Hypertension - A Silent Killer

by Jason Rickard

Hypertension in its simplest sense means 'high blood pressure'. Medical science calls this condition, 'arterial hypertension', but hidden beneath the apparent simplicity of the term is the face of a silent killer. This silent killer can invariably trigger a heart attack, stroke, arterial aneurysm, eye damage, or a complete renal failure out of the blue, and no one will have any hint or clue that something was boiling inside for a worst outcome. Hence it is important that hypertension be diagnosed and treated at the earliest, before things get out of hand.

The important question is how to find out if a person is suffering from arterial hypertension. The biggest roadblock in diagnosing hypertension is the virtual absence of any solid symptom as it may normally be called a characteristic of high blood pressure. In other words, a person, even if suffering from hypertension, may not show any apparent symptoms. Every thing will look normal and the person may be as cheerful and healthy as a child. It is only when something happens that one might take note of the developments. In some cases unfortunately, things might have gone to the anvil by then.

Of course that does not mean that all types of hypertension are without any symptoms. Severe cases of hypertension may be accompanied with headache, sleeplessness, dizziness, and in a worse case, coma. In such instances, diagnosis will be a lot easier and quick, but again timely treatment is very crucial.

On the basis of the causes leading to hypertension, this medical condition can be classified into primary hypertension - or essential hypertension - and secondary hypertension. The causes for primary hypertension are mostly unknown. And to make matters even more complex, it is such cases that are reported the most. On the other hand, secondary hypertension will have some definite underlying causes, which in most cases may be a medical issue such as alcohol abuse, endocrine tumors, hormonal problems or kidney disorders. Again, if the exact causes are known, hypertension can be treated and contained easily, but it will be more of a gamble in the other cases.

Treatments for Hypertension

The treatments for hypertension mostly include a mix of medication and a disciplined lifestyle. Here it must be noted that none of this will work if taken independently. Someone with hypertension needs to follow the prescriptions punctually meanwhile adopting a health lifestyle marked by a controlled diet and regular workout/physical exercise.

Finally, one must also realize that an existing issue of hypertension could be aggravated by activities like smoking, drinking, and medicines containing steroids. Therefore, take care to avoid such things as well from one's daily activities.

After all, remember the age old adage that health is wealth!

About the Author
Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs - Visit Hapa Health for more articles.

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