
• Obesity
• Alcohol intake
• Sodium intake (salt intake)
• Stress
• Smoking
• Ageing
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Changes in autonomic nervous system
• Insulin resistance or Type II Diabetes

Remaining percentage of population has secondary hypertension which is caused as a result of underlying diseases. These are;

• Renal diseases such as diabetic nephropathy
• Hormonal disorders
• Cardiovascular diseases which are there by virtue of birth
• Use of drug such as oral contraceptives
• Pregnancy

What are the symptoms of hypertension?

Sometimes the person with high blood pressure can go for years without showing any outwardly symptoms. Therefore it is important that people go for regular blood pressure checkups to avoid complications later on. The symptoms if at all present are;

• Severe headache
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Visual problems
• Chest pain
• Breathing problem
• Irregular heartbeat
• Blood in the urine

What are the target organs affected?

The target organs that are prone to be damaged as a result of prehypertension and systemic hypertension are kidney, other cardiovascular organs, and brain & retina. Various diseases that can be caused as a result of chronic hypertension are chronic kidney disease, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, dementia, stroke, ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation.

what does blood pressure do to your body?

Glossary of terms

Congestive heart failure: Inability to pump enough blood to avoid congestion in the tissues.

Dementia: Mental deterioration of organic or functional origin.

Myocardial infarction: Destruction of heart tissue resulting from obstruction of the blood supply to the heart muscle.

Stroke: A sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain.

Ventricular fibrillation: Fibrillation of heart muscles resulting in interference with rhythmic contractions of the ventricles and possibly leading to cardiac arrest.

Ventricular tachycardia: Abnormally rapid heartbeat (over 100 beats per minute).

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