High blood pressure is the most common cardiovascular disease.

If you have high blood pressure, it was probably discovered during a routine checkup.

*Blood pressure refers to the force of blood pushing against artery walls as it flows through the body.
*Like water in a hose, blood fills arteries to a certain capacity, and just as too much water pushing through a garden hose can damage the hose, high blood pressure can threaten healthy arteries and lead to life-threatening conditions.

*Hypertension is the leading cause of stroke and a major cause of heart attack.

*Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to vision problems, stroke and kidney failure.

*In the United States, approximately 73 million people have high blood pressure.

Symptoms:

*People with high blood pressure usually experience no symptoms, thus hypertension is often referred to as the "silent killer".

How Is Blood Pressure Measured?

A blood pressure reading appears as two numbers.
*Systolic pressure is the higher number, and measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats and fills them with blood.
*Diastolic pressure, measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats.

*Normal blood pressure rises steadily from about 90/60 at birth to about 120/80 in a healthy adult.
*Blood pressure wil rise and fall with changes in activity or emotional state, i.e. immediately after jogging 5 miles.
*Blood pressure varies from person to person.
*Consistently high blood pressure forces the heart to work far beyond its capacity.
*People with blood pressure readings of 140/90 or higher, taken on at least 2 occasions have high blood pressure.
*Individuals with blood pressure readings of 200/120 or higher need treatment immediately.
*Diabetes are treated if blood pressure rises above 130/80, since they already at high risk of heart disease.
*People with blood pressures slightly higher than 120/80 are at high risk for developing hypertension.

Patients with extremely high blood pressure are said to have malignant hypertension, with a diastolic pressure usually exceeding 130 or a systolic pressure above 200. Malignant hypertension is a dangerous condition that may develop rapidly and cause organ damage quickly.

What causes high blood pressure?
For most people, the cause of their high blood pressure, or primary hypertension, is not known, and probably results from a variety of reasons.

Risk factors:

*High blood pressure increases as you age
* Before the age of 45, most cases of high blood pressure are diagnosed in men.
* From age 45 to 54, men and women are equally at risk for high blood pressure.
* After the age of 54, women are at higher risk of developing high blood pressure than men, which may suggest that:
1. Estrogen has a protective role in blood pressure.
2. Estrogen keeps blood vessels flexible.
3. Estrogen works with other hormones to reduce risk of high blood pressure in younger women.

High blood pressure runs in families:
* Individuals having relatives with high blood pressure are more likely to develop it themselves.

Ethnicity:
*Individuals of African American and Native American ethnicity are more at risk of high blood pressure than Caucasians, and this problem is growing.

Diet:
*A diet high in salt increases risk of high blood pressure.

Obesity:
* Are at risk for many illnesses including high blood pressure.

Stress:
*People with heightened anxiety, intense or suppressed anger, are more at risk of developing high blood pressure.

Other factors associated with essential primary hypertension include:
*diabetes.
*insufficient intake of potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
*lack of physical activity.
*chronic alcohol consumption.
*certain medications such as NSAIDs, decongestants, and illicit drugs such as cocaine

Secondary Hypertension:

*When a direct cause for high blood pressure can be identified, the condition is described as secondary hypertension.

What Causes Secondary Hypertension:
*Kidney disease: ranks highest.
*Triggered by tumors or other abnormalities: that cause the adrenal glands to secrete excess amounts of the hormones that elevate blood pressure.
*Birth control pills: specifically those containing estrogen.
*Pregnancy: can boost blood pressure.
*Medications that constrict blood vessels.

Lifestyle and Alternative Treatments:

Diet to Lower High Blood Pressure:

*Eating more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods
*Cutting back on foods that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol and total fat
*Eating more whole grain products, fish, poultry and nuts
*Eating less red meat and sweets
*Eating foods that are rich in magnesium, potassium and calcium

Physical Activity:

*exercise can lower blood pressure as much as some drugs.
*People with elevated blood pressure who exercise 30 to 60 minutes three to four days per week (walking, jogging, cycling, or a combination) may be able to significantly decrease their blood pressure.

Blood Pressure, Breathing, and Stress Management:

*Blood pressure increases when a person is under emotional stress and tension.
*Ancient relaxation methods that include controlled breathing and gentle physical activity, such as yoga, Qigong, and Tai Chi, are beneficial. People with mild hypertension who practiced these healing techniques daily for two to three months experienced significant decreases in their blood pressure, had lower levels of stress hormones, and were less anxious.
*Slow breathing, 15 minutes daily, can result in a substantial reduction in blood pressure.

Quit Smoking. This is perhaps the most important step a person can take to improve health.

Lose Weight. Losing excess weight can help decrease your blood pressure.

Limit Alcohol. Women should drink no more than 1 alcoholic drink per day; men should limit intake to 2 drinks or fewer.

Women should discuss with a doctor the increased risk from taking birth control pills, especially if they're over 35 and overweight

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): reduces blood pressure without side effects, via a different mechanism than major anti-hypertensive drugs.

Omega-3 fatty acids: Some studies report that EPA and DHA may reduce blood pressure in people with mild hypertension.

Amino acids:

*L-arginine may lower blood pressure;

*L-taurine, may also have blood pressure-lowering qualities.

Herbal Therapies for High Blood Pressure:

*Rauwolfia serpentina (snakeroot)
*Stephania tetrandra (tetrandrine)
*Panax notoginseng (ginseng)
*Crataegus species (hawthorn) for treating high blood pressure have not been extensively studied.

Herbs To Avoid As They Increase Blood Pressure:
*licorice
*ephedra (Ma Huang)
*yohimbine (from the bark of a West African tree)

Prescription Drug Treatment  To Lower High Blood Pressure

Sometimes high blood pressure requires drug therapy, either because of severity or because it doesn't respond to lifestyle changes and self-help measures. Blood pressure medication usually needs to be taken for life. A number of drugs can be used alone or in combination to treat high blood pressure:

Diuretics, or "water pills," rid the body of salt and excess fluids.

Beta-blockers make the heart beat more slowly and with less force. These are particularly effective in people with heart disease.

Calcium-channel blockers reduce blood pressure by dilating blood vessels. These drugs remain somewhat controversial.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors block factors that cause blood vessels to constrict, which makes vessels dilate and thus reduces blood pressure. These drugs can decrease the risk of kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke and are especially useful in people with heart disease or diabetes.

Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are a newer type of blood pressure medicine, which work in a similar way to ACE inhibitors.

Alpha1-adrenergic blockers and centrally acting agents lower blood pressure by relaxing and dilating arteries