Describe the Physiology and Pharmacology of Hypertension Essay

Describe the Physiology and Pharmacology of Hypertension - Essay Example 2005) (Mackay and Mensah 2004) (WHO 2002). It is found that treating hypertension had lead to 40 percents reduction of cerebral stroke and about 15 percents reduction of acute myocardial infarction (WHO 2002) (Colins et al. 1990). What is interesting data obtained globally in the world found that about 62 percents of cerebral insults and about 50 percents of ischemic heart morbidity can be attributed to sub-optimal regulated blood pressure (systolic pressure above 115 mmHg). This only means that blood pressure should be monitored more closely by trained and experienced physicians. However World health organization found that globally the ability to treat hypertension is variable with huge difference between the countries. In this survey conducted on 167 countries by the World health organization in 67 percents of them there was no national anti-hypertension program, physicians were not trained to manage hypertension in 45 percents of the countries, antihypertensive drugs were not ava ilable in 25 percents, basic equipment was not available in 8 percents etc. (Alwan et al. 2001). Hypertension is believed to be a disease of the modern society, but the prevalence of hypertension in developing countries, especially in the urban areas is now similar to the prevalence in western countries (Vorster 2002). This can be attributed to the modern day of life that is accepted in the developing countries because it is found that primitive people around the world have no hypertension and their blood pressure doesn’t elevate with age (Carvalho et al 1989). This is important because we can see that hypertension is a modifiable factor that is dependent on the lifestyle of the person and along with other modifiable factors like obesity, stress, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol intake, vitamin D deficiency and other factors. Hypertension however is the most important modifiable factor that can significantly influence the well being of the general population worldwide (K yrou et al. 2006) (Wofford and Hall 2004). Hypertension is defined as elevated systolic or diastolic pressure above the normal reference values. Normal blood pressure is systolic blood pressure lower that 120 mmHg and diastolic pressure lower that 80 mmHg The systolic pressure is recognized as normal in population above age 50 if it is not greater than 140 mmHg and systolic not greater than 90 mmHg. (Chobanian et al. 2003). There are two main types of hypertension primary and secondary hypertension. Secondary hypertension is responsible for only 5 percents of the incidence of hypertension worldwide (Chiong et al 2008). It is a condition where the elevated blood pressure is a result of some other morbidity within the organism that is treatable or non treatable and is the primary factor for elevated blood pressure. It is very important to distinguish between these two types because the treatment is much different. Secondary hypertension can be caused by variety of condition like disea se in endocrine system like Cushing’s disease where the adrenal glands produce excess cortisol (Dodt et al. 2009). Other condition that can lead to secondary hypertension is hyperthyroidism, where in order to treat the hypertension we will also need to treat the primary disease that is causing the elevated bloo