High blood pressure is a vascular disease.
The heart pumps blood through the body with every heartbeat. To do this, it builds up pressure, which pushes the blood out of the heart and into the blood vessels. If this pressure is increased or even too high, this is known as high blood pressure. Excessive pressure in the blood vessels can damage them and cause further health problems.
Blood pressure values are divided into a systolic and a diastolic value. The systolic value is colloquially referred to as the upper value, the diastolic value as the lower value.
Ideally, the blood pressure should be 120/80, while a value of 139/89 is considered highly normal. Blood pressure is measured using a wrist cuff, for example, or with an upper arm cuff, as is common practice with doctors.
Blood pressure can be measured using an inflatable arm cuff © interstid | AdobeStock
Most sufferers do not even notice at first that their blood pressure is too high. High blood pressure initially causes little or no discomfort. Unnoticed and untreated, the disease takes its course and begins to damage connected structures.
This makes the disease dangerous. High blood pressure is often only diagnosed after it has already caused other illnesses.
In many cases, it is not medically possible to explain why a patient suffers from high blood pressure. In such cases, the condition is referred to as essential hypertension. Even blood tests or ultrasound examinations of the abdomen and kidneys do not reveal any abnormalities.
Nevertheless, there are factors that can influence the level of blood pressure. At the top of the list is obesity. For many blood pressure patients, weight reduction can lead to significantly lower values. But other risk factors can also influence the level of blood pressure, including
- Predisposition and heredity,
- kidney damage,
- lack of exercise,
- nicotine or alcohol consumption and
- emotional stress.
High blood pressure can cause a number of life-threatening secondary diseases. Patients with persistently high blood pressure can suffer a stroke. The risk of a heart attack or heart failure also increases if high blood pressure is not treated. Other consequences include damage to the kidneys and eyes.
Many patients are also recommended to visit an ophthalmologist after being diagnosed with high blood pressure. The reason for this is that the vessels can be viewed directly on the retina. This allows the ophthalmologist to draw conclusions about the condition of the entire body.
If changes have already occurred, they may also have taken place in other parts of the body. A visit to an ophthalmologist may sound far-fetched for many patients at first, but it makes a lot of sense in the case of high blood pressure.
The following diseases can be the result of high blood pressure:
The first step in treatment is to identify the cause of the high blood pressure. An important part of the treatment is treating the underlying disease and eliminating risk factors.
Overweight patients should therefore reduce their weight and change their diet. Consuming too much salt is particularly problematic with high blood pressure.
If the condition is caused by problems with the organs, these must also be treated. In addition, those affected should
- Reduce stress,
- stop smoking if necessary and
- abstain from alcohol.
Relaxation exercises are often ridiculed. However, they can have a positive effect on stress reduction and therefore also on blood pressure.
Many patients receive medication to permanently lower their blood pressure. The range of such medication is very wide. A beta blocker is often prescribed for this purpose. However, other preparations have also proved effective. These include those with the active ingredients candesartan or olmesartan. Depending on requirements, these may also contain a diuretic, such as hydrochlorothiazide.
The excretion of water additionally reduces blood pressure. Competitive athletes must notify the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) if they are taking such medication. A medical certificate is also recommended. This must then be carried at competitions. Diuretics are on the doping list and can therefore lead to the exclusion of the athlete from competitions or the annulment of results.
Possible treatment options for high blood pressure:
- Weight reduction
- Change of diet
- stress reduction
- Quitting nicotine and alcohol
- A generally healthier lifestyle
- Administration of antihypertensive medication
GPs can usually diagnose and treat high blood pressure. Under certain circumstances, they can refer you to a specialist, for example an internal medicine specialist.
High blood pressure is usually diagnosed by
treated. However, these specialists are not usually specialists in high blood pressure alone.
The German Hypertension League (DHL) introduced the additional qualification of hypertensiologist a few years ago. Doctors with this additional qualification have completed further training in the field of hypertensiology and are therefore designated hypertension specialists.
Specialists are awarded the title "Hypertension Specialist of ESH" by the ESH (European Society of Hypertension).
Hypertensiologists have a wealth of experience with high blood pressure patients. This is particularly helpful in the case of difficult diagnoses or previously unrecognized causes.
