BY DEBORAH FEAIRHELLER
Hypertension is a global health problem. Defined as a resting blood pressure higher than 120/80 mmHg, recent statistics estimate that close to 80 million adults in the United States have high blood pressure. Treatment costs are close to $50 billion, and even with that, blood pressure awareness and control remain problems.1 Many people don’t even know they have hypertension, and many others cannot control their blood pressure despite daily medication. Surprisingly, the majority of the population does not even know what blood pressure is, what increases it, what causes it to change, or how much it can fluctuate throughout the day.
High blood pressure increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and stroke.2,3 Blood pressure increases with age and with body weight. Blood pressure is the product of vascular resistance (compliance of the blood vessels) and cardiac output. Blood vessels are made of muscle and, much like our large muscles, they can become less pliable. Dynamic changes in the smooth muscle activity as well as alterations in molecular signal traffic through the blood vessels define how the blood vessel lining responds.4 This can lead to an increase in vascular resistance, and increased resistance stiffens the blood vessels. Consider old and worn-out fire hose; it stiffens with age. Blood vessels are similar; they age and become less pliable.
If you are a current subscriber,login hereto access this content.
If you would like to become a subscriber, please visit ushere.
