The Silent Killer Research Paper

The silent killer

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition in which the blood vessels have continually raised pressure, placing them under increased stress. Every time your heart beats; it pumps blood into the vessels, carrying blood throughout the body. Blood pressure is created by the force of blood pushing against the arteries as it is pumped by the heart. The bottom line, the higher the pressure, the harder the heart has to pump. Normal adult blood pressure is about 120 over 80. The top number represents the amount of pressure in your arteries during contraction of your heart muscle or systolic pressure, and the bottom number represents when the heart relaxes or diastolic pressure. Anything above 140 over 90 generally indicates

high blood pressure. And of course, the higher the blood pressure, the higher the risk of damage to the heart and blood vessels in major organs such as the brain and kidneys.
But most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms at all, which is why it’s often called the “silent killer”. Sometimes though, hypertension can cause symptoms such as headache, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, palpitations and nose bleeds.
Here’s the thing, if left uncontrolled, high blood pressure may lead to a heart attack, enlarged heart and eventually heart failure. Blood vessels may develop aneurysms and weak spots that make them more susceptible to clogging and bursting. Additionally, the pressure in the blood vessels can cause blood to leak into the brain and cause a stroke. Untreated hypertension may also lead to kidney failure, blindness, and cognitive impairment.