Hypertensive heart disease is a type of cardiac disease characterized by high blood pressure. Heart problems caused by high blood pressure that has been prevalent for a long time are referred to as hypertensive heart disease.
Causes
The pressure inside the blood vessels (called arteries) is too high in those with high blood pressure. The heart has to work harder to pump against this pressure. This causes the cardiac muscle to thicken over time.
Because high blood pressure often has no symptoms, people may be unaware that they have the condition. Symptoms usually don’t appear until the heart has been damaged after many years of inadequate blood pressure regulation.
The muscle may eventually get so thick that it may not receive enough oxygen. This can result in angina (chest pain). The heart can lessen over time if blood pressure is not controlled appropriately, and heart failure can develop.
Blood vessel walls thicken as a finding of high blood pressure. When cholesterol deposits in blood arteries are diverse, the risk of heart attack and stroke rises.
Hypertensive heart disease is the major cause of high blood pressure-related illness and death.
Prevention
The scope of prevention has been increased. Heart disease, stroke, vision issues, and chronic renal disease can all be prevented if high blood pressure is detected early.
Every year, all adults over the age of 18 should have their blood pressure assessed. Those who have a history of high blood pressure readings or who have risk factors for high blood pressure may require more frequent monitoring.
As new information becomes available, guidelines may change. As a result, your health care provider may recommend more frequent screenings based on your blood pressure and other health issues.
If you have high blood pressure, you must lower it and keep it under control.
Stopping or changing high blood pressure medications without consulting your doctor is not a good idea.
Keep diabetes and high cholesterol under strict control.
How Can You Know if you high blood pressure?
As new information becomes available, guidelines may change. As a result, your health care provider may recommend more frequent screenings based on your blood pressure and other health issues.
If you have high blood pressure, you must lower it and keep it under control.
Stopping or changing high blood pressure medications without consulting your doctor is not a good idea.
Keep diabetes and high cholesterol under strict control.
What does a doctor mean when they say you have high blood pressure?
Blood pressure is classified as follows in adults:
- Normal: a ratio of less than 120/80
- Elevated: systolic 120–129 and diastolic less than 80
- Stage 1 hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 130–139 mm Hg or a diastolic blood pressure of 80–89 mm Hg.
- Stage 2 hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg.
What factors contribute to high blood pressure?
The majority of the time, there is no evident cause for high blood pressure; it just happens. This type of high blood pressure is commonly passed down via generations. People over 45 and blacks are more likely to have it. The following factors raise the risk of this type of high blood pressure:
- Getting older
- Obesity or being overweight
- Being inactive every day
- Stress\sSmoking
- Excessive salt consumption
Other medical conditions are less common causes of high blood pressure, such as:
- Problems with the kidneys
- Hormone imbalances, such as an excess of thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) or an excess of adrenal hormones, are common (Cushing syndrome)
- Being pregnant can be difficult at times.
Blood pressure can be raised by a variety of medications and substances. Unless you have high blood pressure for other causes, blood pressure drops when the effects of the drug or substance wear off. Blood pressure is commonly raised by the following substances:
- Alcohol
- Pills for birth control
- Caffeine\sCorticosteroids
- NSAIDs such as phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine are nasal decongestants (anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen)
- Amphetamines and cocaine are stimulant substances.
What are the signs and symptoms of hypertension?
Symptoms of high blood pressure are uncommon. You can’t determine if you have high blood pressure by how you feel. Headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness, fatigue, and other general symptoms are frequently mistakenly attributed to high blood pressure. When your blood pressure is normal, though, you’re just as likely to have these symptoms.
However, if your high blood pressure has resulted in consequences like a heart attack, heart failure, or stroke, you may have symptoms like:
- Pain in the chest
- Breathing problems
- Headache
- Confused or unable to communicate
- Vision is blurry.
- One side of your body or face is weak or paralyzed.
Doctors can’t detect if I have high blood pressure because I don’t have any symptoms.
Tests to determine if you have high blood pressure. A blood pressure cuff is used by doctors to check your blood pressure three or more times. Your blood pressure may be measured with a stethoscope or a machine by your doctor. Blood pressure can be measured in the arm or leg by doctors.
When you’re apprehensive or not calm, which is a common feeling in a doctor’s office, the doctor may notice high blood pressure. To ensure that the reading is accurate, the doctor may ask you to sit for a bit or return for another reading. The doctor may ask you to take your own blood pressure for a day or two using a home blood pressure machine.
If you have high blood pressure, you will be tested.
Doctors will do the following if you have high blood pressure:
- A physical examination
- An examination of the eyes
- An ECG is a test that measures the electrical currents in your heart and records them on paper.
- Tests of the blood and urine
- Other tests may be performed by doctors to determine whether there is a more unusual reason of your high blood pressure. These tests will be performed, especially if you are young or if your blood pressure does not respond to standard treatment.