What precisely is high blood pressure (hypertension) and why isn't there worldwide agreement among the medical industry of for the best treatment? Find out more about the hazards of hypertension and the conventional prescribed medicines for hypertension now.
The pressure is measured by measuring the force of your blood pushing against the walls of the arteries every time your heart beats. The pressure is highest every time the heart beats, pumping blood into the arteries. This is named systolic pressure, and is the big number in your reading. The diastolic pressure measures the pressure between beats, when your heart is at rest. Normal pressure is 120/80. If your systolic pressure rises to 140 or above, or if your diastolic pressure rises to ninety or above, this is regarded hypertension.
Ranges are as follows:
1. Hypotension (Low) less than 90/ less than 60
2. Normal 90 - 119/ 60 - 79
3. Pre-Hypertension (Mild) 120 - 139/80 - 89
4. Stage 1 Hypertension (Moderate) 140 - 159/90 - 99
5. Stage 2 Hypertension (Severe) more than 160/more than100
It is estimated that 1 in 3 U.S. adults have hypertension. The worrying fact is 33% of those people do not even know they've got it. It's not surprising this condition has always been called 'the silent killer'. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attack, cardiac arrest and kidney failure. And when it exists with obesity, smoking, high cholesterol or diabetes, the chance of coronary or stroke increases many times.
Though hypertension can happen in both kids and adults, it is most typical in those over age 35, and is most common in African American people, middle aged and aged folks, fat folks, heavy drinkers and women taking birth control tablets. Although many of us get hypertension as they age, it isn't part of the aging process!
In more than 90% of people with hypertension there is no direct physical cause and no apparent disorder or disease process that can account for the condition and conventional doctors will tell you the cause is unknown. This is what the doctors call essential or primary hypertension.
5 Classes of Drugs
Conventional medical practitioners normally use 5 classes of drugs for treating elevated blood pressure.
1. Diuretics (water tablets) work in the kidney to dispose of excess water and sodium.
2. Beta-Blockers reduce nerve impulses to the heart and arteries to cause the heart to beat slower and with less force.
3. Angiotensin Changing Enzyme ( ACE ) Inhibitors forestall the formation of a hormone called angiotensin II, which would otherwise cause vessels to narrow.
4. Angiotensin Receptor Blockers ( ARB ) block the action of angiotensin II.
5. Calcium Channel Blockers forestall calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart and arteries, causing veins to relax.
Side Effects
Each and every one of the drugs noted above have some undesirable side effects which include symptoms such as:
* headaches, coughing, light-headedness
* cause diabetes
* sleepiness, weakness
* allergic responses and rash
* kidney failure, raised blood potassium levels
* a drop off in white blood cells,
* aberrant taste (metallic or salted taste)
* swelling of tissues (angioedema)
The Better Alternative
The good news is that essential or primary hypertension can be treated very effectively with natural therapies, particularly lifestyle, dietary, environment and emotional modifications.
More than 80% of people can be successful with reducing blood pressure very effectively with non-drug therapies. Countless studies have shown that natural alternatives are far superior in all respects to standard drug treatment in cases of borderline-to-moderate hypertension.
Author Resource:-
Joe McArthur is an alternative health investigative journalist and brings you the latest information about blood pressure ranges and reducing blood pressure. Visit www.reducingbloodpressurenow.com
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