Where healing comes from the heart

Hypertension Services

If you have had trouble keeping your high blood pressure in check, the Taj Pharma Prevention Center can help.

The center also offers expert care for patients with secondary hypertension. This is high blood pressure caused by another medical condition, such as the following:

? Diabetes

? Kidney disease

? Thyroid disease

? Obesity

? Sleep apnea

White coat syndrome is another specialty of the center. If you have white coat syndrome, also known as white coat hypertension, your blood pressure readings are only high when you visit your doctor?s office. For these patients and others who may benefit, the center offers ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Hypertension, also known as high or raised blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure. Blood is carried from the heart to all parts of the body in the vessels. Each time the heart beats, it pumps blood into the vessels. Blood pressure is created by the force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels (arteries) as it is pumped by the heart. The higher the pressure in blood vessels the harder the heart has to work in order to pump blood. If left uncontrolled, hypertension can lead to a heart attack, an enlargement of the heart and eventually heart failure. Blood vessels may develop bulges (aneurysms) and weak spots due to high pressure, making them more likely to clog and burst. The pressure in the blood vessels can also cause blood to leak out into the brain. This can cause a stroke. Hypertension can also lead to kidney failure, blindness, rupture of blood vessels and cognitive impairment.

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and is recorded as two numbers usually written one above the other. The upper number is the systolic blood pressure – the highest pressure in blood vessels when the heart contracts, or beats. The lower number is the diastolic blood pressure – the lowest pressure in blood vessels when the heart muscle relaxes. Normal adult blood pressure is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 120 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure of 80 mm Hg.

Hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure equal to or above 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure equal to or above 90 mm Hg.

More than 1 in 5 adults worldwide have 0 ? a condition that causes around half of all deaths from stroke and heart disease. Complications from hypertension account for 9.4 million deaths worldwide every year.

In nearly all high-income countries, widespread diagnosis and treatment with low-cost medication have led to a significant drop in the proportion of people with raised blood pressure as well as the average blood pressure across populations. This has contributed to a reduction in deaths from heart disease. For example, the prevalence of raised blood pressure in the WHO region of the Americas in 2014 was 18%, as compared to 31% in 1980.

In contrast, low-income countries have the highest prevalence of raised blood pressure. In the WHO African region, more than 30% of adults in many countries are estimated to have high blood pressure. This proportion is increasing and the average blood pressure levels in this region are much higher than global averages.

Many people with high blood pressure in developing countries are not aware of their disease. Those who are diagnosed may not have access to treatment and may not be able to successfully control their illness over the long term. It contributes to the burden of heart disease, stroke and kidney failure and premature mortality and disability.

RISK FACTORS FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

There are several risk factors for high blood pressure. Some can be controlled through lifestyle changes and diet.

? a family history of high blood pressure

? aging

? African American race

? sodium (salt) intake

? excessive alcohol consumption

? low intake of potassium, magnesium and calcium

? obesity

? physical inactivity

People who have high blood pressure along with any of the following risk factors are at increased risk of developing complications, such as heart disease, heart attack, abnormal heartbeat, stroke, kidney failure, and eye damage (retinopathy):

? cigarette smoking

? high LDL (bad) cholesterol or low HDL (good) cholesterol

? diabetes

? a history of early coronary artery disease in a parent or sibling (before age 45 for men or age 55 for women)

? obesity

? lack of exercise

? enlarged lower left heart chamber (left ventricle)