by Bisheba Gaines

Created on: June 07, 2008   Last Updated: June 09, 2008

Commonly known as the "silent killer", hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure means high tension in the arteries.
Arteries are small blood vessels that carries blood to all tissues and organs in the body.

When the force behind the blood, flowing through the arteries are high, it can cause blood vessel changes. These changes occur in the back of the eye(retina). High blood pressure also cause abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, kidney failure and brain damage.

The cause of hypertension is unknown.

Most of the time, there are no symptoms.
Some warning signs to watch for are:

. headache
. dizziness
. shortness of breath
. nausea
. blurred vision

The best way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get tested regularly, by your local doctor or a medical professional.
About one in every 100 people with hypertension are diagnosed with severe high blood pressure(accelerated or malignant hypertension) at their first visit to the doctor.

There are different stages in the progression of hypertension, if left untreated.
.uncomplicated hypertension usually has no symptoms and may be present for many years.
.pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the artery that carries blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.

pulmonary hypertension is divide into primary and secondary types:

.Primary hypertension is considered idiopathic(of unknown origin). It occurs spontaneously with no family history.
. secondary pulmonary hypertension may be due to collagen vascular disorders(such as lupus), portal hypertension, pulmonary embolism, sarcoidosis, congenital heart disease and HIV infection.

Another form of hypertension is called Pulmonary hypertension 2b. It is a genetic disease caused by an absent or defective gene or by chromosomal aberration.

Some common treatments for hypertension are, regular exercise, weight loss(if over weight), salt restrictions and a nutritional diet.
Folic acid supplements, along with eating more foods high in folate, such as oranges, leafy greens, and fortified grains may help reduce risks of hypertension.

Here are a few resources to check into:

. The Blood Pressure Home Monitoring Center
. The Hypertension Association
. The Endocrine Society
. Pulmonary Hypertension Patient/Family Resources

They all offer online articles, fact sheets, clinical studies, support groups, newsletters and links to other important blood pressure sites.

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