Homeopathy 

Hypertension

High blood pressure

Because of the hurried life we live these days, every complaint is neglected when it begins and people learn to live with it. People tolerate these complaints mostly due to difficulty in sparing time to go to consult a doctor or difficulty in getting appointments with doctors or sometimes due to simple ignorance. One of the complaints which has been often ignored is hypertension –high blood pressure (BP). It usually presents itself with occasional giddiness or imbalance in gait on exertion or unusual headache or sleeplessness or vague tiredness or leg pain or palpitations or frequent urination. Since these complaints are not supposed to be persistent, people neglect them. This negligence may lead one to myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure, stroke (paralysis), renal failure, etc. So one needs to be more cautious about giddiness.

The competitive world creates lots of tension. Some people react to tension with anger and some others submerge the feeling. People who have frequent outbursts and are irritable usually suffer from high BP. They need to go for regular check-ups to rule out if they are suffering from high BP. Also, since blood pressure can usually vary in a day with diurnal, physical, physiological and psychological changes, hypertension needs to be confirmed only after having the same high levels on 2 or 3 occasions.

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One needs to maintain normal blood pressure to have good health. Everyone should go for yearly blood pressure check-up after 30 years of age and half-yearly check-up after crossing 40 years of age and quarterly check- up after 50 years of age.

Hypertension may arise in a person at any time with or without any reasons. Sometimes it may be a familial treasure. As it can arise in anyone at any time and remain a silent killer, regular check-ups are absolutely necessary. Many think that hypertension is a disorder of the elderly and they would not suffer at a young age - actually it is not so. Also, some would say staying cool and suave characters who do not have any tension or do not react angrily to anything, they will not suffer from hypertension. Here also it cannot be taken as guaranteed. Further, even though males are the common victims, females can also develop hypertension. Females commonly suffer from hypertension during pregnancy or during menopausal period. Alcoholics, smokers and obese persons should be more cautious about hypertension since they are more prone to it.

Blood flow - The 5 litres of red blood (supposed to be the average in a normal 65 kg adult) are circulated in our body with the force (blood pressure) exerted by heart contractions (pump). In our circulatory system, arteries are the major blood vessels which carry and distribute oxygenated blood throughout the body with its branches arterioles and capillaries. Capillaries are the most permeable parts for transportation of nutrients and oxygen from blood to tissues. These capillaries, after diversification into tissues, tend to unite again to form venules. These venules unite further to form smaller veins which again unite to form large veins. Veins are blood vessels which collect and carry deoxygenated blood towards the heart for recharging with oxygen in the lungs. The force/blood pressure is responsible for supplying/transporting oxygen and nutrients, perfusion, etc.

Blood vessels which carry blood are elastic in nature, i.e. they are free to expand and shrink or they readily collapse due to the thin wall and flexible nature according to the flow or pressure of the blood. Contraction of the blood vessel is termed as vasoconstriction and dilatation of the blood vessels is called vasodilatation. Blood flow rate depends on pressure exerted by vessels (resistance), size and length of the blood vessel, flow direction with gravitational force, viscosity of the blood, etc. But the major factors which reflect pressure are ability of distention and capacitance of the blood vessels.

Blood pressure is the resistant force faced by the blood against the vessel wall (artery or vein). Doctors measure blood pressure with sphygmomanometer. The arterial pressure has the significant value than the venous pump (since it is only a back flow). Normally, the flow is guided by the heart systolic pump (contractions). The return of blood to heart is done with passive pump i.e. muscular pumps which compress veins with movements or exercises. Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). The pressure of flow in major artery is 120 mg of Hg during systole which drops slowly with distribution i.e. with small arteries (70), arterioles (40), capillaries (30), venules (15) and veins (0-15).

The measurement of blood pressure is a very simple technique, but it provides lots and lots of information about the heart, blood vessels and health status of the person. Blood pressure also usually varies according to age, sex, heart functions, density of the blood, etc. Blood pressure also gets altered with the requirement of oxygen for the body (exercise/exertion). BP also indicates the strain of the heart i.e. more the pressure, more strained is the heart. It is mainly controlled by higher functions of the brain in relation with pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands. The factors which usually trigger change in blood pressure are stress, strain, water balance, sweat, etc.

Blood pressure is required for blood to reach the brain or other parts of the body up to the tip of extremities from the base of heart. Also, it needs to travel against gravitation force to reach the brain. If there is no force, the blood circulation time will be prolonged and it cannot satisfy all the tissues with its oxygen supply or nutrients.

Normal blood pressure - The maximum pressure (systolic pressure) is attained at the end of contraction of the heart (systole). The minimum pressure (diastolic pressure) is attained at the end of dilatation or relaxation of the heart (diastole). Pulse pressure is the difference of these pressures. It is raised in elderly persons and diseased persons. Optimum BP (expected to be normal) is sketched as 120/80 mm Hg. But variation is widely accepted depending upon the age, sex, individual, work, sleep, medicines, etc. Pressure that exceeds 140/90 mmHg is considered as hypertension or high BP. The lowered pressure, below 100/70mmHg, is considered as low BP which is also called hypotension.

High blood pressure - is the pressure reading above 140/90mmHg. Usually, sporting or strong persons will have strong heart and stable low pressure than normal (120/80mmHg) i.e. it would be 110/70 (males) or 100/70mmHg (females) but not below that. This lower pressure usually reduces the risk of cardiac or heart problems. This stable pressure also indicates that the heart is well trained to withstand any exertion. If BP stands higher than the normal level for a prolonged time, then many organs can get damaged.

As untreated hypertension affects all organs/systems and can shorten one’s life, it is better to be aware of it, its causes and management.

(To be continued) - Hypertension:  Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

(Disclaimer: The contents of this column are for informational purpose only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of healthcare professional for any health problem or medical condition.)

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Published on Dec 11^th, 2006