Hypertension Archives -

Will Obesity Increase the Risk of Hypertension?

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 03:57:05 +0000

The Buyt Desk

Hypertension is linked with Obesity as the latter will cause and worsen high blood pressure. There are ways to deal with it. Let us understand it in detail.

Nowadays obesity is seen in most of them because of a sedentary lifestyle. And in most cases, obesity leads to high blood pressure. Obesity and overweight is a major problem for a major chunk of the population and can be considered among nearly 50% of the population.

What is Obesity?

When the body fat percentage of a person exceeds a limit it is called obesity. There will be an increase in the body fat cells which may result in the overall body size of an individual. This can result in an unhealthy lifestyle for an individual. Obesity or overweight may be caused by the type and quantity of food consumed, the physical activity level, family history, genetics inherited and sleep pattern. There are many factors that will influence obesity.

Obesity may increase many health risks and the major ones are heart diseases, hypertension and diabetes. Watching your weight and body fat percentage is very important as an increase in fat invites many health complications.

What is Hypertension?

High blood pressure is known as hypertension. The blood flows through arteries as it is pumped through the heart. When this flow is at a higher pressure than a certain limit, it is called high blood pressure. When the blood in an individual flows at higher pressure, it causes heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, brain issues, and cognitive problems and also increases the risk of dementia. As one grows older the risk of an increase in blood pressure is high. More than 70 % of senior citizens have hypertension because of the age factor. And many Indian adults are having hypertension because of obesity, stress and lifestyle issues.

How will obesity cause hypertension?

Obesity may develop hypertension in an individual and can worsen the condition if the individual already has it. The study by health officials revealed that 70+% of hypertension cases are caused by obesity. As fat tissues increase in the body, it causes changes to body structure and internal organs which will worsen hypertension. The increase in body fat will over-activate the sympathetic nervous system, simulate RAAS (renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system), alter hormones like adipose-derived cytokines and compress the kidney which will change the kidney functioning.

What is Obesity-induced hypertension?

As we know, in various ways obesity can worsen or cause hypertension. To treat hypertension, an obese body will also make it more complex as there will be other related health conditions which may also need attention. There are many obesity-related mechanisms which cause or worsens hypertension which include changes in hormone signalling, change in the functioning of the sympathetic nervous system, changes in the autonomic nervous system which is in charge of the fight-or-flight response and changes in the structure and function of the kidneys.

Usually, obese individuals carry a higher proportion of visceral fat. This is the fat around the midsection of their body. The visceral fat surrounds the abdominal organs and hence puts pressure on internal organs. This in turn causes stress on the cardiovascular system. It is this extra pressure which often leads to resistant hypertension. Such blood pressure will be uncontrolled even after administering three or more blood pressure-controlling drugs.

What is the line of treatment for hypertension in people with obesity?

People have shown that hypertension is reversible when weight is reduced and the body changes. Reducing weight will definitely mitigate the risk of hypertension. The first advice the doctors advise is weight loss. Weight loss will treat both hypertension and obesity. Lifestyle changes are often enough for overweight and slightly obese individuals. But for individuals who are highly obese, bariatric or weight loss surgery is recommended. Medication is prescribed when blood pressure readings are too high. Regular medical checkups are needed to monitor the changes caused by hypertension and obesity.

Medications – Antihypertensive medications are administered. One drug may not work for all. So doctors may change the class of the drug when it doesn’t work. Also, cholesterol-reducing drugs may be prescribed if the LDL level is too high.
Lifestyle changes – Weight reduction can manage hypertension. The focus should be on reducing the body fat percentage and maintaining the body lean mass. Advised lifestyle changes are

eating a healthy and lower-calorie diet
limiting caffeine
limiting alcohol consumption
quit smoking including second-hand smoke
getting physically active
getting a good sleep at night
managing stress
regularly monitoring blood pressure
involving family and friends for support

Dietary changes – Eating a low-calorie diet is a solution. Along with this, one should also

eat less salt, look out for added salt and salt in processed foods
cut down the intake of saturated fats and cholesterol
increase water intake
add more whole grains, fruits, fresh and raw vegetables, lean meats and fish to everyday diet

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7 Warning Signs Of Hypertension You Should Not Ignore

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 04:56:19 +0000

The Buyt Desk

One of the most dangerous things about hypertension is that you may not know about it until it gets severe. It is because hypertension does not reveal any symptoms during the early stage. The statistics say that one-third of people having hypertension do not know about it until symptoms appears. So, what is the way to identify it?

The best way to check if you are suffering from hypertension is- through regular health monitoring. Additionally, if one knows hypertension signs, it becomes easier for them to take care of their health and reduce risk.

Seven Symptoms of Hypertension

The common symptoms of hypertension are severe headaches, nose bleeding, confusion or fatigue, vision problem, pain in the chest, breathing difficulty, irregular heartbeat, traces of blood in urine and pounding in the ears, neck and chest.

Apart from these symptoms, some people witness other symptoms, such as dizziness, sweating, nervousness, blood spots in the eyes, and trouble sleeping. These symptoms sometimes relate to high blood pressure, but not always. It is not necessary that hypertension or high blood pressure would give any symptoms. Therefore, you should get your blood pressure checked at a regular interval of time, especially when you have a family history.

The symptoms like headache and blood from the nose appear when blood pressure goes severely high or the person is sensitive to blood pressure changes.

When To Worry About Blood Pressure

Many internal and external factors influence blood pressure levels, such as physical activity, anger, etc. One should avoid checking blood pressure during these conditions. If you feel your blood pressure is unusually high, rest for 5-10 minutes and monitor the blood pressure again. If the result is the same even at rest, it is a matter of concern. Do check with your doctor immediately.

