Health By far the most common medical condition affecting the adult population is high blood pressure, yet most are not familiar with information relating to the mechanism, ideal levels that should be attained and the importance of good control. High blood pressure – or hypertension, as it is medically labelled – affects more than seven-anda-half million Canadians, which represents about one in five adults. It is considerably higher as one ages and is slightly more prevalent in women. Almost 20% of adults are unaware of their hypertension and are at even greater risk of complications and premature death. Normal blood pressure exists when the normal amount of blood pumped from the heart in a single beat impacts on normal healthy arterial walls outside the heart. If the blood output is higher than normal, or the resistance of the arterial walls is increased through stiffness or narrowing, a higher than normal blood pressure exists. Hypertension in more than 95% of individuals is called essential, the cause of which is poorly understood, but is not associated with any identifiable cause. It is more common with a family history of hypertension, certain ethnic groups, aging, obesity, high salt intake, excessive alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise and diabetes. Hypertension Canada, a well-recognized body of clinical and scientific professionals, provides guidelines to physicians wherein they recommend that all patients found to be hypertensive should have a minimum number of tests to rule out other major causes of hypertension. These include urinalysis, blood chemistry, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol level and an electrocardiogram. Rare causes of hypertension can usually be ruled out. Understanding High Blood Pressure by Robert MacMillan MD 46 | www.snowbirds.org
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