Early diagnosis of hypertension can save your life

Diagnosis of hypertension at an early stage is critically important because it helps prevent many health complications - including life threatening ones - that can result from high blood pressure.

Surprising as it may seem, high blood pressure carries a level of risk similar to that faced by patients with high cholesterol levels. Heart failure, strokes, heart attacks, failure / impairment of kidney function, arterial aneurysm - these are just some of the health hazards that can be brought about by high blood pressure if it is left untreated. An early diagnosis of hypertension is therefore very important.

Detecting hypertension is often delayed because it does not show any obvious symptoms in most cases. That is why it is referred to as the silent killer.

It is estimated that about 70% of all adults see their doctor at least one a year. Approximately 90% of the remaining adults consult a physician at least once in five years. Doctors recommend that every patient who is above thirty years of age should have his or her blood pressure checked on every visit to the doctor. This holds true even if they do not show any symptoms of elevated blood pressure or associated health problems.

Therefore, even if a person does have a specific reason to consult a doctor, it is probably a good idea to go to a practicing nurse or other competent medical professional on a periodic basis and have a blood pressure reading taken. This is of great value for an early diagnosis of hypertension.

If the blood pressure reading is normal, no further action needs to be taken and there is no need to consult a doctor. However, if the pressure is seen to be elevated above normal levels, the nurse / medical professional may recommend that the patient visits his or her doctor for further investigation.

A routine blood pressure check up on a schedule set up by the doctor is essential for all persons who are past age 45. When it is detected early enough, blood pressure can usually be controlled and brought down to safe levels before it has a chance to cause other serious health problems.

If a person's diastolic pressure is above 100 mmHg or his systolic reading is more than 160 mmHg, his risk of developing strokes, heart disease and damage to major organs goes up by a factor of five. This is as compared to a person of the same sex and age group whose blood pressure reading is within acceptable limits.

Even when the reading is only somewhat above normal limits, he or she may be at risk of developing full blown hypertension. In such cases, the doctor will advise what is to be done to ensure that blood pressure is kept within safe limits.

Once a diagnosis of hypertension has been confirmed, the doctor may prescribe one of the many different kinds of medication available for treating this health condition. Angiotensis II receptor antagonists, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and alpha blockers are some of the drug classes available for treating high blood pressure. In borderline cases, the doctor may prescribe only low doses of diuretics or beta blockers.

Most patients will need to make significant changes in their lifestyle, along with taking the prescribed medications. If they are overweight, their weight must be brought down to the optimum level, through a combination of diet and exercise. Regular exercise and a balanced, healthy diet low in fat content are almost always needed to tackle hypertension. In fact, many patients whose blood pressure reading is only a little above normal limits can bring down their pressure with just exercise and a proper diet.

An active approach to the diagnosis of hypertension and its treatment will forestall many serious health problems.