Question

Write an essay on hypertension

Answer 1

Hypertension is defined as the blood pressure greater than 140/90 mmHg on two or more blood readings. There are two types of hypertension primary and secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension is referred to patients without any secondary identifiable cause. Secondary hypertension has reasonable causes.

Prehypertension ranges from systolic 120-139 mmHg and diastolic 80-89mmHg. Stage 1 hypertension as systolic 140-159mmHg or diastolic 90-99. Stage 2 hypertension ranges systolic greater than 160 mmHg and diastolic greater than 100 mmHg.

Hypertension is one of the major health issues, which have high morbidity and mortality rate.

Blood circulates to all body tissues through a network of the blood vessel and organs known as the circulatory system. Blood doesn't move by itself through a circulatory system rather it is pushed by the heart through the circulatory system. The force exerted the heart muscles gives pressure to the blood, forcing it to flow through the circulatory system. The blood vessel resistance exerted by the heart pushing back on the blood and provide only forward movement through the circulatory system in a continuous loop

Therefore blood pressure is a result of two sets of forces, the force of heart and resistance of blood vessel.

Hypertension is the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which include stroke, coronary artery diseases, heart failure. Ageing is the main risk factor for developing hypertension. The prevalence of disease increase with age and higher rate in men than women.

The goal of hypertension treatment is to prevent death and complications by maintaining blood pressure level at a normal range. Lifestyle modification the first-line intervention for hypertension. A number of predisposing factors like insulin resistance, smoking, alcohol, high salt iintakingyle, stress, low potassium intake cause hypertension.

Normal Bp is maintained by a balance between cardiac output and peripheral vascular resistance. Pathophysiology of hypertension is categorised into cardiac output, peripheral vascular resistance, renin-angiotensin system and other factors. Baroreceptors are involved in the sympathetic nervous system. These are responsible for regulating blood pressure. when blood pressure falls baroreceptor send impulses to cardiovascular centres. Then they produce reflex response decreasing parasympathetic and increasing sympathetic output. This cause vasoconstriction and cardiac output and rise in bp. In the renin-angiotensin system, when arterial blood pressure reduced, the kidney releases an enzyme called renin. This enzyme converts aangiotensin1 to 2 and produce vasoconstriction, as a result, blood pressure is increased.

Most commonly prescribed antihypertensive drugs are diuretics, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers alpha-blockers, angiotensin receptor blockers, vasodilators. These class of drugs helps to control hypertension which helps in the reduction of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.