Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Do you know hypertension, which is an important health problem that threatens human health? Let's examine this disease together.

As you know, blood is an important component that circulates in our body and enables us to perform our vital functions. Blood travels throughout the body thanks to the veins. The pressure exerted by blood on the vessels during circulation is called blood pressure. This pressure of blood on the veins may change during the day due to the influence of various factors. There are two different types of blood pressure; One of these is the pressure the heart puts on the vessels during contraction. In medical terms, this is called systolic pressure and is also known as systolic pressure. The other is; It is the pressure that occurs in the vessels during the relaxation of the heart. In medical terms, it is called diastolic pressure and is also known as diastolic pressure.

Blood pressure is calculated with a blood pressure monitor.

In normal people, appropriate blood pressure values ​​are 120-129 mmHg for systolic blood pressure and 80-84 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure. Blood pressure of 130-139/85-89 mmHg is called high normal blood pressure. Blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg is hypertension. Untreated or uncontrolled hypertension is one of the major health problems.

High blood pressure is an insidious disease. Due to this feature, it can be seen at any age. It is more common in women than in men. A significant portion of hypertension patients in Turkey (53%) are in the middle age group. The prevalence of hypertension over the age of sixty increases to 60-80%. Although the prevalence of hypertension is high in our country, only 40% of patients are aware of it.

Although hypertension often occurs without symptoms, sometimes; It may manifest itself with non-specific symptoms such as headache, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, nosebleeds, and feeling of pressure in the chest.
There are two types of hypertension: primary (primary-essential) and secondary (secondary) hypertension. The most common known causes of primary hypertension are; genetic factors, excessive salt consumption, sedentary life, excess weight, stress, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Apart from these reasons, the cause of hypertension is not clear in 90-95 percent of hypertension patients. This type of high blood pressure, called primary hypertension, develops gradually over time.

Secondary hypertension, which is seen in 5-10 percent of patients; It can occur due to kidney and thyroid gland diseases, sleep apnea and the effects of some medications we use in daily life.

So why is hypertension harmful? Can we not live with high blood pressure?

Unfortunately, it is not livable. In hypertension; Veins exposed to pressure begin to thicken to protect themselves. At the same time, high blood pressure damages the inner layer of the vessels and sometimes causes ruptures. As a result, arteriosclerosis occurs. Atherosclerosis damages whichever organ it occurs in. Due to this effect, high blood pressure can cause great damage to vascular-rich organs. Hypertension; It causes serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, blockage in neck and leg vessels, heart failure, kidney disease, and vision loss.

What can we do to cope with high blood pressure?

In the basic treatment of hypertension; There are two important elements: medication and lifestyle changes. A person should know his healthy weight and stay at that weight. If your body mass index is over 25 kg/m2, you need to lose weight. Salt, alcohol, cigarettes and saturated fats should be avoided. Fruit and vegetable consumption should be increased and regular physical activity and exercise should be performed. In some cases, such lifestyle changes may not be enough to reduce blood pressure. Especially if blood pressure values ​​are 160/100 mmHg and above, lifestyle changes and medication are necessary to reduce blood pressure.If you think you have symptoms of hypertension, you should measure and record your blood pressure at regular intervals during the day. If your measurement values ​​are high, you should consult your physician as soon as possible and implement the specified changes in your lifestyle.