High Blood Pressure Symptoms and Causes
You might think that high blood pressure is not a serious diagnosis, but it is well known as ‘the silent killer'.
High blood pressure is also known as hypertension and is diagnosed when someone has a consistent blood pressure reading of or higher than 130/80 mm Hg. Almost 50% of adult Americans suffer from high blood pressure. You might think that high blood pressure is not a serious diagnosis, but it is well known as "the silent killer." Read further to find out how it got this name, as well as symptoms and causes.
Blood pressure is defined as the measurement of how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries. When blood pressure is measured, it reads two processes:
Systolic Pressure
This is represented in the top number of your blood pressure reading. Systolic pressure stands for the amount of pressure applied to your arterial walls during each heartbeat.
Diastolic Pressure
This is represented in the bottom number of your blood pressure reading. Diastolic pressure stands for the amount of pressure applied to your arterial walls during the rest between each heartbeat.
These numbers are in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), which means how high your blood pressure could raise a column of mercury. As these numbers get higher, you will receive different diagnoses:
Normal blood pressure for an average adult should read under 120/80 mm Hg.
Elevated blood pressure will read between 120/80 and 129/80 mm Hg
Stage 1 hypertension is diagnosed with levels consistently between 130/80 and 139/89 mm Hg.
Stage 2 hypertension is diagnosed with levels at or above 140/90 mm Hg.
Hypertensive crisis occurs at 180/120 mm Hg and is considered an emergency.
Unfortunately, symptoms do not tend to manifest until the body has reached a point of crisis. However, there are a few things to watch out for. These include: angina (chest pain), bloody urine, difficulty breathing, dizziness, flushed skin (redness), headaches, nosebleeds, and sudden vision changes. These symptoms do not often show up, and not immediately if they do, so you must get your blood pressure professionally checked at least once a year. This is why high blood pressure is called the silent killer. Many people do not realize they have it until they develop serious complications.
There are two types of high blood pressure, each with different causes: primary hypertension and secondary hypertension.
Primary hypertension makes up about 90-95% of all high blood pressure diagnosis. The specific cause of primary hypertension is unknown. However, there are several factors believed to contribute: age, diabetes, family history, lack of exercise, oral contraceptives, race, smoking, stress, and weight. It has also been discovered that a specific gene may make some people predisposed to developing high blood pressure. This type usually develops over the course of many years.
Secondary hypertension makes up the remaining 5-10% of high blood pressure diagnosis. This type is caused by medication or other conditions or illnesses related to the person. Some of these conditions include acromegaly (when the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormones), adrenal or pituitary gland tumors, birth defects, illegal drug use, kidney problems, parathyroid issues, pregnancy, and sleep apnea. This type of high blood pressure usually develops suddenly and generally results in higher readings than primary hypertension.
Untreated high blood pressure can cause several significant complications. It can cause damage to your arteries,brain, eyes, heart, and kidneys.
Arteries
One of the symptoms of high blood pressure is that it stiffens your arteries. Healthy arteries are soft, flexible, and
strong. Arteries impacted by high blood pressure are tough and constricted. This can result in clogs, clots, and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. It can also cause arteries to swell and burst (referred to as an aneurysm).
Brain
Your brain needs plenty of oxygen to survive. Healthy blood vessels are what supply this oxygen. When these vessels are thinned from high blood pressure, your brain is deprived of oxygen. This can cause brain cells to die (stroke). Constricted blood vessels can also temporarily block blood flow in a condition known as transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). These issues can create memory loss, speech impediments, inability to reason, dementia, and more.
Eyes
Hypertension impacts every blood vessel, from your aorta to the smallest capillaries found in your eyeballs. When these ocular capillaries are damaged by high blood pressure, it can cause several issues. You can develop an eye bleed, fluid buildup behind the eye, optic nerve damage, blurred vision, and even vision loss.
Heart
High blood pressure causes your heart to have to work much harder than it should, resulting in serious issues that can cause irreparable damage. When veins and arteries are narrowed by high blood pressure, blood cannot reach your heart. This can lead to angina, arrhythmias, heart attacks, heart failure, and even sudden cardiac death. It can also cause your heart's left ventricle to thicken, resulting in an enlarged heart, a condition that also leads to the problems above.
Kidneys
Since the kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins out of the body, they too must have healthy blood vessels. Scarring of the kidneys' capillaries (glomerulosclerosis) causes your kidneys to be unable to function efficiently, leading to organ failure and a build-up of waste in your bloodstream.
Indisputably, high blood pressure is a severe issue, so always be sure to have it professionally checked at least once a year. If you are at increased risk, speak with your primary care physician about how often you should come in. Early detection is the key to being able to treat and reverse the condition.
