The ups and downs of high and low blood pressure

WHO HAS HIGH .BLOOD PRESSURE?

It's estimated that one in three adults has high blood pressure. Once we reach age 65, the estimate goes up to two out of three people. The problem is that many of us don't know we have it. High blood pressure, or hypertension, can be deadly and rarely has symptoms Ð that's why it's called the Silent Killer.

WHAT IS HIGH .BLOOD PRESSURE?

Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood against the artery walls. When blood pressure is high, the heart must pump harder and the arteries are under greater pressure. Consistently high blood pressure without treatment puts too much wear and tear on the heart and arteries. If your blood pressure is too high, you could be at risk for stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, aneurysms, hardening of the arteries, even blindness.

A normal blood pressure reading is 120/80. The higher number (systolic) measures the pressure as .the heart pumps, the lower (diastolic) is the pressure .in between heartbeats. .140/90 and above is con-sidered high.

WHAT CAUSES HIGH .BLOOD PRESSURE?

A small percentage of .people have high blood pressure because they have another disease, such as chronic kidney disease or thyroid dysfunction. In .most cases, however, the cause of high blood pressure is unknown.

There are contributing .factors, however, to developing high blood pressure. Some are changeable, some are not.

AGE: As we get older our arteries get stiffer, incurring high blood pressure.

RACE: African-Americans develop high blood pressure more often than whites, get it at a younger age and suffer more severe complications.

FAMILY HISTORY: Hypertension seems to run in families.

GENDER: Men are generally more likely to develop high blood pressure than women.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS: Less educated, lower socio-economic groups are more likely to develop high blood pressure. People from the Southeast have high blood pressure than residents of other regions of the U.S.

OBESITY: Obese people .are up to 6 times more likely than those of normal weight to develop high blood pressure.

SODIUM SENSITIVITY: Fast foods and processed foods contain high amounts of sodium; so do many over-the-counter pain medications. For people with a high sensitivity to sodium, taking in too much salt can cause hypertension.

ALCOHOL INTAKE: Too much alcohol can elevate blood pressure for some.

DRUGS: Certain drugs .such as cold and allergy medications can raise .blood pressure.

Occasionally, high blood pressure will present symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, nausea or blurred vision, but most hypertensive people show no signs at all. But public awareness has grown to such an extent that hypertension is the second most common reason people see a doctor.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE .HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Your doctor may prescribe medication for high blood pressure. These medicines fall into one of the following categories:

Diuretics: Often called "water pills", they flush excess water & sodium from your body.

Beta-blockers: These make the heart beat slower and work less hard.

ACE inhibitors: ACE stands for angiotensin converting enzyme, which prevents the formation of angiotensin II, a hormone that causes narrowing of blood vessels.

Angiotensin antagonists: This drug shields against angiotensin II and makes vessels wider, lowering .pressure.

Calcium channel blockers: CCB's prevent calcium in the muscle cells of blood vessels and the heart, causing the vessels to relax.

Alpha-blockers: Alpha-blockers reduce nerve impulses, allowing blood through more easily.

Alpha-beta-blockers: They work the same as alpha-blockers but simultaneously slow the heartbeat, as beta blockers do.

Nervous system inhibitors: Nervous system inhibitors control nerve impulses, allowing vessels to widen.

Vasodilators: These relax and open up the muscle in the vessel wall.

Prevention is still your responsibility, and whether or not you take high blood pressure medicine, your body and blood pressure will benefit if you quit smoking, limit alcohol, get physically active, maintain a healthy weight, reduce salt & sodium in your diet, and eat healthy.

WHAT ABOUT LOW BLOOD PRESSURE?

We all want lower, healthier blood pressure readings Ð but how low is too low? The numbers aren't as important as how you feel.

If you get up from sitting in a chair you may experience a slight dizziness for a few seconds. If it lasts several minutes, you may have a problem with low blood pressure. Blood pressure that's too low can cause light-headedness, even fainting. Elderly people often fall as a result of low blood pressure, causing serious injury.

Unlike high blood pressure, low blood pressure or hypotension usually has some symptoms. Besides light-headed feelings or fainting, you could experience lack of concentration, blurred vision, nausea, cold and clammy skin, unusual thirst, depression and fatigue.

Sometimes high blood pressure medication, or combinations of drugs, can cause your blood pressure to drop too low too fast. Or hypotension can be symptomatic of a number of physical conditions like an underactive or overactive thyroid, anemia or low blood sugar.