High blood pressure used to be a disease affecting the old. A recent trend shows that even people with white-collar jobs are getting affected. This can be attributed to working professionals having unpredictable schedules, long working hours, irregular timing for eating and sleeping, anxiety in the work environment, and overuse of stimulants such as coffee or tea.
Common to people with this type of hypertension is an isolated increase in diastolic blood pressure. In about 80% of cases, only the diastolic pressure is elevated. However, because the general public perceives the systolic (higher) pressure as more important, the elevated diastolic pressure is often ignored. In fact, elevation in diastolic pressure can do just as damage to the heart, brain, kidney, or other organs as an elevation in systolic pressure.
If the elevated blood pressure is associated with symptoms such as dizziness, headache, any impairment in the arms or legs, facial twitching, or change in personality/mannerism, go see a doctor immediately. If further symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath are present, it’s a sign that hypertension is now affecting other organs. If you develop swelling, back pain, or foamy urine, it could be a sign that the kidneys are affected. Laboratory blood tests can be used to check the conditions of various organs and detect any problem before damage has occurred.