High blood pressure (hypertension) is indeed a silent killer. In a significaare no symptoms until you end up with a stroke, heart attack, eye disent number of cases there ase which may lead to blindness, or even chronic kidney disease leading to dialysis. Know the Critical Facts. Do you know what your blood pressure is or even what your creatinine is? High blood pressure can be present for years without any signs or symptoms.
What is Normal Blood pressure?
Normal blood pressure is considered less than 130/80. The top number is referred to as the systolic pressure (when the heart pumps) and the bottom number is referred to as the diastolic pressure (when the heart relaxes). Regardless of which number is elevated, each carries the same risk for bad outcomes.
Who is at risk for High Blood Pressure?
There are several major risk factors: Being obese or over your ideal body weight; high stress lifestyle; eating a diet high in sodium or salt, a lifestyle which lacks exercise, chronic (ongoing) kidney disease, and a family history of high blood pressure.
Bad Effects of High Blood Pressure
1. Damage to the retina (back of the eyeball) which can lead to decreased vision or even blindness.
2. Stroke
Stroke may result from damage to blood vessels in the brain. These blood vessels can burst and cause death.
3. Kidney damage leading to chronic kidney disease
Chronic kidney disease can lead to such a significant loss of kidney function (ESRD or End Stage Renal Disease) that one may need dialysis. High blood pressure is the number two reason why patients require dialysis in the United States. Diabetes is the number one cause. Early signs of kidney damage may be manifested as a small amount of protein in the urine or slight elevation of the blood level of creatinine. The creatinine level in the blood is a major way by which we measure the kidney function. The higher the level the worse the function. The kidney function (sometimes referred to as the GFR) can be calculated using an individual’s age, sex, race and weight. Another sign may be blood in the urine (hematuria).
4. Enlarged heart
If blood pressure remains uncontrolled, the heart has to pump against these high pressures and become enlarged. The heart can be become so enlarged that this ballooning process may become irreversible. Heart failure may result. There is a high death (mortality) rate amongst people with heart failure.
5. Aneurysms
An aneurysm is a ballooning or bulge in a blood vessel (an artery). An aneurysm can burst and can cause death or stroke. These aneurysms can be in the brain, abdomen, chest, and other parts of the body.
Symptoms
Although in a significant number of cases there are no symptoms, here are some which some persons might experience: headache, hearing or feeling your pulse in your head, feeling tired, nausea, dizziness, chest pain or even tightness, and poor exercise tolerance.
Free Radical Production
High blood pressure (just like diabetes and obesity) can cause increased production of free radicals. Free radicals are damaging particles produced in your body by or as a result of certain disease states. Taking antioxidants (neutralizers of free radicals) can place the body in a better position to fight disease states and strengthen the immune system.
Orville Campbell, MD is an internist and nephrologist. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. His expertise include: health and wellness, hypertension, diabetes, vitamin D, and kidney diseases. He trained at Emory University.http://www.ClaimWellness.com[http://TheKidneyCareGroup.com]Take Tunguska Blast: Rich in 10 plant adaptogens.http://www.healthandwellnessmarketing.com/2.html
