Hypertensive heart disease refers to different heart problems due to persistent elevation of blood pressure which causes structural and functional changes to the heart. This may lead to complications such as heart failure and sudden cardiac death. High blood pressure is a major health problem that affects 26.1% of the world’s population. women are more likely than men to have high blood pressure, which increases their risk of heart failure by three times.
High blood pressure has no symptoms, so symptoms will appear after the heart has already been damaged.
Symptoms may include:
Palpitations
Stroke
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Fatigue
Swelling of feet
Abdominal distension
Fainting
Sudden cardiac death
Visit a Cardiologist for proper diagnosis and treatment if you have any of these symptoms
Many risk factors may lead to hypertensive heart disease such as:
High blood pressure
Older age
Family history
Diabetes
Obesity
High salt diet (>3 g /day)
Low physical activity
Alcohol
Smoking
Diagnostic tests are done to examine the presence of damage in the heart and other organs.
Electrocardiogram (a simple test to examine the rhythm and electrical activity of the heart using skin-attached sensors to detect the electrical signals produced by the heart during each beat).
Echocardiogram (a type of ultrasound scan that is used to examine the heart valves and how it pumps blood to the body to know if there’s structural heart disease).
Laboratory tests (a blood or urine sample is used to measure the levels of potassium, magnesium, urea, creatinine, thyroid-stimulating hormone...etc).
Medications to treat hypertension should be used and if heart failure has occurred it should be managed.
Many medications that work in different ways may be used to treat hypertension. Medication can be used alone or in combination with other ones according to the case. (ex: Captopril, Ramipril, Enalapril, Azilsartan, Valsartan, Losartan potassium, Amlodipine, Verapamil, Furosemide, Bisoprolol fumarate, Metoprolol tartrate, Hydralazine).
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