Hypertension, for which high blood pressure is a common symptom, is a risk to life as it increases the chances of heart attacks, strokes, and also death. It is caused by the pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of the blood vessels; extremely high pressure affects the body and causes hypertension symptoms to occur.
The American Heart Association categorizes blood pressure in different stages:
- Normal blood pressure
- Prehypertension
- Hypertension stage 1
- Hypertension stage 2
- Hypertension crisis
In case a person is at the crisis stage, hypertension symptoms become critical and need immediate treatment. When hypertension is not caused by any other conditions or diseases, then it is considered to be primary hypertension; when other conditions lead to hypertension, it is referred to as secondary hypertension.
Types
Primary hypertension symptoms can be noticed because of factors like blood plasma volume or activities of hormones, which can lead to high blood pressure. Factors like lack of exercise and stress can also be causes of hypertension.
Secondary hypertension can result from diabetes, kidney diseases, and cancer in the adrenal gland, hyperthyroidism, pregnancy, and obesity, etc. Other common causes can be excessive alcohol intake or hormonal therapies.
Treatment
Choosing a healthy lifestyle and following a nutritious diet plan can reduce high blood pressure or hypertension effectively and also alleviate hypertension symptoms. The following are some of how hypertension symptoms can be controlled:
- Reduce alcohol consumption: Excessive alcohol intake can cause hypertension symptoms to occur; hence, the quantity of alcohol consumption must be reduced to at most two drinks a day for men and one for women.
- Follow a healthy diet plan: The food you have daily must include more fruits and green vegetables with low levels of unsaturated oils to reduce the content of fats in the blood that put pressure on the blood vessels. The intake of fats and carbohydrates should be reduced in the diet plan as well.
- Engage in regular exercise: Doctors suggest this remedy to every patient. To be healthy and to keep yourself away from diseases, make sure you take some time out of your busy schedule and exercise daily.