In this article, we’ll discuss various types of hypertension, causes behind these issues, and a few preventive measures you can keep in mind to stay safe.
Hypertension is a common heart-health problem in which the force and pressure of blood against the walls of the arteries are too high. It is commonly called ‘High Blood Pressure‘. The blood pressure levels are high when they are above 140/90. The problem becomes grave when the levels are above 180/120. Although hypertension is preventable and manageable, it requires proper diagnosis and medication before it leads to other health conditions.
Hypertension does not show a lot of symptoms in the short-term. It may take years for the symptoms to become externally visible as the problem gradually intensifies.
Several daily habits or an unhealthy diet can contribute towards the thinning of the blood vessels, causing blood pressure to drastically increase, and eventually hypertension.
Some of the causes include:
Also known as ‘essential’ hypertension, most adults who suffer from high blood pressure fall under this category. This type of hypertension does not have a secondary cause.
Genetic factors are generally the cause of essential hypertension. However, genetics don’t guarantee that the person will have high blood pressure. But a person with a genetic history who leads an unhealthy and stressful life has very high chances of suffering from primary hypertension.
There are no symptoms of primary hypertension. It is usually detected during regular health checkups. It is a condition that can occur at any stage, but middle-aged adults are more prone to suffer from it.
Secondary Hypertension or Secondary High Blood Pressure is caused by a secondary disease. The root cause is not genetic but based on other health conditions that a person might be suffering from.
Like primary hypertension, there are no specific symptoms of secondary hypertension until the blood pressure levels are fatally high.
When blood pressure levels are so high that they are too difficult to control and require constant medication, is known as Resistant Hypertension.
As the name suggests, it is resistant because the blood sugar stays above the treatment target, despite taking proper medication. It can be called a sub-type of secondary hypertension because there is an underlying cause for this condition.
Malignant Hypertension is an emergency condition in which high blood pressure causes damage to other organs of the body. It is the most severe type of hypertension and is prominent in African nations. Seeking immediate medical help is necessary to treat this condition.
When the systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels are above 140mm Hg and 90 mm Hg respectively, a person would be labeled as a patient of Isolated Systolic Hypertension. It usually occurs in elderly people above the age of sixty.
Hypertension is treatable and can even be prevented easily. If the symptoms are too acute, there is a need for proper diagnosis and medication. It is a chronic disease that affects a huge number of people across all age groups.
The most dangerous thing about hypertension is that most people don’t realize that they have it until it’s too late, which is why it is called a ‘silent killer’. If the underlying condition that might be causing a spike in blood pressure levels is known, it can be treated with proper medication and consequently, the blood pressure levels will fall to the healthy levels.
