Hypertension: symptoms, causes, to treatment • hello healthy

Definition

What is hypertension (high blood pressure)?

Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. Blood pressure itself is the force of blood flow from the heart pushing against the walls of blood vessels (arteries).

The strength of this blood pressure can change over time, influenced by what activity the heart is doing (for example, exercising or in a normal / resting state) and the resistance of the blood vessels.

Hypertension is a condition in which the blood pressure is higher than 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mmHG).

The number 140 mmHg refers to a systolic reading, when the heart pumps blood around the body or when it contracts. Meanwhile, the number 90 mmHg refers to the diastolic reading, when the heart is resting or in a relaxed state while refilling its chambers with blood.

Hypertension is a disease that is often referred to as a "silent killer" because it does not cause long-term symptoms. However, this disease may lead to life-threatening complications, such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure.

What should be normal blood pressure?

Normal blood pressure ranges from 120/80 mmHg. When the systolic and diastolic numbers are in this range, you have normal blood pressure.

A new person is called high blood pressure or has hypertension if the blood pressure reading shows 140/90 mmHg. Blood pressure that is too high will interfere with blood circulation.

However, having normal blood pressure doesn't mean you can relax. When your systolic number is between 120-139, or if your diastolic (bottom number) ranges from 80-89, this means you have "prehypertension". Although this figure cannot be considered hypertension, it is still above the normal rate that should be watched out for.

If your blood pressure reading is above 180/120 mmHg, or if you have a systolic or diastolic pressure that is higher than this number, you are at risk of serious health problems. This figure indicates a condition called a hypertensive crisis.

If your blood pressure gets this high, your doctor will usually take it again after a few minutes. If it is still the same height, you will immediately be given emergency high blood pressure medication.

How common is hypertension?

Almost everyone can experience high blood pressure. The World Health Organization (WHO) said the figure is currently increasing globally. In fact, the increase in adults worldwide who will suffer from hypertension is predicted to jump to 29 percent by 2025.

The increase in hypertension cases also occurred in Indonesia. The Ministry of Health's 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) data shows that 34.1 percent of Indonesia's population has high blood pressure. Meanwhile in 2013, the number still reached 25.8 percent.

Features & symptoms

What are the characteristics and symptoms of hypertension (high blood pressure)?

A person who has high blood pressure usually does not show any characteristics or only experiences mild symptoms. But in general, the symptoms of high blood pressure are:

Severe headache
Dizzy.
Blurry vision.
Nausea.
Ringing in ears.
Confusion.
Irregular heartbeat.
Fatigue.
Chest pain.
Difficulty breathing.
Blood in urine.
A pounding sensation in the chest, neck, or ears.

There may be other symptoms not listed above. Consult your doctor for more complete information.

When should I see a doctor?

Contact your doctor immediately if:

Blood pressure higher than normal (more than 120/80 mm Hg).
Nosebleeds, headaches, or dizziness.
Side effects occur after taking medications for high blood pressure.

Hypertension is a hidden disease and difficult to detect, therefore you need to have your blood pressure checked regularly if you are at risk of developing high blood pressure. Seek immediate medical attention or hospital care if you notice any signs or symptoms of an abnormality.

If a severe headache appears accompanied by a nosebleed, this is a sign and symptom of a hypertensive crisis, an emergency condition. Immediately call 118 or 021-65303118 / 65302940 (specifically for DKI Jakarta).

If you want to check for hypertension, what specialist should you go to?

Before coming to a specialist, you must check with a general practitioner first, who you can find at a clinic, puskesmas, or hospital, or your nearest health service.

Usually, a general practitioner will do a basic physical exam. During the examination, the doctor will ask you what complaints and signs you have felt so far. After that, usually the doctor or nurse will check your blood pressure.

From this examination, your doctor can usually determine whether you really have hypertension, what type of hypertension you are suffering from, and check for hypertension to what specialist doctor.

If there are other medical conditions that accompany your hypertension, such as problems with the kidneys, your general practitioner will refer you to a specialist in internal medicine. Meanwhile, if you are detected to have pulmonary hypertension, the doctor will refer you to a heart specialist.

You can also see a specialist directly without having to go to a general practitioner first. However, if you are not sure, you can ask a general practitioner first.

Cause

What causes hypertension (high blood pressure)?

There are two classifications or types of hypertension based on the cause. Primary or essential hypertension generally occurs due to heredity or an unhealthy lifestyle, such as smoking, consuming too much sodium (salt), stress, laziness to move, excessive alcohol consumption, and obesity.

For example, smoking habits. Smoking just one stick can cause an immediate spike in blood pressure and can raise systolic blood pressure levels by as much as 4 mmHg. The nicotine in tobacco products stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals that can constrict blood vessels and contribute to high blood pressure.

Too much consumption of salty foods, which contain sodium (processed foods, canned foods, fast food), can raise cholesterol and / or high blood pressure. Likewise, the consumption of food or drinks that contain artificial sweeteners.

In addition, there is also what is called secondary hypertension. The cause of hypertension in this type, namely due to other medical conditions that accompany it. Several medical conditions that can cause high blood pressure, namely sleep apnea, kidney problems, tumors of the adrenal glands, thyroid problems, or diabetes.

High blood pressure can also appear as a side effect of kidney failure medications and heart disease treatments. Birth control pills or cold medicines that are sold in drugstores can also cause high blood pressure. Women who are pregnant or who are taking hormone replacement therapy may also experience high blood pressure.

Meanwhile, children under 10 years of age often experience high blood pressure due to other diseases, such as kidney disease. In such cases, the child's blood pressure will return to normal after taking high blood medication.

