• People with hypertension should monitor their blood pressure regularly.blood pressure image by Cristina Bernhardsen from Fotolia.com
  
  High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a chronic elevation in the arterial pressure of the body that can lead to stroke or heart disease if left untreated. As many as 30% of American adults may be hypertensive, according to the Centers for Disease Control; however, owing to increased awareness of the extent of the problem and a flood of pharmaceuticals, more people than ever have their blood pressure under control. The diastolic reading --- the second or lower of the two numbers given in a BP measurement --- indicates the BP in the period when the heart is at rest between beats, and medical practitioners consider an elevation of this number more important in diagnosing hypertension than an elevation in the systolic number; a diastolic BP 90 or higher is suggestive of diastolic hypertension.
  
  

Primary Hypertension

• Known as the "silent killer" because it usually occurs without any symptoms, primary hypertension is a chronic rise in blood pressure that has no identifiable cause in 90% of incidences. Many physicians believe that primary hypertension stems from a genetic predisposition and/or obesity. Strong evidence suggests it may also be a consequence of diabetes linked to low insulin production. Other causative factors may include kidney damage, insulin resistance, vitamin D deficiency --- which can diminish overall cardiac health --- smoking and sodium sensitivity, specifically associated with a high intake of salt.
  
  

Secondary Hypertension

• In approximately 10% of cases, the cause of chronically high diastolic BP is identifiable. Doctors refer to these as secondary hypertension, because here elevated diastolic BP stems from complications in one or more non-cardiac organs. Some of the more common conditions leading to secondary hypertension include the overproduction or underproduction of certain hormones, preeclampsia during pregnancy, narrowing of the aorta and sleep apnea. Other conditions include the side effects of certain medications and some kidney diseases, particularly those that result in the formation of renal cysts.
  
  

Treatment of Hypertension

• While herbalists and holistic healers may argue that herbs and meditation can resolve a chronically elevated diastolic BP, the condition is potentially so dangerous that relying on such practices could be harmful or even fatal. The best way to lower your blood pressure is by changing your lifestyle. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, and this is the likely cause of hypertension in many cases. Losing weight and controlling your intake of salt may be the only treatment needed. Eat more vegetables and fruit and lower your intake of saturated fats. If you smoke, quit. Drink alcohol only in moderation and get at east 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day.
  
  Sometimes diet and exercise is not sufficient to bring your BP down to a safe level; and, more often, people refuse to do these things to benefit their health, in which case there are many medications that will lower blood pressure, such as ACE inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzyme), beta-blockers that block the actions of hormones such as adrenalin that increase the stress on the heart, and diuretics that increase urine output and thereby lower blood volume.