Hypertension in simple words means increased blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood against the wall of the blood vessel. When this force increases, the blood pressure increases, leading to hypertension. It can be broadly categorized into 2 types: Essential hypertension - where there is no definite cause; and Secondary hypertension -- where the cause is an underlying pathology. It manifests in symptoms like headache, irritability and palpitations, or may produce fatal complications.
Allopathic treatments for Hypertension include atenolol, Prazosin, Doxazosin, Phentolamine, Verapamil, Diltizem, Nifedipine, Amlodipine, and Nicardipine. However these Allopathic treatments do not cure Hypertension. They are merely a way of suppressing symptoms.
Hypertension Causes
The causes of hypertension are as follows:
1. Essential Hypertension: It is also known as Primary or Idiopathic hypertension. A patient suffering from this type of hypertension has no definable cause for it. 92-94% of hypertensive patients have primary hypertension. Age, race, sex, smoking, alcohol intake, serum cholesterol, glucose intolerance and weight may all alter the prognosis of this disease. The younger the patient when hypertension is first noted, the greater is the reduction in life expectancy, if the hypertension is left untreated.
A number of lifestyle and environmental factors have been implicated in the development of hypertension. These include obesity, occupation, alcohol intake, family size and crowding. Increased salt intake can also lead to or aggravate essential hypertension.
Renin, an enzyme secreted by the kidneys is observed to behave differently in hypertensive subjects than in normatensive (normal blood pressure) individuals.
Insulin resistance and/or
hyperinsulinemia have also been suggested as being responsible for increased blood pressure in some patients with hypertension.
Genetics is considered to be an important contributory factor in the development of hypertension.
2. Secondary Hypertension: Patients suffering from this type of hypertension have a definable cause for it.
a) Renal Hypertension: Hypertension produced by kidney diseases like narrowing of the blood vessels supplying blood to kidney and kidney stones.
b)
Endocrine Hypertension: caused due to adrenal gland abnormalities, hyperparathyroidism or oral contraceptives.
c) Hypertension due to Coarctation of the Aorta i.e. narrowing or constriction of the lumen of the aorta (main artery, arising from the heart).
Hypertension Symptoms
Hypertension usually causes no symptoms. It often goes undetected till it results in some complication, or it is discovered by a doctor who measures blood pressure as part of a routine check-up. A patient suffering from hypertension may have the following symptoms:
1. Headache in the
occipital region, dizziness, palpitation, etc, due to elevated blood pressure.
2. Epistaxis (bleeding nose), haematuria (blood in Urine), blurring of vision, dizziness due to transient cerebral ischaemia (decreased blood supply to brain), angina pectoris (chest pain) due to hypertensive vascular disease.
3. Symptoms of underlying disease in case of secondary hypertension such as:
- history of weight gain, round face with truncal obesity in Cushing's Syndrome (disease of adrenal gland)
- history of recent weight loss with flushing, increased perspiration, diarrhea in pheochromocytoma (disease of adrenal gland)
- muscular development in the upper extremities out of proportion to that of muscular development of lower extremities in coarctation of the aorta, etc.
Diagnosis of Hypertension
It is diagnosed by the physician after a clinical examination of the patient, i.e. Blood Pressure check up.
If the patient's BP is above the normal level it is termed as hypertension.
The normal Blood Pressure of an adult is 120/80 mmHg.
120mmHg is called Systolic blood pressure. Normal systolic pressure for an adult is 120 to 140mmHg.
Systolic pressure exceeding 140mmHg is taken as systolic hypertension.
Normal diastolic pressure for an adult is 70 to 90 mmHg. Diastolic pressure more than 90 mmHg is called as diastolic hypertension.
Thus in general, blood pressure above 140/90mmHg is considered as hypertensive blood pressure.
A systolic pressure between 140 to 159 mmHg is called mild systolic hypertension.
A systolic pressure between 160 to 179 mmHg is called moderate systolic hypertension.
A systolic pressure between 180 to 210 mmHg is called severe systolic hypertension.
