High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is one of the leading causes of heart disease. The excess strain from high blood pressure is what causes coronary arteries to build up fat, cholesterol, and plaque. This buildup narrows the passage of blood through the arteries, causing blood to stop flowing to a part of your heart muscle. This blockage and lack of blood flow is what causes a heart attack.
In many cases, patients with hypertension, or high blood pressure, don’t know they have it. In fact, high blood pressure is a “silent killer” as it is mostly symptomless. The only way to monitor high blood pressure is through regular checkups. Regular checkups are even more important if you have a close relative with high blood pressure.
These are the most common signs and symptoms of extremely high blood pressure. If you have any of these symptoms, see your Banner health professional immediately:
The exact causes of high blood pressure are unknown, but in some cases high blood pressure can be a result of an underlying condition. There are two types of high blood pressure:
Most patients don’t have an identifiable cause of high blood pressure. Primary hypertension, sometimes referred to as essential hypertension, tends to develop gradually over time. Usually, the cause of essential hypertension is unknown.
Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure caused by an underlying condition. This type of hypertension appears suddenly and causes higher blood pressure than primary hypertension. There are several conditions and medications that can cause secondary hypertension, including:
High blood pressure can be treated with home remedies. These are some of the ways you can try managing your high blood pressure without medication:
In some cases, high blood pressure is treated with medications. Depending on your condition, your doctor may prescribe more than one type of medication to treat your condition.
Some common blood pressure medications include:
If you have high blood pressure, there are several lifestyle changes you can make to bring your numbers down. These lifestyle changes work in conjunction with your medication to help keep your numbers under control. If you’re not sure where to start, the experts at Banner Health can help find the right hypertension treatment for you.
Here are some ways to prevent and control high blood pressure: