Note: Homeopathic Treatment requires strict individualization. Please do not take any medicine without consulting your physician/homeopath.
A blood pressure of 140/90 or higher is considered high blood pressure.
Both numbers are important. If one or both numbers are usually high,
you have high blood pressure. If you are being treated for high
blood pressure, you still have high blood pressure even if you have
repeated readings in the normal range.
There are two levels of high blood pressure: Stage 1 and Stage
2 (see the chart below).
| Category |
Systolic
(Top number) |
Diastolic
(Bottom
number) |
| Normal |
Less than 120 |
Less than 80 |
| Prehypertension |
120-139 |
80-89 |
|
|
|
| High Blood Pressure |
Systolic |
Diastolic |
| Stage 1 |
140-159 |
90-99 |
| Stage 2 |
160 or higher |
100 or
higher |
Hypertension / High Blood Pressure - CAUSE
Hypertension occurs when arterioles, small blood vessels that branch
off from the arteries, become constricted making it difficult for
blood to pass through them. As a result, blood pressure rises causing
your heart to work harder. If your blood pressure at rest stays
at 140/90 or more, you may have hypertension.
Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood pumped by the
heart, and the size and condition of the arteries. Many other factors
can affect blood pressure, including volume of water in the body;
salt content of the body; condition of the kidneys, nervous system,
or blood vessels; and levels of various hormones in the body.
"Essential" hypertension has no identifiable cause. It
may have genetic factors and environmental factors, such as salt
intake or others. Essential hypertension comprises over 95% of all
high blood pressure.
"Secondary" hypertension is high blood pressure caused
by another disorder. This may include:
adrenal gland tumors
Cushing's syndrome
kidney disorders
glomerulonephritis (inflammation of kidneys)
renal vascular obstruction or narrowing
renal failure
use of medications, drugs, or other chemicals
oral contraceptives
hemolytic-uremic syndrome
Henoch-Schonlein purpura
periarteritis nodosa
radiation enteritis
retroperitoneal fibrosis
Wilms' tumor
other disorders
Hypertension
/ High Blood Pressure - SIGNS
AND SYMPTOMS
Usually, no symptoms are present. Occasionally, you may experience
a mild headache. If your headache is severe, or if you experience
any of the symptoms below, you must be seen by a doctor right away.
These may be a sign of dangerously high blood pressure (called malignant
hypertension) or a complication from high blood pressure.
- tiredness
- confusion
- vision changes
- angina-like chest pain (crushing chest pain)
- heart failure
- blood in urine
- nosebleed
- irregular heartbeat
- ear noise or buzzing
Hypertension
/ High Blood Pressure - HOMEOPATHIC
TREATMENT
Raised blood pressure is not a disease in itself. It is just a
sign of some underlying disorder. Homeopathy offers good prognosis
for cases of essential hypertension. The treatment is based upon
the cause and the totality of the case.
Hypertension
/ High Blood Pressure - CONVENTIONAL
TREATMENT
Medications may include diuretics, beta-blockers, calcium channel
blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin
receptor blockers (ARBs), or alpha blockers. Medications such as
hydralazine, minoxidil, diazoxide, or nitroprusside may be required
if the blood pressure is very high.
Hypertension
/ High Blood Pressure - WHAT
ELSE CAN I DO?
Lifestyle changes may help control high blood pressure:
Lose weight if you are overweight. Excess weight adds to strain
on the heart. In some cases, weight loss may be the only treatment
needed.
Exercise to help your heart.
Adjust your diet as needed. Decrease fat and sodium -- salt, MSG,
and baking soda all contain sodium. Increase fruits, vegetables,
and fiber.
REFERENCE WORKS
Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed, McGraw-Hill
Davidson's Principles and Practise of Medicine, 17th ed, 1996,
Churchill Livingstone
New Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory, William
Boericke, 2nd revised ed., 2001, B. Jain |
