Navinchandra J. Dodhia, M.D. Nephrologist at Dreyer Medical Clinic - West Aurora

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a serious condition that can greatly affect your health and your quality of life. If your blood pressure is high, your arteries could become damaged and your heart could become overworked. In addition, you are at a greater risk for stroke and kidney failure.

Your blood pressure is a measure of the force exerted on your artery walls by blood flowing through your body. Blood pressure readings are composed of two numbers – systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number). The systolic reading measures the force exerted when your heart muscles contract to push oxygenated blood out to your body. The diastolic reading measures your heart between contractions, when it returns to a resting position. Blood pressure guidelines for adults, determined by the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC), are as follows:

If left untreated, hypertension can have a devastating effect on your body. It can cause hardening of the arteries, heart failure, aneurysm, stroke, dementia, kidney failure, retinopathy, and sexual dysfunction, among many other possible complications. Monitoring your blood pressure on a regular basis (at least once a year) can help you catch high blood pressure early, and take the necessary steps to get it under control.

Several major risk factors for hypertension include:

• Age: Your risk for hypertension increases with age.
• Sex: Hypertension is more common in men at middle age, but more common in women after age 60.
• Race: High blood pressure occurs more frequently in African-Americans, and tends to develop at younger ages than in other races.
• Family history: High blood pressure tends to run in families.
• Weight: Greater body mass demands more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to body tissues. This increased volume of blood flow adds extra stress to the artery walls.
• Lack of exercise: In addition to increased risk from being overweight, lack of exercise also increases risk for hypertension. Inactive people often have increased heart rates, their heart muscles have to work harder to contract, causing increased pressure on the arteries.
• Smoking: Chemicals found in cigarettes can damage the lining of your arteries, causing a collection of fatty deposits that contain cholesterol. Nicotine also forces blood vessels to constrict, making the heart work harder to circulate blood.
• Alcohol Use: Excessive alcohol use increases blood pressure and damages the heart muscle over time.
• Stress: High levels of stress can temporarily raise blood pressure to unhealthy levels. Reactions to stress such as overeating, smoking, drinking, and decreased physical activity will also contribute to high blood pressure.

Although you cannot control risk factors such as age, sex, race, and family history, you can certainly reduce your risk of hypertension by keeping your weight, smoking, drinking, and stress controlled.

High blood pressure generally occurs without initial symptoms. Monitor your blood pressure and have it checked at least once a year, as prevention is always the best approach. If you are experiencing symptoms such as excessive perspiration, muscle cramping, weakness, frequent urination, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and headaches, your high blood pressure may have been present for some time and is becoming advanced, and your organs are becoming stressed. However, you can work with your doctor to get your blood pressure under control.

Of course, the safest way to control your blood pressure is to make a conscious effort to alter your lifestyle. Each case is different, and lifestyle changes alone may not be sufficient for everyone. In such cases, medications are available to help lower blood pressure. Some of the common medications are classified into categories such as diuretics, beta blockers, and ACE inhibitors. Diuretics work with your kidneys to help eliminate sodium and water from the body, which reduces blood volume. These medications are often the first option for treatment as they are usually inexpensive and very effective. Beta blockers work by ‘blocking’ the effects of adrenaline-related chemicals in the body. This causes the heart to beat less forcefully. Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors help lower blood pressure by blocking a natural chemical that constricts blood vessels. This medication relaxes the blood vessels, and is especially helpful for people with coronary heart disease, heart failure, or kidney failure. If you require medication to manage your blood pressure, your doctor will prescribe the one that best fits your personal needs.

Hypertension can be a potentially dangerous condition, but you can manage it by keeping a healthy lifestyle and following a management plan. Talk to your doctor to discuss your condition, and to develop a plan that is specific to your needs.