Risk factors

Who is at risk for hypertension (high blood pressure)?

Many factors put you at a high risk of developing high blood pressure. Some of these factors, namely heredity or genetics, age, ethnicity and gender.

An older person tends to have higher blood pressure. The reason is, as you get older, your blood pressure will increase. This happens because the blood vessels that we have tend to thicken and tighten over time.

Someone who has a family history of high blood pressure is also at high risk of experiencing the same thing. As for ethnicity, this condition generally occurs more frequently in people of African descent than in Asia. In terms of age, adult women are more likely to experience high blood pressure than men.

Even though you are not in the group above, that does not mean you are not at risk of developing hypertension. The reason is, the most important risk factor for hypertension is a bad or unhealthy lifestyle.

On the other hand, someone who has risk factors, such as genetics, age, and so on, can also be free from hypertension as long as they adopt a healthy lifestyle.

In addition, the following factors can also increase a person's risk of developing hypertension:

Fatigue
Diabetes
Uric acid
Obesity
High cholesterol
Kidney illness
Alcohol addiction
Women taking birth control pills

Having no risk factors doesn't mean you won't get hypertension. These factors are for reference only. Consult your doctor for more details.

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

Can high blood pressure be cured?

High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition of persistently high blood pressure or more than 140/90 mmHg permanently

Hypertension can occur without a definite cause. However, hypertension can also arise due to other conditions or diseases, such as heart disease or kidney disease. This type of hypertension may be cured by treating the underlying disease.

However, most cases of high blood pressure (about 85% to 90%) in the world are classified as primary hypertension. In some cases, the cause of primary hypertension cannot be determined. In this condition, hypertension cannot be cured, but can only be controlled with high blood pressure medication and a healthy lifestyle.

Thus, if blood pressure drops, it does not mean that you are completely cured of hypertension. You still have a potential risk of disease complications caused by hypertension if the symptoms are not managed and blood pressure returns.

Medication & diagnosis

What are the medications for high blood pressure that are often used?

Hypertension treatment is important to reduce the risk of death from heart disease. As for one way to treat this condition, namely by consuming high blood pressure medication.

Some of the drugs that doctors often prescribe to treat hypertension are:

Diuretic:chlorotiazide, chlorthalidone, hydrochlorotiazide / HCT, indapamide, metolazone, bumetanide, furosemide, torsemide, amiloride, triamterene)
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors:captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, benazepril hydrochloride, perindopril, ramipril, quinapril hydrochloride, and trandolapril)
Beta-blockers:atenolol, propranolol, metoprolol, nadolol, betaxolol, acebutolol, bisoprolol, esmilol, nebivolol, and sotalol)
Calcium channel blockers:amlodipine, clevidipine, diltiazem, felodipine, isradipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, and nisoldipine
Alpha-blockers:doxazosin, terazosin hydrochloride, and prazosin hydrochloride
Vasodilators: hydralazine and minoxidil
Central-acting agents: clonidine, guanfacine, and methyldopa.

High blood pressure medication must also be consumed regularly and in the right dose so that its benefits can be felt.

What are the usual tests for the diagnosis of high blood pressure (hypertension)?

Hypertension is diagnosed through a blood pressure test. Measurements are usually taken several times to ensure accurate results. If your blood pressure is high, your doctor may ask you to check back and track it repeatedly at regular intervals.

If your blood pressure is more than 140/90 mmHg in the usual examination, your doctor will diagnose you with hypertension. If you have chronic diseases, such as diabetes or kidney disease, and your blood pressure is over 130/80 mm Hg, you will also be diagnosed with hypertension.

It should also be understood that the results of blood pressure readings at the doctor and at home can be different. If you feel nervous every time you are in the hospital or at the doctor's office, your blood pressure can rise at each visit so that the doctor can diagnose you have high blood pressure. Even though every time you check at home, your blood pressure is generally stable.

This phenomenon is also called "white coat hypertension syndrome" or white coat hypertension syndrome. To ensure this, doctors usually measure your blood pressure more than once and away from the office.

If you have the syndrome, it is possible that your risk of high blood pressure may continue to increase in the future. Therefore, it is important to check blood pressure by a doctor or other health care professional at least every six to 12 months. This will give you plenty of time to make lifestyle changes that might help.

Home remedies

What are the lifestyle changes that can be made to treat hypertension (high blood pressure)?

In addition to drugs, people with hypertension need to change their lifestyle to be healthier to help lower blood pressure while reducing your risk of other diseases due to hypertension. Some positive lifestyle changes you can make are:

A balanced diet and a low salt diet.
Get regular exercise.
Don't smoke and don't drink alcohol.
Trying to lose weight, if you are obese.

In addition to the methods above, you can also do other natural measures to help lower blood pressure, such as breathing techniques and muscle relaxation. Both of these can help relieve stress which is also a trigger for rising blood pressure.

In addition, you also need to regularly check your blood pressure regularly and follow a doctor's treatment plan to be able to monitor and control your health condition.

These things need to be done for life. In addition to lowering blood pressure, you need to do it to prevent the increase in blood pressure from getting higher in old age. The reason is, as you age, your blood pressure tends to be higher and it slowly rises after you reach the age of 50.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.

Complications

What are the possible complications of high blood pressure?

Hypertension generally does not cause symptoms. Therefore, most people do not know that they have high blood pressure if they do not regularly check their blood pressure.

If this condition is left untreated or not treated properly it can lead to complications of other diseases. Here are some of the complications of hypertension that may occur: