ALTHOUGH a lot of people suffer from high blood pressure or hypertension, no single cause is known for the condition.
TRUST GUMISAI MARANDURE
It would appear that there are different types of hypertension, some of which are related to chronic diseases while other causes are potentially reversible.
Salt ingestion is one of the major known causes of high blood pressure.
If too much salt is used in food, the pulse hardens. The average person consumes between six-10 grammes of salt a day while some can even have between 18-20 grammes of salt a day. Incidences of high blood pressure are increased in proportion to the sodium quantity in one’s diet.
Sodium chloride or table salt is hidden in many foods. A lot of salt is sprinkled on food yet another portion exists in the salty types of foods, such as potato crisps, salted nuts and other snack foods.
Prepared foods usually have the ingredients listed on the label in order of their proportion. Salt is also supplied in other forms of dietary sodium in substances such as baking soda, monosodium glutamate and other food additives.
The elimination of all added salt at the table and excessively salty foods can easily bring the sodium intake to around two grammes per day.
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Further regulation by the curtailing of milk and milk products and instead consuming vegetables such as celery, beets and leafy greens together with the use of salt-free breads and cereals can lower the sodium intake to just one gramme per day.
Occasionally, even a stricter regulation of salt intake is necessary to prevent fluid retention or lower the blood pressure. Fruits and most vegetables are very low in sodium.
More and more dietic foods also supply the needs for convenience in packaging without the danger of hidden sodium content.
Symptoms of high blood pressure/hypertension:
The symptoms of hypertension are variable. Some patients with high blood pressure have no symptoms at all. In fact, a good number of cases of high blood pressure are currently undetected.
Other symptoms such as headaches, nose bleeding, visual disturbance and signs of heart failure or kidney diseases may be seen in conjunction with high blood pressure.
Measurement of blood pressure is simple and has become more convenient with nearly all pharmacies stocking blood pressure cuffs for home use, together with detailed instructions on how to use the equipment.
Certain less common types of hypertension are surgically curable.
Tumours of the adrenal gland, such as the adrenalin producing pheochromocytoma and cortisone producing adenomas can cause hypertension, among other symptoms.
Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumour that usually starts in the cells of one of your adrenal glands and often causes it to make too many hormones.
This can lead to high blood pressure and cause symptoms such as headaches, sweating, pounding of the heart and being shaky.
A third type of adrenal tumour produces the hormone aldosterone, which increases the sodium retention, thereby elevating the blood pressure.
Chronic disease of the kidneys due to infection, nephritis or congenital cysts can cause hypertension. Arteriosclerosis, which narrows the arteries to one or both kidneys, can also trigger a hormonal cycle that results in high blood pressure.
Specialised tests are needed to diagnose these “curable” causes, but all of these together comprise only 5% of the total hypertensive patients.
In addition to a salt restricted diet, the individual with hypertension needs to learn how to manage stress.
The emotions are profoundly related to the incidence of hypertension and these tendencies are aggravated by excessive noise, a hurried schedule, lack of sleep and lack of exercise.