At MorningStar, our senior living dining experience is inspired by the belief that diet is the centerpiece of personal wellness. With that as a priority, we seek to understand the different dietary needs of residents, and the universal need for heart-healthy choices, designing our menus accordingly.
What Is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is defined as the measurement of how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries. When blood pressure is measured, it reads two processes:
Systolic Pressure
This is represented in the top number of your blood pressure reading. Systolic pressure stands for the amount of pressure applied to your arterial walls during each heartbeat.
Diastolic Pressure
This is represented in the bottom number of your blood pressure reading. Diastolic pressure stands for the amount of pressure applied to your arterial walls during the rest between each heartbeat.
These numbers are in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), which means how high your blood pressure could raise a column of mercury. As these numbers get higher, you will receive different diagnoses:
Normal blood pressure for an average adult should read under 120/80 mm Hg.
Elevated blood pressure will read between 120/80 and 129/80 mm Hg
Stage 1 hypertension is diagnosed with levels consistently between 130/80 and 139/89 mm Hg.
Stage 2 hypertension is diagnosed with levels at or above 140/90 mm Hg.
Hypertensive crisis occurs at 180/120 mm Hg and is considered an emergency.
Why is High Blood Pressure Known as "The Silent Killer"?
Unfortunately, symptoms do not tend to manifest until the body has reached a point of crisis. However, there are a few things to watch out for. These include: angina (chest pain), bloody urine, difficulty breathing, dizziness, flushed skin (redness), headaches, nosebleeds, and sudden vision changes. These symptoms do not often show up, and not immediately if they do, so you must get your blood pressure professionally checked at least once a year. This is why high blood pressure is called the silent killer. Many people do not realize they have it until they develop serious complications.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
There are two types of high blood pressure, each with different causes: primary hypertension and secondary hypertension.
Primary hypertension makes up about 90-95% of all high blood pressure diagnosis. The specific cause of primary hypertension is unknown. However, there are several factors believed to contribute: age, diabetes, family history, lack of exercise, oral contraceptives, race, smoking, stress, and weight. It has also been discovered that a specific gene may make some people predisposed to developing high blood pressure. This type usually develops over the course of many years.
Secondary hypertension makes up the remaining 5-10% of high blood pressure diagnosis. This type is caused by medication or other conditions or illnesses related to the person. Some of these conditions include acromegaly (when the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormones), adrenal or pituitary gland tumors, birth defects, illegal drug use, kidney problems, parathyroid issues, pregnancy, and sleep apnea. This type of high blood pressure usually develops suddenly and generally results in higher readings than primary hypertension.
What Happens When High Blood Pressure Is Left Untreated?
Untreated high blood pressure can cause several significant complications. It can cause damage to your arteries,brain, eyes, heart, and kidneys.
Arteries
One of the symptoms of high blood pressure is that it stiffens your arteries. Healthy arteries are soft, flexible, and
strong. Arteries impacted by high blood pressure are tough and constricted. This can result in clogs, clots, and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. It can also cause arteries to swell and burst (referred to as an aneurysm).
Brain
Your brain needs plenty of oxygen to survive. Healthy blood vessels are what supply this oxygen. When these vessels are thinned from high blood pressure, your brain is deprived of oxygen. This can cause brain cells to die (stroke). Constricted blood vessels can also temporarily block blood flow in a condition known as transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). These issues can create memory loss, speech impediments, inability to reason, dementia, and more.
Eyes
Hypertension impacts every blood vessel, from your aorta to the smallest capillaries found in your eyeballs. When these ocular capillaries are damaged by high blood pressure, it can cause several issues. You can develop an eye bleed, fluid buildup behind the eye, optic nerve damage, blurred vision, and even vision loss.
Heart
High blood pressure causes your heart to have to work much harder than it should, resulting in serious issues that can cause irreparable damage. When veins and arteries are narrowed by high blood pressure, blood cannot reach your heart. This can lead to angina, arrhythmias, heart attacks, heart failure, and even sudden cardiac death. It can also cause your heart's left ventricle to thicken, resulting in an enlarged heart, a condition that also leads to the problems above.
Kidneys
Since the kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins out of the body, they too must have healthy blood vessels. Scarring of the kidneys' capillaries (glomerulosclerosis) causes your kidneys to be unable to function efficiently, leading to organ failure and a build-up of waste in your bloodstream.
Indisputably, high blood pressure is a severe issue, so always be sure to have it professionally checked at least once a year. If you are at increased risk, speak with your primary care physician about how often you should come in. Early detection is the key to being able to treat and reverse the condition.
At MorningStar, our senior living dining experience is inspired by the belief that diet is the centerpiece of personal wellness. With that as a priority, we seek to understand the different dietary needs of residents, and the universal need for heart-healthy choices, designing our menus accordingly.