What is Hypertension

or High Blood Pressure?

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Hypertension, or High Blood Pressure, can be defined as the force that the blood exerts on the veins and arteries as it circulates around the body.

Blood pressure is controlled by a number of organs and body systems, including the heart, the blood vessels, the kidneys, the brain and the adrenal glands, as well as the complex interaction between the body systems.

We measure blood pressure by using two different numbers - systolic pressure (the top number) over diastolic pressure (the bottom number). Systolic pressure measures blood pressure as the heart contracts and pushes blood through the arteries. Diastolic pressure is taken when the heart relaxes.

A normal blood pressure is around 120/80 or lower. Blood pressure can vary from person to person and can fluctuate from moment to moment. One or two high readings does not necessarily mean that you have hypertension or high blood pressure.

If your blood pressure has measured 140/90 or higher on at least two separate occasions, your doctor should recommend a 24 hour BP (blood pressure) monitor, which will show whether your BP remains chronically high. This will help to measure whether you have hypertension or high blood pressure.

How do I know if I have hypertension or high blood pressure?

Hypertension is sometimes known as the Silent Killer, because it often has no symptoms at all.

Sometimes people with high blood pressure experience headaches, dizziness or a ringing sound in their ears, but these symptoms may also be due to other causes.

The best way to find out whether you have high blood pressure is to visit your doctor, homeopath, naturopath or other health care provider.

What causes hypertension or high blood pressure?

Although the causes are not always known, high blood pressure often runs in families which indicates a strong genetic component.

Risk factors for high blood pressure include smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity, a high salt intake, lack of exercise and stress - and a family history of hypertension and stroke.

Arteriosclerosis, or a thickening, hardening and narrowing of the walls of the arteries is also often associated with high blood pressure.

How is hypertension or high blood pressure usually treated?

It is very important to take steps to control high blood pressure. If it is left untreated, it can result in heart disease or even stroke.

The good news is that high blood pressure can be well controlled by combining a healthy lifestyle with the correct medical treatment.

This can include synthetic prescription medication, natural remedies or a combination of both. If you are already taking prescription blood pressure medication, it is important to consult your doctor before making any changes.

There are many different prescription drugs available for high blood. Each has a unique way of working and different drugs may work for better different people.

You may need to try a variety before you find the right drug or combination of drugs suitable for you.

Like many synthetic drugs, anti-hypertensive medication has a risk of causing side effects depending on the person as well as the type of drug being taken.

These can include, dizziness, nausea, stomach problems, fatigue, impotence, insomnia, loss of appetite and others. Always speak to your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.

There are many well known natural remedies for high blood pressure or hypertension.

Conventional medicines usually treat the symptoms of high blood pressure, but seldom address the underlying causes.

Naturopaths recognize that high blood pressure may be a sign or symptom of imbalance in the body. They believe in removing the causes of high blood pressure with a combination of lifestyle changes and natural remedies, rather than simply treating the symptoms.

Can a natural remedies really help?

There is a great deal of scientific evidence to suggest that the use of carefully chosen herbal remedies and dietary supplements can help to lower blood pressure, as well as to improve the overall functioning of the heart, arteries and the entire cardiovascular system.

What herbalists have known for centuries has now been clinically proven to be a potentially effective alternative to synthetic blood pressure medication, especially if combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise.