15/12/2020
*High blood pressure* is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease.
*Blood pressure* is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure.
You can have high blood pressure (hypertension) for years without any symptoms. Even without symptoms, damage to blood vessels and your heart continues and can be detected. Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke.
High blood pressure generally develops over many years, and it affects nearly everyone eventually. Fortunately, high blood pressure can be easily detected.
*Primary hypertension*
Primary hypertension is also called essential hypertension. This kind of hypertension develops over time with no identifiable cause.
*Genes:* Some people are genetically predisposed to hypertension. This may be from gene mutations or genetic abnormalities inherited from your parents.
*Physical changes:* If something in your body changes, you may begin experiencing issues throughout your body. High blood pressure may be one of those issues. For example, it’s thought that changes in your kidney function due to aging may upset the body’s natural balance of salts and fluid. This change may cause your body’s blood pressure to increase.
*Environment:* Over time, unhealthy lifestyle choices like lack of physical activity and poor diet can take their toll on your body.
*Lifestyle choices* can lead to weight problems. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk for hypertension.
*kidney disease*
*obstructive sleep*
*apnea*
*congenital heart defects*
*problems with your thyroid*
*side effects of medications*
*use of illegal drugs
alcohol abuse or chronic use
adrenal gland*
*HOW HYPERTENSION THREATENS LIFE*
High blood pressure threatens your health and quality of life
In most cases, the damage done by high blood pressure (HBP, or hypertension) takes place over time. Left undetected (or uncontrolled), high blood pressure can lead to:
*Heart attack* — High blood pressure damages arteries that can become blocked and prevent blood flow to the heart muscle.
*Stroke* — High blood pressure can cause blood vessels in the brain to clog more easily or even burst.
*Heart failure* — The increased workload from high blood pressure can cause the heart to enlarge and fail to supply blood to the body.
*Kidney disease or failure*— High blood pressure can damage the arteries around the kidneys and interfere with their ability to filter blood effectively.
*Vision loss* — High blood pressure can strain or damage blood vessels in the eyes.
*Sexual dysfunction* — High blood pressure can lead to erectile dysfunction in men or lower libido in women.
*Angina* — Over time, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease or microvascular disease (MVD). Angina, or chest pain, is a common symptom.
*Peripheral artery disease* (PAD) — Atherosclerosis caused by high blood pressure can cause a narrowing of arteries in the legs, arms, stomach and head, causing pain or fatigue
