What is hypertension?
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition in which blood pressure increases high enough in the arteries. High blood pressure is written as two numbers, systolic pressure slashes diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure is the number obtained when the heart contracts, while diastolic pressure is the number obtained when the heart relaxes.
For example, the number 120/80 mmHg (one hundred and twenty over eighty) consists of 120 mmHg systolic pressure and 80 mmHg is the diastolic pressure. A person is said to have high blood pressure if in a sitting position the systolic pressure reaches 140 mmHg or more, also if the diastolic pressure reaches 90 mmHg or more, or both. The following is a classification of blood pressure in adults:
- Normal : systolic below 120 mmHg / diastolic below 80 mmHg
- Prehypertension : systolic 120-139 mmHg / diastolic 80-89 mmHg
- Stage 1 hypertension : systolic 140-159 mmHg / diastolic 90-99 mmHg
- Stage 2 hypertension : systolic 160mmHg and above / diastolic 100mmHg and above
- Hypertensive crisis (needs immediate treatment) : systolic 180 mmHg and above / diastolic 110 mmHg and above
Causes of hypertension
There are two kinds of hypertension, namely primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. Both have different causes.
- Primary hypertension
Several factors are thought to cause primary hypertension, including: gene mutations or genetic disorders that are passed down in families, physical changes and body functions with age, as well as environmental factors and unhealthy lifestyles.
- Secondary hypertension
Secondary hypertension can occur quickly and cause more severe effects than primary hypertension. Causes of secondary hypertension are kidney disease, alcoholism, sleep apnea , certain endocrine tumors, and drug side effects.
Symptoms of hypertension
Often, hypertension or high blood pressure does not cause symptoms, so hypertension is also known as the silent killer , because it can cause sudden death. However, people who have very high blood pressure can experience the following symptoms:
- Headache
- Chest pain and difficulty breathing
- Irregular heartbeat
- Often feeling tired or confused
- Often feel pounding in the chest, neck or ear area
Complications due to hypertension
Long-term hypertension can lead to complications through atherosclerosis where plaque develops on the walls of blood vessels and results in narrowing of the arteries. When constricted, the heart has to pump harder to circulate blood throughout the body which can cause a heart attack. In addition, hypertension is also known as a cause of stroke , kidney failure, and eye problems. Many patients do not take medication regularly for fear of drug side effects or take medication regularly but their blood pressure is not well controlled. Blood pressure targets differ according to age and co-morbidities, so it is best to discuss with your doctor how good blood pressure targets per individual patient are.
How to prevent and treat hypertension
For the treatment of patients with high blood pressure, patients are required to take blood pressure-lowering drugs according to doctor's recommendations on a regular basis because primary hypertension cannot be cured, it can only be controlled with medication and if it is stopped there will be an increase in blood pressure again within days to months. As an early prevention of hypertension or high blood pressure, start adopting a healthy lifestyle, such as:
- Eat healthy food with balanced nutrition
- Get enough exercise and rest
- Maintain weight
- Stop smoking habit
- Reduce consumption of drinks containing caffeine
- Reducing salt consumption
- Manage stress
Hypertension or high blood pressure is often not realized by sufferers. That is why checking blood pressure to the doctor is very important as a preventive measure. Adults over 40 years of age are advised to check their blood pressure once a year because blood pressure can change from time to time and should be done in the morning after waking up and at night before going to bed to ensure good blood pressure throughout the day. #LiveExcellently
This article was reviewed by dr. Mirna Nurasri Praptini, Sp.PD (Internal Medicine Specialist at EMC Tangerang Hospital), Member of the Indonesian Nephrology Association, Member of the International Society of Nephrology, Fellow of Nephrology.