Hypertension, is the increase in the pressure needed to pump blood due to increased resistance to blood flow by blood vessels all over the body. Over the last decade more people became hypertensive as a result of obesity. In the United States, about 65 million people have hypertension.
Causes of Hypertension
Obesity is a common cause of hypertension. UpToDate attributes the increase in the prevalence of hypertension to the problem of obesity in the United States. In obesity, there is an increase in body mass; when there is an increase in body mass there is also a necessary increase in blood volume. An increase in blood volume also increases the workload on the heart. Obesity, is also associated with elevated cholesterol and triglycerides; elevated lipids in the blood accelerates atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis, involves narrowing of the blood vessel lumen which increases the resistance to blood flow, thereby causing hypertension. Arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, also increases blood pressure.
Symptoms of Hypertension
Hypertension most commonly occurs without symptom. Hypertension may sometimes cause headaches but headaches are rarely a reason to suspect hypertension. Headaches in a person known to have hypertension may indicate worsening of hypertension. The lack of symptoms in hypertension, is a main reason for poor patient compliance with anti-hypertensive medications.
Complications of Hypertension
Hypertension increases the workload on the heart and over time the heart is forced to adapt to the condition of high blood pressure. The heart adapts to hypertension by an increase in heart muscle size. Initially, this adaptation is beneficial but as it progresses, it compromises the ability of the heart to fill up with blood during relaxation. Heart failure results in the heart is unable to contain the adequate amount of blood when it relaxes.
Hypertension can also rupture arteries in the brain, thereby leading to stroke. Hypertension can force out proteins from the blood into urine, leading to edema or the swelling of tissues.
L-Arginine and Hypertension
Theoretically, L-arginine should help in the treatment of hypertension because the main problem in hypertension is the narrowing of blood vessel lumen. L-arginine is needed to make nitric oxide inside cells contained in the blood vessel wall. Nitric oxide, causes dilation of blood vessels. However, no studies have been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of L-arginine supplementation in the treatment of hypertension.
Treatment of Hypertension
Many classes of drugs exist in the market for treating hypertension. Calcium channel blockers, treat hypertension by relaxing muscles of the blood vessel, thereby causing blood vessel dilation. Diuretics, remove excess fluid from the blood. ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and renin inhibitors are other classes of drugs used in treating hypertension. Drugs for treating hypertension must be prescribed by a physician.
