ABOUT:

• Hypertension, also known as high or raised blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure
• The higher the pressure in blood vessels the harder the heart has to work in order to pump blood.
• If left uncontrolled, hypertension can lead to a heart attack, an enlargement of the heart and eventually heart failure.
• Blood vessels may develop bulges (aneurysms) and weak spots due to high pressure, making them more likely to clog and burst.
• The pressure in the blood vessels can also cause blood to leak out into the brain. This can cause a stroke. Hypertension can also lead to kidney failure, blindness, rupture of blood vessels and cognitive impairment.
• The upper number is the systolic blood pressure - the highest pressure in blood vessels when the heart contracts, or beats. The lower number is the diastolic blood pressure - the lowest pressure in blood vessels when the heart muscle relaxes.
• Normal adult blood pressure is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 120 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure of 80 mm Hg.
• Hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure equal to or above 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure equal to or above 90 mm Hg.
• Detection, treatment and control of hypertension is an important health priority worldwide.

SYMPTOMS:

• Most hypertensive people have no symptoms at all.
• This is why it is known as the “silent killer”.
• Sometimes hypertension causes symptoms such as:
1. headache
2. shortness of breath
3. dizziness
4. chest pain
5. palpitations of the heart and nose bleeds.
• It can be dangerous to ignore such symptoms, but neither can they be relied upon to signify hypertension.
• Hypertension is a serious warning sign that significant lifestyle changes are required.

TREATMENT:

1. promoting a healthy lifestyle with emphasis on proper nutrition for infants and young people.
2. reducing salt intake to less than 5 g of salt per day (just under a teaspoon).
3. eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day.
4. reducing saturated and total fat intake.

1. Regular physical activity and promotion of physical activity for children and young people (at least 30 minutes a day five times a week).
2. Maintaining a normal body weight: every 5 kg of excess weight lost can reduce systolic blood pressure by 2 to 10 points.

1. Hpertension can be managed by following methods:
2. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)
3. Antihypertensive Medicines.
4. Diuretics (Water or Fluid Pills)
5. Beta Blockers
6. Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors
7. Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)
8. Calcium Channel Blockers
9. Alpha Blockers
10. Alpha-Beta Blockers
11. Central Acting Agents
12. Vasodilators