Hypertension

HELP AT HOME:

Try these tips for dealing with chest pain Select another topic: Choose One ---------- Acne Alcoholism Anemia Anxiety Asthma Athlete's Foot Backaches Breast Cancer Bronchitis Burns Chest Pain Chlamydia Common Cold Cold Hands Constipation Corns Cough Cuts & Scrapes Dent. Abscess Depression Diarrhea Earache Eat. Disorder Eczema Endometriosis Eye Strain Eye Sty Fainting Fatigue Fever Fibroids Flatulence Flu Frostbite Genital Herpes Gonorrhea Gum Disease Hair Loss Hay Fever Headaches Hearing Loss Heartburn Hemorrhoids Hiccups Hives Incontinence Insect Stings Insomnia Jock Itch Laryngitis Lice Measles Menopause Menst. Cramps Nosebleeds Ovarian Cysts Pinkeye PMS Poison Ivy Prostate Rash Rash (Kids) Rep. Motion Seizures Shingles Shoulder/Neck Sinus Snoring Sore Throat Sports Injuries Sprains Stress Sunburn Syphilis Test. Cancer Tinnitus TMJ Tonsillitis Toothaches Toxic Shock UTI Varicose Veins Vomit/Nausea Yeast Infect.

DOCTOR Q & A:

Read what doctors have to say about heart attacks or ask your own question. Select another topic: Choose One ---------- Angina Arthritis Asthma Breast Cancer Carpal Tunnel Cerv. Cancer Cold Sores Common Cold Constipation Contraception Coronary Art. Depression Diabetes Diet/Nutrition Ectopic Preg. Elbow Endometriosis Eye GRD Heart Attack Hemorrhoids Hepatitis C Hernia Herpes H. Blood Press. HIV Infection Hypothyroid Hysterectomy Impotence Incontinence Irr. Menses Itch Knee Problems Lice Medications Menopause Miscarriage Narcolepsy Organ Trans. Pneumonia Poisons Pregnancy Prost. Cancer Psoriasis Rhm. Arthritis Smoking Snoring Sports Injuries Stomach Flu Strep Throat Supplements Thyroid Vaginal Infect. Viagra Weight Gain Weight Loss

WEB LINKS:

Visit other Web sites related to hypertension. Select another topic: Choose One ---------- ADHD AIDS Alzheimers Angina Asthma Back Pain Breast Cancer Bronchitis CFS Colon Cancer Common Cold Depression Diabetes Digestion Emphysema Flu Hay Fever Heart Disease Hodgkins Hypertension IBS Kidney Cancer Leukemia Liver Cancer Lung Cancer Lupus Lymphoma Measles Melanoma Menopause MS Osteoporosis Ovar. Cancer PMS Pregnancy Prost. Cancer Rectal Cancer SAD Schizophrenia Sickle Cell Sinusitis STDs Stroke Test. Cancer TMJ Toxic Shock Ulcers Uterine Cancer

COMMUNITY Create a profile for personalized information and support about CHOLESTEROL MANAGEMENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Get more in-depth information about: CHOLESTEROL HEART FAILURE SEARCH WEBMD Enter a topic:

The pressure of the blood in the arteries increases when the heart muscle pumps and decreases when the heart relaxes again. If this pressure is higher than normal, it means the heart is working too hard. The extra workload on the heart and arteries can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, eye damage and blood vessel injury. A blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg is considered high.

Certain factors increase the risk of high blood pressure. Among them are a family history of the condition, heavy alcohol consumption, lack of regular exercise and the use of birth control pills. In addition, those who are male, overweight, of African-American heritage or sensitive to salt are in a higher risk group.

Hypertension often does not have symptoms, but the most common are headaches, dizziness and lightheadedness; however, these indicators are often so mild that they are ignored. The only reliable way of diagnosing hypertension is with regular blood pressure measurements.

Treatment for mild hypertension:

• Limit salt intake to reduce the volume of fluid in the body.
• Lose weight.
• Exercise regularly.
• Limit alcohol intake to one to two drinks a day.
• Reduce stress by practicing relaxation techniques.

Treatment for moderate to severe hypertension:

• Practice lifestyle modifications recommended for mild hypertension.
• Follow a doctor-prescribed regimen of drug therapy.

• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Avoid excess salt.
• Exercise regularly.
• Monitor medications that may elevate blood pressure.
• Limit alcohol intake to one to two drinks a day.