A diastolic pressure between 96 mmHg and 109 mmHg is mild diastolic hypertension.
A diastolic pressure between 110mmHg and 119mmHg is called moderate diastolic hypertension.
A diastolic pressure of more than 119mmHg is called severe diastolic hypertension.
After discovering high blood pressure, the physician advises investigations such as ECG, X-Ray of the chest, urine routine and microscopic examination, Serum potassium, Serum creatinine,
Serum cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
On clinical examination, if the physician suspects some disorder to be responsible for hypertension i.e. secondary hypertension, he advises further investigations such as Abdominal sonography, ESR, urine VMA estimation (24hrs), Nuclear renal scan, vascular doppler studies of various vessels.
Complications of Untreated Hypertension:
• Heart failure
•
Myocardial Infarction
•
Angina pectoris
•
Cerebral Infarction (Stroke)
•
Cerebral hemorrhage
•
EncephalopathyBlindness
•
Seizures Kidney failure
Hypertension Treatment
Depending on the severity of hypertension there are two types of treatment options available:-
1. Medicinal Treatment:
Beta Adrenergic Antagonists such as atenolol, metroprolol, propranolol, pinodalol. These drugs have a lot of side-effects such as Raynaud's phenomenon, impotence, loss of sleep, depression and nasal congestion. Abrupt withdrawal can result in angina pectoris.
Alpha adrenergic antagonists such as Prazosin, Doxazosin and Phentolamine. Side-effects of these include, syncope, drowsiness, and headache.
Alpha & Beta andrenergic blockers such as abetalol. These cause paraesthesia, postural hypotension and positive antinuclear antibody.
Centrally acting adrenergic agents e.g. Clonidine. The side-effects include drowsiness, dry mouth, glactorrhara and sexual dysfunction.
Calcium channel Antagonists such as Verapamil, Diltizem, Nifedipine, Amlodipine, and Nicardipine. Side-effects like nausea, headache, rash, edema, flushing, and constipation show up after long periods of use.
Angiotensin converting enzyme Inhibitors e.g. Captopril, Enalapril, Ramipril, etc. The side-effects include dry cough, hypotension, angioneurotic oedema, glomerulopathy and leucopoenia.
Diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide, Furesenide, Spironalactone, etc. The side-effects include weakness, muscle cramps, impotence, pancreatitis ototoxicity and gynecomastia.
Directly acting vasodilators such as hydralazine, minoxidil. The side-effects are headache, nausea, systemic lupus like syndrome and weight gain.
In cases of severe hypertension that is uncontrollable, intravenous drugs such as Sodium Nitroprusside, Nitroglycerine, Labetalol, Esmalol are used. But these also have their side-effects.
The patient is usually treated according to the cause, if it has been detected.
2. Non-medicinal treatment:- Treating hypertension with diet and lifestyle changes is an effective method that comes at minimal cost. It is especially beneficial in primary hypertension, for the prevention of development of subsequent hypertension, particularly in high-risk individuals.
a) Weight reduction, especially in patients who weigh more than 10% of their ideal body weight.
b) Alcohol consumption should be reduced
c) Dietary management: Salt restriction; Restriction on intake of saturated fats; Caloric restriction should be urged for patients who are overweight. Potassium supplementation is advised in cases of decreased potassium levels.
d) Regular exercise such as walking, running, swimming, etc.
e) Relieving stress with relaxation methods such as listening to music, gardening, playing games, yoga and meditation.
Biogetica Approach
Due to increasing stress levels and sedentary lifestyles, hypertension or high blood pressure has become a major lifestyle concern today. The body increases its blood pressure to compensate for poor supply of blood to organs, more so when the blood vessels are clogged with fatty, thrombotic or calcific accumulations. Biogetica has various kits containing supplementary natural Homeopathic remedies, including sarcodes, as well as Ayurvedic herbs and dietary supplements traditionally believed to be of benefit to normal structure and function of circulatory system when concerned with raised blood pressure and its root causes.
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