A Brief Overview Of Intermittent Hypertension

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is of intermittent nature when the level of blood pressure elevates to above 140 mmHg in case of systolic blood pressure and above 90 mmHg in case of diastolic blood pressure for a considerable period of time.

Changes in lifestyle in the modern world have made hypertension more prevalent in developed as well as developing countries.

If we assume 140/90 mmHg as the cutoff point, almost 38 percent of the American population suffers from high blood pressure. The incidence of hypertension is all the more in people of African origin and has been observed to be directly proportionate to age.

There are some theoretical classifications of hypertension. The causes, symptoms and treatments of these types of hypertension are more or less the same. There is systolic hypertension which occurs mostly in people of old age. It is a symptom of atherosclerosis.

There is also labile hypertension which is more or less the same as intermittent hypertension. Borderline hypertension stands for a reading of blood pressure which is close to the upper limit. There are also diastolic hypertension and malignant hypertension. Malignant hypertension severely accelerates blood pressure with and may result in papilledema, retinopathy and evidence of damage to renal function or other organs.

It is true that there is no single known cause of hypertension. There are a number of causes, some of them which include genetic predisposition, obesity, family history, smoking, improper diet and stress. Hypertension may also be due to renal artery disease, metabolic disorders, central nervous system disorders and narrowing of the aorta. Highly emotional people are also susceptible to this disease.

Though the symptoms of hypertension are vague and not readily apparent, there are certain visible symptoms such as fainting spells, severe headaches, nausea and dizziness. Hypertension may result in serious complications like heart diseases, kidney failure and stroke.

Apart from lifestyle changes, medication is also recommended for treating intermittent hypertension. Medications like beta blockers, diuretics, angiotensin inhibitors or calcium channel blockers are employed to treat hypertension. Some of the few steps which hypertensive individuals can follow to control this condition are exercise, reducing alcohol intake, quitting smoking, controlling stress and reducing weight.