Arterial Hypertension can be simply defined as high blood pressure. The force of blood against the walls of arteries is known as blood pressure. The blood vessels in which oxygenated blood is carried is known as the Arteries.

The blood pushes against the artery walls as it flows through the arteries. If the force with which the blood strikes the artery wall is more we say that the pressure exerted by the blood is more similarly. If the blood pressure will be low if the force exerted on the artery wall is less.

Arterial hypertension is a serious health problem. One of the things that make arterial hypertension a serious problem is the fact that it does not have any initial symptoms so there are no prior warnings. Many people have the problem of arterial hypertension for years without having any clue about it. About 50 million people have high blood pressure problem in the United States of America.

Arterial hypertension is more seen in men as compared to women. People over the age of 65 years are more prone towards the problem of arterial hypertension. However, there are many cases where people below the age of 65 have fallen into the trap of this disease. More than half of the America’s population over 65 years of age is suffering from arterial hypertension. However, unfortunately the white Americans are less prone to this disease as compared to the African Americans.

Arterial hypertension is the main cause for heart attack and other heart related problems. The best way to protect yourself from arterial hypertension is to regularly check your blood pressure. Arterial hypertension can also lead to kidney damage.

The best way of avoiding arterial hypertension is to avoid the intake of fats and cholesterol. The reason being that fats and cholesterol get accumulated on the walls of the arteries which decreases the flow of blood in the arteries. Exercise is a must for those patients of arterial hypertension.

Stress is another key reason of arterial hypertension. A person usually experiences pain in the heart if he/she gets too excited or angry over some thing. This leads to a prominent increase in the blood pressure. However, when the person gets back to normal, the blood pressure also comes back to equilibrium.

Arterial hypertension is a very common phenomenon. Regular blood pressure and medical health checkups can keep you away from arterial hypertension.

A person who has normal blood pressure is prone to hypertension due to his/her stress at the work place, unhealthy eating habits and improper sleep. Hypertension is the direct effect of high blood pressure. Medication and food habits take part in hypertension treatment to counter act the blood pressure.

Blood that flows through the arteries travels from the heart to all the organs and tissues of the body. The normal blood pressure of a human being is 120/80mm Hg in which the first value of 120 denotes the systolic pressure when the heart pumps the blood to various parts of the body. The second value of 80 denotes the diastolic pressure when the heart relaxes between two pumping actions. When the person has high blood pressure these values rise to more than 140/90mm Hg and the person is said to have hypertension.

High blood pressure is termed as a silent killer because the affected person realizes the truth too late. Hypertension mainly damages the blood vessels and it is the chief cause of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. People of overweight i.e. the Body Mass Index is more than 30kg/Sq m, suffer from hypertension. They need to lose their weights by 30% of the existing one. Body weight has a direct impact on the heart and causes strain in the pumping of blood. A person with hypertension should decrease his/her intake of sodium chloride (table salt) to only one teaspoon per day mixed in food. Avoiding foods like potato chips, pizzas and other fast foods rich in sodium can lower his/her high blood pressure.

The person undergoing the hypertension treatment is advised by the doctor to consume foods rich in minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium. These elements help in normal functioning of his/her heart and minimize the chances of hypertension. Gradual reduction of alcohol intake reduces blood pressure. Caffeine present in coffee increases acidity thereby causing strain on the heart which leads to hypertension.

Aerobic exercises like walking and jogging help in reducing the body weight and regulate the proper functioning of various organs. Addition of leafy vegetables and fruits rich in dietary fibers energizes the body to perform better activities.

Intake of food rich in cholesterol results in formation of scales inside the walls of the blood vessels connecting the heart, causing high blood pressure. So, the person undergoing the hypertension treatment should do away with fatty foods. Smoking causes constriction of blood vessels which makes the heart pump blood faster resulting in high blood pressure.

Garlic can be used in hypertension treatment to lower the high blood pressure. The person who feels stress in life should relax his/her mind by doing meditation.

Some of the medicines tried in hypertension treatment are ACE inhibitors and Beta blockers. ACE inhibitors inhibit the production of angiotensin, a hormone which contracts the blood vessels. These medicines expand the blood capillaries and increase the blood flow. Beta blockers control the hormone called adrenaline and condition the nervous system, resulting in relaxation of the heart thereby reducing the hypertension. Alpha blockers help in improved blood circulation. Calcium channel blockers relax the heart muscles and those of the arteries.

Diuretics are used in hypertension treatment for removing excess salts and fluids from kidneys.

An increase in blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries, vein or capillaries is termed as pulmonary hypertension. It is a serious disease, as it can lead to heart failure. Sometimes, any pre-existing diseases like heart or lung disorder and congenital heart disease may trigger pulmonary hypertension. Family history is another main reason, which can cause pulmonary hypertension.

The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension may vary from patient to patient. However, some of the common symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, non-productive cough and peripheral edema. Some people may also complain of angina and chest pain. Sometimes, coughing up blood may also persist. Patients, who suffer from any of these symptoms, need to undergo a thorough physical examination. The physician analyzes the family history to determine the definite cause of this condition.

If the condition of the pulmonary hypertension is severe, the physician may hear louder components of heart sounds, when he listens the heart beat with a stethoscope. He may also feel elevation of the chest wall when the heart pumps.

Diagnosing the pulmonary hypertension requires several tests. Echocardiogram may be performed to confirm the possibility of this condition. However, right heart catheterization is the best possible method to determine the severity of this disorder. This method also indicates the responsiveness of the pulmonary hypertension to certain medications. The physician administers the medications for this condition to the patient and places the catheter in his heart. The blood pressure is then monitored with the help of a device attached with the catheter. Electrocardiogram, x-ray in the chest area may also help to diagnose the pulmonary hypertension condition.

The physician decides the method of treatment after analyzing the underlying cause for the pulmonary hypertension problem. If chronic lung disease triggering low oxygen level is the main reason for this condition, the physician can recommend to consult a pulmonologist (lung doctor), who can provide appropriate treatment to cure the lung diseases first.

Sometimes, recurrent blood clot may be the underlying cause for pulmonary hypertension. Then Anticoagulation is the best treatment option to get rid of this condition. In rare cases, surgical removal of blood clot may also be suggested.

If the patient suffers from pulmonary hypertension without any underlying cause, then the physician recommends some advanced therapies. Some medications are prescribed, which help to open up the pulmonary arteries and to reduce the level of blood pressure.

If the patient lives in a low oxygen atmosphere, then it can aggravate the pulmonary hypertension condition. Breathing supplemental oxygen can help to reduce the blood pressure level.