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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. Many homeopathic remedies
are successfully used to control hypertension.
Homeopathy treats the person
as a whole. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient
as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic
medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination
and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient,
physical and mental constitution etc.
Following homeopathic medicines
have been found effective in many cases of Hypertension:
Arnica montana affects the blood and vascular
system. Symptoms occur after any trauma or overuse. It is indicated
for hypertension with cardiac dropsy with dyspnoea, angina pectoris,
feeble and irregular pulse, cardiac asthma.
Aurum muriaticum is indicated for cardiac symptoms
of varied nature, arteriosclerosis, valvular lesions and hypertension.
It acts on palpitation and tachyarrhythmia.
Ignatia amara is useful in hypertensive patients
of sensitive excitable nature, and helps overcome grief and worry.
It is indicated for depression, nervousness, trembling, sleep disorders,
constrictive feeling in throat and chest.
Natrum muriaticum is a remedy often used by homoeopaths
to people with fluttering of the heart, with the weak faint feeling
worse by lying down. Heart pulsation shakes the body. Losing flesh
while living well.
Secale cornatum is indicated for hypertension
with congestive pain in head. It also helps to alleviate dyspnoea
and oppression of chest, and palpitation with intermittent pulse.
Nosebleed due to high blood pressure is also controlled.
Veratrum album is indicated for collapse, weakness
and extreme coldness. It covers cold extremities, cold sweat on
forehead, paleness, feeble pulse, and palpitation with anxiety and
rapid audible respiration.
Cactus grandiflorus acts on muscular fibres of
the heart and is indicated for high blood pressure with anxiety
due to heart affections, congestive headaches, constriction in the
chest, acute stabbing pains in the heart and weak heart. It is also
indicated for low blood pressure.
Crataegus oxyacantha is used for stage 2 and 3
hypertension and its symptoms like extreme dyspnoea and exhaustion
at the least exertion, angina pectoris, valvular murmurs, irregular
pulse, cyanosis, cold extremities and oedema.
Convallaria majalis increases the heart’s
action and renders it more regular. It is used when ventricles are
over distended or dilated and venous stasis is marked. It is indicated
for dyspnoea, dropsy, tobacco heart, orthopnoea, angina pectoris,
palpitation and tachyarrhythmia.
Coffea cruda is indicated for hypertension with
palpitation and suppression of urination. It acts on violent irregular
palpitations especially after sudden stress, intolerance of pain,
restlessness and sleeplessness.
Lobelia inflata is a vaso-motor stimulant and
helps to increase blood pressure. It increases the activity of all
vegetative processes. It is indicated for conditions with constriction
of the chest and epigastrium, leading to dyspnoea, vertigo, nausea
and vomiting, and arrhythmia.
Prunus spinosa is indicated for hypertension with
tachycardia, which is exacerbated with the slightest motion, dyspnoea,
feeling of oppression of the chest and angina pectoris. It has been
used to treat problems of urination and shooting headache.
Rauvolfia serpentina is an Indian medicine, used
for hypertension without atheromatous changes in the vessels in
the form of mother tincture.
Spartium scoparium is used as palliative to combat
arterial hypertension in large doses of mother tincture.
Valeriana officinalis is indicated for over-sensitiveness,
nervous affections, spasms and convulsive movements of the diaphragm.
Viscum album lowers the blood pressure. It has
a calming effect on palpitation and accelerated pulse. It also relieves
weight and oppression of heart and dyspnoea. It is used for cardiac
hypertrophy with valvular insufficiency.
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 - General Management
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
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