Benign Essential Hypertension

Nidhi Sharma
Jul 24, 2017 · 2 min read

What is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood on the blood vessels, normally it is 120–80 mmHg but it varies with change in age and activity. 140 mmHg is the systolic blood pressure which is the pressure when the blood is pumped out of the heart for distribution in the body. 90 mmHg is the diastolic blood pressure and it is the pressure when the heart relaxes and refills with the blood collected from all over the body.

Know about Hypertension….

High blood pressure is also called hypertension, benign essential hypertension, Essential hypertension, HBP, HTN or HT. It is measures above 140–90 mmHg on the machine. Blood pressure is the amount of blood pumped out by the heart and the resistance suffered by the blood in the arteries. Resistance is due to the narrowing of the artery. More the artery is narrow more is the blood pressure.

On the basis of the readings hypertension has different stages:

· Prehypertension: below 140–90 mmHg

· Stage 1 Hypertension: Below 160–100 mmHg

· Stage 2 hypertension: 160–100 mmHg or above.

· Hypertensive crisis or Medical emergency: 180–110 mmHg and above.

Source: Medscape

Symptoms:

Hypertension is usually asymptomatic means without symptoms, only screening is helpful in identifying the disease. Few of the symptoms which are coinciding with some other diseases are head ache, blurred vision, Aneurysms (abnormal bulge forming on the wall of an artery), etc. But if is not treated on time can lead to other health problems like heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure and stroke.

At risk:

Primary hypertension may develop due to environmental factors or genetic causes. Old age people are more at its risk of primary hypertension as their blood vessels walls weaken over the time.

Source is Medscape

Medication:

Life style changes also can bring great changes like less salt intake, controlled alcohol intake and regular exercise can lead to blood pressure control.

On the basis of the complications, medications are decided by the doctors:

Thiazide diuretics: chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide

Calcium-channel blockers: amlodipine, diltiazem

ACE Inhibitors: benazepril, enalapril, lisinopril

ARBs: losartan

Nidhi Sharma

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