Hypertension
Hypertension, or high blood pressure as it is typically known, is sometimes called the silent killer because a person could have it for years without even knowing it. It can be a very dangerous illness if not treated right away and properly. About fifty million Americans have high blood pressure, but about one third of those people, which is fifteen million, don't even know it Most people with high blood pressure have no signs or symptoms. Most of the time people often think that headaches, dizziness, or nosebleeds are common warning signs of high blood pressure. It's true that a few people with early stage high blood pressure have a dull ache in the back of the head when they wake in the morning and maybe they have a few more nosebleeds than normal but headaches, dizziness or nosebleeds typically don't occur until high blood pressure has advanced to a higher stage, one that could be extremely life threatening. And ironically, some people with the highest blood pressure readings don't even experience any of these symptoms. Other conditions that can lead to uncontrolled high blood pressure may cause the following signs and symptoms: excessive perspiration, muscle cramps, weakness, frequent urination, rapid or irregular heartbeat
A person could also be at increased risk for high blood pressure if he or she has a chronic illness. Examples are illnesses like high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea, and heart failure. However, there are risk factors that can be controlled and managed. These are obesity, inactivity, tobacco use, high sodium intake, low potassium intake, too much alcohol consumption, and stress. With obesity, the more body mass a person has, the more blood he or she needs to supply oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. The volume of blood circulated through the blood vessels increases, creating extra force on the artery walls. Lack of physical activity increases a person's risk of high blood pressure by increasing his or her risk of being overweight. Inactive people also tend to have higher heart rates. Their heart muscles have to work harder with each contraction, increasing the force on the arteries. To avoid these two things it would be a good idea to just get up...and exercise. The chemicals in tobacco can damage the lining of the artery walls, causing the arteries to accumulate plaques (fatty deposits that contain cholesterol). Nicotine also constricts your blood vessels a! The major types of medication first chosen to control high blood pressure include diuretics; these medications act on the kidneys to help the body eliminate sodium and water, reducing blood volume, beta blockers; these medications block the effects of certain adrenaline (which is related chemicals causing your heart to beat more slowly and less forcefully) angiotensin (they convert enzyme inhibitors); these medications help relax blood vessels by blocking the formation of a naturally occurring chemical that narrows blood vessels, angiotensin II receptor blockers; which help relax blood vessels by blocking the action - not the formation - of a naturally occurring chemical that narrows blood vessels, and calcium antagonists; (a.k.a. calcium channel blockers) these medications help relax the muscles of blood vessels. Some slow your heart rate. Many studies demonstrate a direct relationship between uncontrolled high blood pressure and increased risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure and eye problems. More specifically, high blood pressure can lead to the following problems: damage to your arteries, thickening of the heart's main pumping chamber, a blocked or ruptured blood vessel in your brain, weakened and narrowed blood vessels in your kidneys, or thickened, narrowed or torn
Some common words found in the essay are:
, blood pressure, blood vessels, blood vessel, narrowed blood vessels, pressure person, blood pressure person, naturally occurring, artery walls, narrowed blood, help relax, risk factors, heart failure, help relax blood, headaches dizziness nosebleeds, relax blood vessels,
Approximate Word count = 1672
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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