DRUGS CAN LEAD TO HYPERTENSION

DRUGS CAN LEAD TO HYPERTENSION

Everyone agrees that something must be done about the tremendous physical and emotional health problems that drug abuse causes. Concern about the abuse of drugs is so widespread that recent polls indicate it to be one of the most serious problems in today's world, threatening the security and freedom of whole nations. Politicians, health experts and much of the general public feel that no issue is more important than drug abuse. America's other pressing social problems disease especially hypertension , poverty, child abuse and neglect, and corruption- often have a common element; that is drug abuse. The use of illegal drugs such as cocaine, 

crack, heroin and marijuana cause extensive harm to the body and brain. Yet, even after knowing this many people want illegal drugs to be legalized in every aspect. If you suspect that you have or may be in the risk zone for developing high blood pressure, get in touch with your doctor sooner rather than later. Diet and exercise is your first line of defense against high blood pressure, but you may need an extra push through medication. Don't put it off, this is a case where an ounce of prevention truly is better than a pound of cure - just ask a heart attack survivor.

Hypertension or high blood pressure, is caused by a number of variables, from stress and obesity to diabetes and cancer. Many drugs also can cause high blood pressure. Prescribed medications and over-the-counter drugs often carry side effects that increase blood pressure. Caffeine, alcohol and illegal drugs are known to cause high blood pressure as well. Sometimes the medicine used to treat high blood pressure turns on a patient and ends up creating even higher blood pressure readings. A physician can perform tests to find out which drugs may be contributing to high blood pressure. Drugs that speed up the heart and increase blood flow are obvious culprits  of elevated blood pressure levels. People who take drug, even those prescribed by a doctor for weight loss or sleep disorders, should be monitored closely for blood pressure swings. When blood pressure is found to be elevated, patients must inform their doctors if they are taking any over-the-counter appetite suppressants. Stroke and heart attack are serious consequences associated with high blood pressure. While hormone replacement therapy (HRT)  for menopausal women is not a common cause of high blood pressure, reports indicate that women with a tendency toward high blood pressure may be adversely affected. Close blood pressure monitoring is recommended for women on HRT regimens. Synthetic hormones, such as prednisone and progestin, also are used to treat menopausal symptoms and show a higher increase in blood pressure side effects. The drug erythropoietin, used to treat anemia by increasing the production of red blood cells, has been reported to cause blood pressure spikes. It is a hormone that is often prescribed to patients with chronic diseases.

One of the health problem that related to drug abuse is hypertension. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is chronically elevated. With every heart beat, the heart pumps blood through the arteries to the rest of the body. Blood pressure is the force of blood that is pushing up against the walls of the blood vessels. If the pressure is too high, the heart has to work harder to pump, and this could lead to organ damage and several illnesses such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure, aneurysm, or renal failure. 140/90 or above is considered hypertension. Hypertension may be classified as essential or secondary. Essential hypertension is the term for high blood pressure with unknown cause. It accounts for about 95% of cases. Secondary hypertension is the term for high blood pressure with a known direct cause, such as kidney disease, tumors, or birth control pills. Some 73 million adults the United States are affected by hypertension. The condition also affects about two million teens and children.

The top number is called the systolic blood pressure, and the bottom number is called the diastolic blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is when your blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mmHg most of the time. High blood pressure (hypertension) is when your blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or above most of the time. If your blood pressure numbers are 120/80 or higher, but below 140/90, it is called pre-hypertension. If you have pre-hypertension, you are more likely to develop high blood pressure. If you have heart or kidney problems, or if you had a stroke, your doctor may want your blood pressure to be even lower than that of people who do not have these conditions.

Most of the time, there are no symptoms. For most patients, high blood pressure is found when they visit their health care provider or have it checked elsewhere. Because there are no symptoms, people can develop heart disease and kidney problems without knowing they have high blood pressure. If you have a severe headache, nausea or vomiting, bad headache,confusion, changes in your vision, or nosebleeds you may have a severe and dangerous form of high blood pressure called malignant hypertension. 

Your health care provider will check your blood pressure several times before diagnosing you with high blood pressure. It is normal for your blood pressure to be different depending on the time of day. Blood pressure readings taken at home may be a better measure of your current blood pressure than those taken at your doctor's office. Make sure you get a good quality, well-fitting home device. It should have the proper sized cuff and a digital readout. Practice with your health care provider or nurse to make sure you are taking your blood pressure correctly. Your doctor will perform a physical exam to look for signs of heart disease, damage to the eyes, and other changes in your body. Tests may be done to look for high cholesterol levels, heart disease, such as an echocardiogram  or electrocardiogram and kidney disease, such as a basic metabolic panel and urinalysis  or ultrasound of the kidneys.

The goal of treatment is to reduce blood pressure so that you have a lower risk of complications. You and your health care provider should set a blood pressure goal for you.If you have pre-hypertension, your health care provider will recommend lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down to a normal range. Medicines are rarely used for pre-hypertension.

You can do many things to help control your blood pressure, including eat a heart-healthy diet, including potassium and fiber, and drink plenty of water. High blood pressure and diet, exercise regularly at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day. If you smoke, quit and find a program that will help you stop. Limit the amount of sodium (salt) you eat by aim for less than 1,500 mg per day. Reduce stress by try to avoid things that cause you stress. You can also try meditation. Stay at a healthy body weight and find a weight-loss program to help you, if you need it.

Your health care provider can help you find programs for losing weight, stopping smoking, and exercising. You can also get a referral from your doctor to a dietitian, who can help you plan a diet that is healthy for you. There are many different medicines that can be used to treat high blood pressure. Often, a single blood pressure drug may not be enough to control your blood pressure, and you may need to take two or more drugs. It is very important that you take the medications prescribed to you. If you have side effects, your health care provider can substitute a different medication. Most of the time, high blood pressure can be controlled with medicine and lifestyle changes. Adults over 18 should have their blood pressure checked regularly. Last but not least, lifestyle changes may help control your blood pressure. 

 The answer overall is yes, drugs can cause hypertension in some people in certain conditions, but there is no way of knowing without the opinion of a licensed medical practitioner. There are an infinite number of reasons that the hypertension might be present. Because of the treatment needed for hypertension, only a physician can determine whether or not to change the medication. Even if high blood pressure is caused by the drug, the physician may just adjust the doses of medications or change the regimen  based on the best evidence of the symptoms. Legalization  of drugs is not in the future of the country. Why does the idea of legalization appear and reappear when there is so little support for it? Some proponents of legalization are seeking to normalize the behavior of drug- taking, and many of them are people who use, or have used drugs with little significant impact. Many proponents are wealthy members of the elite who live in suburbs and have never seen the damage that drugs and violence have bring on poor communities. An overwhelming majority of Americans are opposed to legalization of drugs. They understand that many crimes are committed by people using drugs not to support their habit, but because drugs provoke the user’s criminal nature. The majority of Americans understand that the crime problem will get worse, not better, if drugs were more widely available to our society as we know that it can lead to health disease which is hypertension. It will take more than just money too. It will take more than prisons, cops, treatment centers and learning programs. The people are the main problem.

And it will take the people who know the relationship between drugs and crime and care enough to do something about it. It will take people who care enough to say no to drugs. Remember, your health is your life.