stress make the blood pressure be high

WHY STRESS MAKE THE BLOOD PRESSURE BE HIGH

A.            Stress

1.      Definisi of stress

Stress is a term in psychology and biology, first coined in the biological context in the 1930s, which has in more recent decades become a common place of popular parlance. It refers to the consequence of the failure of an organism human or animal to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats, whether actual or imagined.

2.      Factors of stress

Stress comes can come from two possible sources: externally or internally. Which means to tackle stress you need to recognize that there is a relationship between what you do during the day, and what happens after you think you've switched off.

External factors, contributing to stress include:
- Major life changes
- Work
- Relationship difficulties
- Financial problems
- Being too busy
- Children and family
 

Internal factors, contributing to stress include:
- Inability to accept uncertainty
- Pessimism- Negative self-talk
- Unrealistic expectations
- Perfectionism

- Lack of assertiveness

3.      Stress symptoms

Stress symptoms commonly include a state of alarm and adrenaline production, short-term resistance as a coping mechanism, and exhaustion, as well as irritability, muscular tension, inability to concentrate and a variety of physiological reactions such as headache and elevated heart rate.

4.      Neurochemistry and physiology

The neurochemistry of the stress response is now believed to be well understood, although much remains to be discovered about how the components of this system interact with one another, In the brain and throughout in the body. In response to a stressor, neurons with cell bodies in the paraventricular nuclei (PVN) of the hypothalamus secrete corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) into the hypophyseal portal system.

The locus ceruleus and other noradrenergic cell groups of the adrenal medulla and pons, collectively known as the LC/NE system, also become active and use brain epinephrine to execute autonomic and neuroendocrine responses, serving as a global alarm system.

The autonomic nervous system provides the rapid response to stress commonly known as the fight-or-flight response, engaging the sympathetic nervous system and with drawing the parasympathetic nervous system, there by enacting cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, renal, and endocrine changes. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), a major part of the neuroendocrine system involving the interactions of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands, is also activated by release of CRH and AVP.

5.      Impact on disease

Chronic stress can significantly affect many of the body's immune systems, as can an individual's perceptions of, and reactions to, stress. The term psychoneuroimmunology is used to describe the interactions between the mental state, nervous and immune systems, as well as research on the interconnections of these systems. Immune system changes can create more vulnerability to infection, and have been observed to increase the potential for an outbreak of psoriasis for people with that skin disorder.

Chronic stress has also been shown to impair developmental growth in children by lowering the pituitary gland's production of growth hormone, as in children associated with a home environment involving serious marital discord, alcoholism, or child abuse.

Studies of female monkeys at Wake Forest University (2009) discovered that individuals suffering from higher stress have higher levels of visceral fat in their bodies. This suggests a possible cause-and-effect link between the two, wherein stress promotes the accumulation of visceral fat, which in turn causes hormonal and metabolic changes that contribute to heart disease and other health problems.

This results in release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary into the general bloodstream, which results in secretion of cortisol and other glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex. The related compound, cortisone, is frequently used as a key anti-inflammatory component in drugs that treat skin rashes and in nasal sprays that treat asthma and sinusitis. Recently, scientists realized the brain also uses cortisol to suppress the immune system and reduce inflammation within the body. These corticoids involve the whole body in the organism's response to stress and ultimately contribute to the termination of the response via inhibitory feedback.

B.     High blood pressure

1.      Definisi of high blood pressure

High blood pressure (HBP) is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems.

"Blood pressure" is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps out blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage the body in many ways.

About 1 in 3 adults in the United States has HBP. HBP itself usually has no symptoms. You can have it for years without knowing it. During this time, though, it can damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of your body.

This is why knowing your blood pressure numbers is important, even when you're feeling fine. If your blood pressure is normal, you can work with your health care team to keep it that way. If your blood pressure is too high, you need treatment to prevent damage to your body's organs.

Blood pressure numbers include systolic (sis-TOL-ik) and diastolic (di-a-STOL-ik) pressures. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.

You will most often see blood pressure numbers written with the systolic number above or before the diastolic, such as 120/80 mmHg. (The mmHg is millimeters of mercury—the units used to measure blood pressure.)

The table below shows normal numbers for adults. It also shows which numbers put you at greater risk for health problems. Blood pressure tends to go up and down, even in people who have normal blood pressure. If your numbers stay above normal most of the time, you're at risk.

