Pathophysiology
of Hypertension
Understanding
the pathophysiology of hypertension is essential especially if you
suffer from it. Hypertension is a term that we all have heard of late,
since
incidents of it occurring in the populace are on the increase.
To put it into as
simple terms as possible, a person's blood pressure is the measurement
of the pressure exerted by the blood flowing inside the
main arteries of the body. There are definite
warning signs that we need to be aware of, but let's first take a look
at some of the basics surrounding the illness. It is most often
expressed as a number like
113/66. This number depends on the pumping force of the heart needed to
move the volume of blood in the arterial system and on the elasticity
of the blood vessels.
In this example, the upper
number (called the systolic pressure) is mostly the result of the
contraction of the muscle of the heart and is the upper number
recorded. In the pathophysiology of hypertension the lower number,
called the diastolic pressure, is what is
recorded during the relaxation of the ventricles between beats of the
heart and is a reflection of the resistance of all of the small
arteries in the body and the load that the heart must work against to
push blood.
A
blood
pressure cuff (called a sphygmomanometer by
health care professionals) measures the resultant pressure, and that
set of nu
mbers is expressed as millimeters of mercury
(mmHg). This
should not be confused with the pulse which is the pressure
wave that
is transmitted through the arteries with each heartbeat and is easily
felt at certain pulse points around the body like the wrists,
ankles and neck. An individual's blood pressure varies with age and
among people, but a young adult who is healthy has an average blood
pressure reading, when at rest, that averages around 120/80 (that is a
pressure of 120 mmHg systolic and 80 mmHg diastolic).
An
elevation in the blood pressure is known as hypertension
(hyper
for over or increased and tension
meaning pressure). Experts have deduced that a rise in the
diastolic pressure is frequently a more certain indicator that a person
is suffering from hypertension than a rise in the systolic pressure is.
The bottom number is more sensitive to changes in body position and an
individual's emotional mood.
The pathophysiology of hypertension
indicates that it has a number of causes, the most important ones being
factors like:
kidney
disease, familial or genetic
predisposition,
blockage and
loss in elasticity of the arteries due to plaque buildup
(a rough, sticky coating of cholesterol deposited into the walls of the
arteries). That leads to a narrowing and loss of elasticity in the
veins and arteries, raising the pressure needed to circulate the blood,
and to a certain extent, stresses caused by unresolved mental distress.
An abnormal hypertension frequently comes piggybacked with arterial
disease, an increased chance of having a stroke, heart attack and heart
failure.
If you are told that you suffer from hypertension, it
is best that you seek the treatment of your healthcare professional
immediately. There are several medications and treatments that can
be employed in treating the different factors leading up to the
condition. Knowing the particular details of your case such as
lifestyle issues, family predisposition, etc., will help your doctor
design a program that will custom fit your individual needs.
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