Although high blood pressure does not usually have a single cause there are some factors which can play an important role. Diet is one of these. High bloodHigh blood pressure is particularly common in people . … Read more
From research over the last 30 years it is evident that blood pressure-lowering drugs are effective in preventing strokes, heart failure and kidney failure due to high blood pressure. In the small proportion of patients with very high pressures and symptoms of headache, blurring of vision and breathlessness, treatment produces rapid relief of symptoms. However, … Read more
High blood pressure can be effectively treated. It is important, however for patients to be examined by a doctor before treatment is begun. On occasions, this may reveal a cause for high blood pressure or suggest special tests to find such a cause. More important it helps to detect any harmful results of high blood … Read more
It has been known for many years that people with untreated high blood pressures have a greater than normal risk of developing strokes, heart and kidney disease, with a consequent reduction in life expectancy. This was first observed by life assurance companies from follow-up studies of people who had their blood pressure measured during medical … Read more
Contrary to popular belief, most patients with high blood pressure have no symptoms. Occasionally patients have symptoms such as headache, but only if the pressure is very high. Symptoms like headache are far more likely to be due to other causes such as anxiety. When patients attending a hypertension clinic, some years ago, were asked … Read more
Some oral contraceptives (“the pill”) increase blood pressure in a small proportion of women. For this reason, measurements of blood pressure I should be made at regular intervals. Although some contraceptive tablets have little influence on pressure, it is usually preferable for patients with high blood pressure to practise other methods of birth control. Advice … Read more
In over nine patients out of ten with high blood pressure no underlying disease can be found. The term “essential hypertension” is sometimes used in this case. This absence of a cause is not as surprising as might appear at first sight. Blood pressure, like height or weight, is the result of many influences. Just … Read more
For a young person a typical reading might be 120 systolic and 80 diastolic. These values are expressed in millimetres of mercury and it is conventional to record the values as systolic/diastolic e.g, 120/80. Blood pressure in an individual is not a fixed property but varies from minute to are asleep at night and may … Read more
Pressures are usually measured with an instrument called a sphygmomanometer. A cuff containing a rubber balloon is placed around the upper arm and inflated to a pressure above the systolic so that no blood can get through. Pressure in the cuff is then slowly released while an observer listens over the artery at the elbow … Read more
The heart is not a continuous pump. It beats and then relaxes. Each heart-beat produces a pressure wave. The peak or maximum of this wave is I called the systolic pressure and the trough or lowest point between beats is the diastolic pressure. The height of the systolic pressure is partly due to the amount … Read more