Categories for Blood Pressure Levels in Adults (in mmHg, or millimeters of mercury)

Category	Systolic (top number)		Diastolic (bottom number)
Normal	Less than 120	And	Less than 80
Prehypertension	120–139	Or	80–89
High blood pressure
Stage 1	140–159	Or	90–99
Stage 2	160 or higher	Or	100 or higher

The ranges in the table apply to most adults (aged 18 and older) who don't have short-term serious illnesses.

All levels above 120/80 mmHg raise your risk, and the risk grows as blood pressure levels rise. "Prehypertension" means you're likely to end up with HBP, unless you take steps to prevent it.

If you're being treated for HBP and have repeat readings in the normal range, your blood pressure is under control. However, you still have the condition. You should see your doctor and stay on treatment to keep you blood pressure under control.

Your systolic and diastolic numbers may not be in the same blood pressure category. In this case, the more severe category is the one you're in. For example, if your systolic number is 160 and your diastolic number is 80, you have stage 2 HBP. If your systolic number is 120 and your diastolic number is 95, you have stage 1 HBP.

If you have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, HBP is defined as 130/80 mmHg or higher. HBP numbers also differ for children and teens.

2.      Factors of high blood pressure

There are many things which contribute to an individual's risk of developing high blood pressure. These things are collectively called "risk factors." Many diseases have important risk factors, and high blood pressure is no exception.

1. Age

Being older than age 55 is an important risk factor. Simply stated, the odds of developing high blood pressure increase as we get older.

2. Ethnicity

Being black is associated with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. New studies are inconclusive on whether the risk is equivalent between African Americans and people of African heritage who have never left the African continent.¹

3. Gender

At younger ages, women are less likely to develop high blood pressure than men. This risk equalizes later in life, but statistically, women are still less likely to develop high blood pressure, overall.

4. Family History

Having a family history of high blood pressure places you in a higher risk category than someone with no family history of high blood pressure. However, what this actually means is still a topic of research. It is clear that family history plays an important role in determining risk, but there are probably more important factors, and they are under your control.²

5. Smoking

Smoking is the number 1 risk factor over which you have control. Smoking is such a powerful risk factor for so many different human diseases that doctors are encouraged to ask every patient who smokes if they would like to quit - every time they visit the office! Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health.

6. Activity Level / Exercise

A low exercise lifestyle leads to a weak heart, poor exercise tolerance, and obesity. All of which have been implicated in the development of high blood pressure.

7. Diet

While there is evidence that specific items, such as salt, can worsen high blood pressure in certain individuals, the main impact that diet plays in high blood pressure risk is that it is a big factor in how much you weigh.

8. Medications and Street Drugs

Certain medications can cause or worsen high blood pressure, as can a wide variety of street, or "recreational" drugs, like cocaine, crack, and amphetamines ("speed").

9. Kidney Problems

The kidneys are very important regulators of long term blood pressure, and damage to the kidneys - such as can occur from diabetes - almost invariably leads to high blood pressure.

10. Other Medical Problems

Hormone imbalances, certain anatomic abnormalities, tumors, and other medical problems can cause a type of high blood pressure known as secondary hypertension.

¹Fejerman, et al. The effect of Genetic Variation in Angiotensinogen on Serum Levels and Blood Pressure: A Comparison of Nigerians and US Blacks, Journal of Human Hyptertension, Sept 14, 2006.)
²Winnicki, et al., 2006, Lifestyle, Family History, and Progression of Hypertension, Journal of Hypertension, 24(8)1479-87

C.    The relasion between stress make blood pressure be higher

Even though many researchers have studied the link between high blood pressure and stress, there's no proof stress by itself causes long-term high blood pressure. It may be that other behaviors linked to stress — such as overeating, drinking alcohol and poor sleep habits — cause high blood pressure.

Researchers have also studied the link between heart disease and mental health conditions related to stress, such as anxiety, depression, and isolation from friends and family. While it's thought that these conditions may be linked to coronary artery disease, there's no evidence they're linked to high blood pressure. Instead, it may be that the hormones produced when you're emotionally stressed may damage your arteries, leading to heart disease. It may also be that being depressed or hopeless may cause self-destructive behavior, such as neglecting to take your medications to control high blood pressure or other heart conditions. With the other word, we can say that stress produce adrenalin hormon whom make the heart pump blood fastly, it cause the blood pressure be highly.

REFERENSI

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbp/HBP_WhatIs.html, diunduh 3 Juli 2010, 20:00 wib

http://highbloodpressure.about.com/od/understandyourrisk/tp/risk_tp.html, diunduh 3 Juli 2010, 20:30 wib

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-and-high-blood-pressure/HI00092, diunduh 3 Juli 2010, 21:00 wib