Valley Voice Newspaper

Tulare County - More than 50 million Americans have elevated blood pressure – systolic (top) blood pressure greater or equal to 140, or diastolic (bottom) blood pressure greater or equal to 90. Of these, 70% are aware of their diagnosis, but only half are receiving treatment and only 25% are under control using a threshold criterion of 140/90.

Hypertension increases with age and is more common in blacks than whites. Blood pressure is the measure of the pressure in the arteries, the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to all of the cells and tissues of the body. High blood pressure increases the risk of coronary artery disease and stroke. Even though the death rates for stroke and coronary heart disease, two of the major complications of hypertension, have declined by up to 60% over the past three decades and have recently leveled off; the incidents of end stage kidney disease and heart failure continue to rise.

Blood pressure increases temporarily with exercise and with stress or excitement. However, in hypertension, it is elevated even at rest. Since emotions and other variables can affect your blood pressure, it should be checked on several different occasions before it is determined to be hypertension. For most people, the cause of HTN is not known. However, in other cases it may be associated with diabetes, disorders of the kidneys, thyroid or adrenal glands. Risk for HTN increases in individuals with a family history of HTN, heart attack, stroke or kidney disease. Individuals who use birth control pills, steroids or excessively use stimulants (caffeine, amphetamines) or certain appetite stimulants are also at risk. Furthermore, hypertension is more prevalent in individuals who are obese, have a sedentary lifestyle, partake of a diet high in salt and saturated fats, are older, smoke, take excessive alcohol or are under stress.

Hypertension is often called the “silent killer” because most individuals have no symptoms, and symptoms often do not appear until the late stages of the disease. In cases when blood pressure is extremely high, it can cause headaches, shortness of breath, drowsiness or confusion, chest pain, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, and a bloody cough. If any of these symptoms occur, seek immediate medical assistance. Treatment cannot cure hypertension, but it can control it. If diagnosed and treated early, many of the complications can be avoided. Lastly, if any of the above risk factors apply to you, I highly recommend that you seek medical attention from your doctor and check for hypertension.

Francis Cunanan, M.D., is a board certified family physician with the Family Health Care Network in Porterville.

The above story is the property of The Valley Voice Newspaper and may not be reprinted without explicit permission in writing from the publisher.