It heart is a beating muscle That blood pumps through the body through a network of arteries. The pressure of the flowing blood continuously loads the inner walls of the blood vessels. The blood pressure can be measured to determine the amount of blood being pumped by the heart, and to get an idea of the flexibility and condition of the vessels.
Numerous factors can affect blood pressure, including:
-the hormone levels in the body
-the water- and saltblood level
-the state of the heart, the kidneys, the nervous system and blood vessels.
The blood pressure is precisely regulated by chemicals in the body that can vary the diameter of the blood vessels according to the needs of the body. They can widen the vessels to allow more blood to pass or constrict to restrict blood flow. One of the substances that helps narrow blood vessels is angiotensin II.
Angiotensin II is produced through a series of chemical reactions that take place in the body. To constrict the vessels, angiotensin II binds to proteins, the AT1 receptors, on the surface of smooth muscle in the blood vessels. As a result, the smooth muscles tighten and thus reduce the diameter of the blood vessel. If too much angiotensin II is circulating in the bloodstream, vessels can remain narrowed for too long, causing blood pressure to rise too high.
Hypertension, high blood pressure, is a condition in which blood pressure remains abnormally high. If left untreated, hypertension can cause serious damage to the heart and blood vessels because they are overworked. Possible consequences include heart failure, stroke, heart attack, kidney damage or vasodilation. Hypertension can be fatal. There are many factors that can cause high blood pressure. These are often factors that cause narrowing of the blood vessels.
For treating hypertension A type of blood pressure lowering medicine called angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) may be prescribed. They attach to AT1 receptors on smooth muscle cells in blood vessel walls, preventing angiotensin II from binding to them and stimulating smooth muscle to contract. By preventing blood vessels from narrowing, angiotensin II receptor blockers help maintain blood pressure.
There are several brands of angiotensin II receptor blockers. Like all drugs, they can have side effects. It is important to always discuss with the doctor which antihypertensive drugs are suitable.
