High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common but serious condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It’s often called the “silent killer” because it can cause significant damage to your body without showing any obvious symptoms. Understanding hypertension, recognizing its early signs, and knowing how to manage it are crucial steps in maintaining good health. At Vista Health, our team of skilled healthcare professionals is here to help you monitor and manage your blood pressure effectively.

What is High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)?

What is hypertension? Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. When this pressure is consistently too high, it’s referred to as hypertension. Over time, the increased pressure can damage your blood vessels, leading to serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.

Early Symptoms and Signs of Hypertension

What are the early symptoms of high blood pressure? Hypertension is often asymptomatic in its early stages, which is why regular monitoring is so important. However, as the condition progresses, some people may experience:

• Headaches: Frequent, severe headaches can sometimes be an early warning sign.

• Dizziness: Feeling lightheaded or faint can be associated with high blood pressure.

• Blurred Vision: High blood pressure can affect the blood vessels in the eyes, leading to vision problems.

• Shortness of Breath: Difficulty breathing during normal activities can be a sign of uncontrolled hypertension.

• Nosebleeds: Although rare, nosebleeds can be related to extremely high blood pressure.

Advanced Symptoms and Complications

What happens if high blood pressure is left untreated? If hypertension is not managed effectively, it can lead to more serious symptoms and complications, including:

• Chest Pain (Angina): Caused by reduced blood flow to the heart.

• Heart Attack: Occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked.

• Stroke: Hypertension can lead to some weak blood vessels in the brain to burst which can cause brain edema and further complications, this is known as hemorrhagic stroke. Another type of stroke which hypertension can cause is ischemic stroke, where there becomes blood clots in the arteries which can cause the vessel to be blocked, this prevents blood from reaching specific areas in the brain. 

• Heart Failure: When the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Though if this was found first, other causes should be ruled out first. 

• Kidney Damage: High blood pressure can damage the arteries supplying the kidneys, reducing the kidney’s ability to filter waste from the blood.

Diagnosis and Monitoring

How is high blood pressure diagnosed? Hypertension is diagnosed through regular blood pressure measurements, to establish the diagnosis of hypertension, three blood pressure measurements should be done on three different days. The patient should also avoid drinking coffee, tea, cola or doing exercise at least 1 hour before checking the blood pressure as these can cause the blood pressure to be high at time of measurement. A healthcare provider will use a blood pressure cuff to measure the systolic and diastolic pressure in your arteries. Blood pressure is classified as follows:

• Normal: Systolic less than 120 mm Hg and diastolic less than 80 mm Hg.

• Elevated: Systolic between 120-129 mm Hg and diastolic less than 80 mm Hg.

• Hypertension Stage 1: Systolic between 130-139 mm Hg or diastolic between 80-89 mm Hg.

• Hypertension Stage 2: Systolic 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic 90 mm Hg or higher.

Regular monitoring is essential for detecting hypertension early and preventing complications.

Treatment and Management

How is high blood pressure treated? The treatment of hypertension often involves a combination of lifestyle changes and medications. Here’s how it can be managed:

Lifestyle Changes

• Healthy Diet: A diet low in salt, saturated fats, and cholesterol, such as the DASH diet, can help lower blood pressure.

• Regular Exercise: Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.

• Weight Management: Losing weight if you are overweight or obese can significantly lower your blood pressure.

• Limit Alcohol: Reducing alcohol intake can help manage blood pressure.

• Quit Smoking: Smoking increases blood pressure and damages blood vessels.

• Drinking water: Dehydration can cause the release of vasopressin hormone which constricts the blood vessels to keep the water inside the body. This can cause blood pressure to increase. Furthermore, a cohort study on the effect of drinking plain water (6–8 cups/day) can help reduce risk of hypertension among the studied group.  

Medications

• Diuretics: Help the kidneys remove sodium and water, reducing blood volume.

• ACE Inhibitors: Relax blood vessels by blocking the formation of a natural chemical that narrows blood vessels.

• Beta-Blockers: Reduce the heart rate and the heart's output of blood.

• Calcium Channel Blockers: Help relax the muscles of your blood vessels.

When to See a Doctor

If you are experiencing any symptoms of hypertension or have concerns about your blood pressure, it’s important to seek medical advice promptly. At Vista Health, our Primary Care department is equipped to provide comprehensive care for hypertension. Our experienced healthcare professionals will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that includes lifestyle modifications and medication management if necessary.

Schedule a Consultation

Don’t wait until hypertension causes serious complications. Schedule a consultation with Vista Health today by calling (928) 237-4418. Our team is here to help you monitor and manage your blood pressure effectively, ensuring that you stay on the path to good health.