HYPERTENSION: THE "SILENT KILLER"

_" ... And just like that without warning, we lost my Dad."_ ___Anonymous

" _We knew she had hypertension but we didn't think it was anything serious, we thought her excessive worrying was the cause. We didn't know it could cause sudden death! How do people die in their sleep? It truly is a silent killer..."_ _____Anonymous

What is Hypertension?

According to WHO, at least 1 in 5 women you pass by in your lifetime has hypertension; and is at risk of heart failure or coronary heart disease.

Hypertension- (aka ```"the silent killer")``` is simply a condition where a person constantly experiences an abnormal increase in their blood pressure.

 Sidenote: Blood pressure is simply the force with which your heart pumps and circulates blood against the walls of your arteries.The normal blood pressure for the average adult is usually less than 120/80.

Hypertension is often diagnosed when your BP is over 140/90 on two different days. 

 Note: You should know that the two numbers in the fraction are tagged 'systole' and 'diastole'. 

 Good to know:

Systole and Diastole are the two phases of the cardiac cycle. Systole occurs when the heart contracts to pump blood out. While Diastole _occurs when the heart relaxes after contraction._ 

 Know your BP numbers.

The first number "120" is called "systole" and for systole you should note the following:

--119 or below: is considered normal.

--120-129: is considered elevated.

-- 130 and greater is high blood pressure or Hypertension. 

For Diastole (the number below):

-- 80 and below: is normal.

-- Slightly above 80 (80-85): is considered elevated.

-- 90 and above is: High blood pressure. 

Hard fact about Hypertension

One of the most dangerous facts about Hypertension (High blood pressure) is that you may not know you have it. In fact, nearly one-third of people who have it are not aware of their condition. This is because High blood pressure doesn't have any symptoms unless it is very severe.

The only way to know if your blood pressure is high is through regular checkups. You can also monitor blood pressure at home. This is especially important if you have a relative that has regular high readings for their blood pressure.

How does High Blood Pressure happen?

When your heart beats, it pumps blood through your arteries to reach your organs and other places where it is needed. During high blood pressure, the excessive pressure on the walls of your arteries, can damage blood vessels and body organs. 

The higher the blood pressure and longer it goes uncontrolled, the greater the damage. 

The pressure might cause some blood vessels to bulge, harden over time or thin out and the consequences of these can be devastating.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to:

A heart attack leading to cardiac arrest or stroke: this happens when arteries harden and thicken over time, causing less blood to be supplied to the heart (Ischaemia) or brain (stroke).

An aneurysm: this manifests when pressure causes one of your blood vessels (especially the ones in your brain) to weaken and bulge. When an aneurysm eventually bursts, the situation can be life threatening. 

Heart failure: When there is high blood pressure, your heart does extra work to try to compensate for the increase in pressure. This puts a strain on the walls of the pumping chambers of the heart and may lead to left ventricular hypertrophy. One can have heart failure for years but its manifestation is usually sudden and devastating. Eventually your heart cannot meet your body's needs and leads to heart failure. This will in turn cause your body to shut down as blood supply to other parts of the body will suddenly be hampered. 

Kidney failure: the actions of your kidneys (filtering blood) are based on pressure from your blood. HBP can cause the blood vessels in your kidneys to narrow and weaken and this can lead to kidney failure.

Eye problems: HBP can cause the blood vessels supplying your eyes to become narrow and lack of blood supply to any part of the body causes its death, hence, this can result in blindness.

Dementia and memory loss: increased pressure narrows or blocks blood vessels in the brain and this can cause a certain type of dementia called Vascular dementia. 

What are the risk factors of high BP:

1. Lifestyle habits: Some habits can make the "silent killer" welcome in your body. Some of them include; 

 High intake of Sodium: it's not just salt you have to worry about, it's sodium which is a crucial element of table salt. Common sources of dietary sodium include; Pastries, Bread, pizza, snacks like potato chips and yam. 

Malnutrition: low intake of fruits and vegetables.

Smoking or Vaping 

Lack of exercise

Low potassium intake

Stress

2. Age : Blood pressure tends to go higher as we grow older. This does not rule out the fact that youths can get it too. 

3. Gene: Hypertension runs in families. It is hereditary. Learn about your family history today.

4. Pregnancy: Pregnancy can increase a woman's blood pressure and chronic Hypertension in pregnancy can lead to preeclampsia, early birth and intrauterine growth restriction. It is therefore important to do regular B.P checks if you or your loved one is pregnant. 

Symptoms of Hypertension 

There are no known obvious symptoms of Hypertension even if blood pressure readings reach dangerously high levels. You can have HBP for years without any symptoms.

A few people with High blood pressure may have: 

Headaches

Shortness of breath

Nosebleeds

Fainting spells

However, these symptoms aren't specific to any individual and they usually don't occur until their blood pressure has reached a severe or life-threatening stage. 

High blood pressure is a predisposing factor to a lot of other diseases including: Stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, dementia, etc.

Treatment for Hypertension 

There is currently no permanent cure for Hypertension but it can be managed to prevent it from doing further harm to your body. Early detection is very important. So the best way to fight the "silent killer " is doing blood pressure regular checkups at home or with your Physician. 

Stay Hypertension free🍀🩸

BECOMING-WOMAN HEALTH FOUNDATION (BWHF)