What Happens When Hypertension Goes Untreated?

Untreated hypertension can lead to many complications, some of which are-

Heart Attack or Stroke – Untreated hypertension can cause thickening and hardening of the arteries. When this condition is left untreated for a long can cause heart attack and other complications.

Aneurysm – It is also a life-threatening condition. Increased blood pressure in the arteries and blood vessels weakens and bulges them and makes an aneurysm. When the aneurysm ruptures, it can be life risking.

Heart Failure – The heart pumps blood in the vessels. In hypertension, the heart has to work harder to do this job, which thickens the heart chambers. Thick heart chambers work hard (left ventricular hypertrophy) to push blood into the vessels, which render heart muscles weak. When the condition is left untreated for a long time, it leads to heart failure.

Narrowed and Weekend Kidney Blood Vessels – Hypertension negatively affects the functioning of other vital body parts, such as kidneys, eyes and brain. Increased blood pressure hampers the functioning of the kidney and blurs the vision.

Metabolic Syndrome – It is not a single disorder, but instead a group of problems, such as increased waist size, decreased high-density lipoprotein, high triglycerides, high insulin level, etc. All these conditions can lead to heart diseases and stroke.

Difficulty with Memory – Untreated blood pressure or uncontrolled blood pressure affects the thinking ability to ability to memorize.

Dementia – Increased blood pressure in arteries narrows them. It can restrain the blood flow in the brain. The condition leads to vascular dementia.

The Risk Group of Hypertension

Risk factors can increase the chance of you suffering from high blood pressure. Some risk factors are unavoidable, like genetics and age. However, it is possible to control other conditions and narrows down the high blood pressure risk. The common conditions are

Certain medications increase blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Unhealthy diet.
Physical inactivity.
Obesity.
Excess consumption of alcohol.
Tobacco eating.
Genetic or family history.

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All about Health Insurance for Hypertension Patients

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 04:03:25 +0000

The Buyt Desk

In India, hypertension is affecting everyone even in their early 20s. It needs lifelong medication. Sometimes it causes expensive secondary health issues.

Hypertension is a common silent killer in current situations. Many are not aware that they have hypertension. People are having this issue because of a bad lifestyle, having processed food, drinking carbonated fluids, no physical activity and being couch potatoes. Current fast-paced life with hectic everyday routines has disturbed humans both mentally and physically. Genetics, family history and stress levels decide your future health and wellbeing.

What is Hypertension?

When one’s blood pressure is too high, which means the pressure against the blood vessel walls (arteries) in the body is constantly too high, then the person is said to have hypertension. Hypertension is a common health condition worldwide today. It is a silent disorder and patients are not aware of what they are going through until they have a stroke or heart attack or kidney damage. More and more youths in the country are having hypertension because of their unhealthy lifestyle and work-related stress. The current pandemic has induced unique levels of stress which is leading to hypertension among many. It is better if the person diagnosed with high blood pressure has a hypertension health insurance plan.

What are the effects of hypertension?

Hypertension when undetected in the long run causes serious damage to the body. So one should do regular checkups and treat hypertension else it can be fatal. Here are the few undesirable effects of hypertension.

Enlarged left ventricle of the heart – The heart has to work harder to pump blood in the hypertension body. This causes the left ventricle of the heart to enlarge. The risk of heart failure, heart attack and cardiac arrest increases under such conditions.
Eyes damage – High blood pressure sometimes damages the retina causing vision loss.
Damaged arteries – Hypertension because of high-pressure damage the inner lining of arteries and reduce its elasticity. This might lead to bulging, rupture and internal bleeding.
Coronary artery disease – High blood pressure will narrow down the coronary artery disturbing the blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body.
Kidney damage – High blood pressure damages the vessel leading to the kidneys which cause kidney failure and Glomerulosclerosis (kidney scarring).
Heart failure – The heart muscle weakens causing heart failure when one has high blood pressure.
Brain damage – Stroke, dementia, mild cognitive impairment or Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) is common in one having high blood pressure.

What are the benefits of a Health Insurance Plan for Hypertension?

Now that we know what adverse effects hypertension has, we also can estimate the expenses to treat the effects of hypertension. So it is good to have a Health Insurance Plan for Hypertension. Below are the benefits of the Health Insurance Plan for Hypertension.

Saves Medical Costs – Hypertension may damage vital organs such as the kidney and liver when it is not under control. The effects of hypertension can leave you penniless when an emergency hits. So go for an apt health insurance plan which will save you from expenses when the time comes. It should cover the cost of medicine and diagnostic tests.
Cover Diagnostic Tests – Hypertension is a condition which needs frequent diagnostic tests. So the hypertension insurance covers them for you which others may not.
Lower Premium – The premium amount of the hypertension health insurance plans depends upon the age of the insurer. The younger the policyholder, the lower will be the premium. Usually, these plans have a very less premium compared to others.

Why should you buy hypertension health insurance?

When hypertension is not under control, an individual is prone to many complications relating to vital organs like the heart, kidney and brain. And hospitalizations for these may be expensive and can cause a financial dent without any health cover. And healthcare costs are getting an expensive day on day. Financial advisors say that one should buy health covers to monetarily save oneself from the implications of hypertension. Always reduce your burden by covering expensive treatments. Pre-existing conditions usually have a waiting period of 1-2 years, so buy early.

How much insurance cover should one buy?

One should buy insurance cover that adequately covers oneself. City dwellers should opt for higher coverage as all treatments would be costlier.

Summing up

Hypertension is becoming more common and every household in India has at least one hypertension patient. So buying a hypertension health insurance policy is a must to give you financial protection. Insurance will save you from hassle in case of a medical emergency due to hypertension. Be safe and by yourself a health cover.

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