Introduction
In the circulatory system, the force that is exerted on the walls of arteries by the pumping of blood by the heart is termed Blood Pressure. The device that is used to measure blood pressure is called a sphygmomanometer. This measurement is often taken while relaxed and in a lying down position. The reading acquired will look like this: 120/80 and the units that blood pressure is measured in are: mm of Hg (millimetres of mercury). The larger number represents systolic pressure. This is the pressure exerted on the arterial walls, as the heart squeezes blood systematically during each beat. The diastolic pressure, the smaller number, corresponds to the pressure that presents as the heart relaxes before its next beat. Both systolic and diastolic pressure increase with age and are known to vary widely amongst populations.
Hypertension is the term used to describe an abnormally high blood pressure. It’s symptom criteria depends on how high the values are, however the normal medical range for the classification of hypertension reveals that systolic pressure would be equal to or above 140mm Hg and the diastolic pressure would be above or equal to 90mm Hg. Statistics reveal that almost one third of the population are hypertensive. However due to the nature of the condition it will remain asymptomatic until an acute episode relating to the cardiovascular system becomes apparent. An asymptomatic condition indicates that there are no symptoms that represent the condition.
There are two sub classifications of hypertension. The first is termed Essential or Primary Hypertension (EH) which indicates that the reason for the rise in pressure is unknown. This constitutes for more than 95% of cases relating to hypertension. Heavy research is being done to better explain this condition and the emerging information may indicate genetic or environmental stresses that could damage the body’s blood pressure regulation system. The second sub classification is called Secondary Hypertension. This is diagnosed when there is a definable cause for the rise in pressure. As a result this type of hypertension is more readily confronted by a cure.