![]() Hypertension puts a huge strain on the heart, damages blood vessels in the brain and kidneys, and increases the risk of plaque rupture and blood clot formation. 6 Sometimes very high blood pressure can cause neurological symptoms such as blurred vision, headache, dizziness, ringing of the ears, and nosebleeds. Hypertension is usually asymptomatic, leading to its denotation as a “silent killer” and can be elevated for years without discovery unless the person regularly assesses it. 4, 5 Other factors may include oxidative stress, which causes inflammation in the blood vessels, resulting in endothelial dysfunction and autoimmune activation. 4 Triggers for hypertension include the Standard American Diet, which is high in unhealthy fats, sugar, salt, and processed foods obesity, sedentary lifestyle, alcoholism, stress/sympathetic nervous system dominance, overuse of stimulants, hypothyroidism, smoking, hyperinsulinemia, medications such as hormones, steroids, and NSAIDS nutrient imbalance (high sodium, low potassium and magnesium), food allergies, and sodium sensitivity. 4 Essential hypertension is a disease associated with a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Primary or essential hypertension is most responsive to diet and lifestyle changes, and makes up 90% of cases. Specialized baroreceptors (pressure receptors) in the carotid arteries and aorta monitor levels of pressure against them, and can decrease heart rate and cause the relaxation of the blood vessels, or vasodilation, by inhibiting the SNS in an attempt to lower blood pressure if it is too high, or increase heart rate if the pressure is too low.Īll of these regulatory systems can fail or become unbalanced by a number of factors, many of which are modifiable by lifestyle and diet changes. They also stimulate aldosterone secretion from the adrenal glands, which leads to renal fluid retention and increased blood volume. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) stimulates release of chemicals like norepinephrine and epinephrine that act as vasoconstrictors and make the blood vessels smaller in diameter by attaching to alpha and beta receptors in the heart and blood vessels to increase heart rate and blood pressure in fight or flight situations, shunting blood to vital organs. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for homeostatic regulation of vital organ functions and is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Additionally, variations in resistance in the blood vessels as determined by factors such as how wide or narrow the blood vessels are, how viscous (thick) the blood is, and alterations to the length of blood vessels (as is seen in weight gain) can also impact blood pressure. Changes to the volume of blood pumped by the heart with each contraction (known as cardiac output) can be impacted by factors such as heart rate and stroke volume (the volume of blood pumped from the left ventricle per beat). Several factors assist in regulating this process. Luckily, the body is designed to control its own blood pressure based on the body’s needs through a process called homeostasis. Below is chart from the American Heart Association explaining how blood pressure is categorized note differences for ethnic groups and genders. 2 Blood pressure is the measurement of the force of blood flow against arterial walls both when the heart is contracting (systolic blood pressure), and when the heart is at rest and refilling (diastolic blood pressure). 1 Often described as the “silent killer” due to its general lack of noticeable symptoms, hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, encephalopathy, and aneurysm. According to the Center for Disease Control, about 1 in every 3 American adults has hypertension and only roughly half have it under control. ![]() ![]() High blood pressure (hypertension) is a common diagnosis for many people, and is often seen in conjunction with heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and high cholesterol. ![]()
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