hypertension

hypertension = high blood pressure, probably the most common cardiovascular disease in our society. it involves abnormal pressure documented within our vessel wall itself due to several factors. most often it is due to unhealthy diet, causing thickening of vessel wall and accumulation of fat along the wall. this lead to unhealthy vessel wall and the blood vessel became less elastic, making the heart to pump higher pressure to exert desired effect. these thickened vessels are quite fragile and easy to break when the pressure is too high, thus making the control of the blood pressure very important.

initially we need at least 2 blood pressure reading on 2 different circumstances higher than normal value to diagnose a patient to have high blood pressure. on first high reading, we advise patients to modify their diet and lifestyles, encouraging them to do more exercises and screen for high cholesterol status. when the blood pressure is persistently high despite all these are done, then the role of medication came into play. in government sector, at least 5 different groups of antihypertensive medicine (medicine for high blood pressure) are available to our population. which group to use or what combination to use would vary among patients' age group and health condition.

unlike some patients' belief, oral antihypertensive treatment is lifelong treatment once it is started. so, we do not cure hypertension, but we control it with medication. with medication, patients achieved optimal control of pressure, and therefore reduce the risk for cerebrovascular event (stroke), heart disease (heart attack) or impaired renal function (kidney function)

important aspect in controlling high blood pressure would patients' cooperation in taking medication as advised by doctors, healthy lifestyle (daily) and balanced diet. smoking is proven to worsen high blood pressure control and also lead to many other diseases. the steps mentioned are not difficult to be done, but often is the most difficult to be maintain by patients throughout life.