Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Description

Hypertension is a disease that can occur at any age. It is defined as an elevation in the pressure of the blood vessels of the body as blood moves through them. When athletes exercise, blood pressure increases, but it returns to normal when exercise is stopped. When athletes have high blood pressure, the pressure is elevated even at rest. The constant elevation of blood pressure puts increased strain on the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels and is associated with increased risk of conditions such as heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and peripheral vascular disease. In the majority of people (about 70%), the reason for hypertension is not determined, and the elevation in blood pressure is called essential hypertension.

Common signs and symptoms

Hypertension does not usually cause symptoms in the early stages of the disease. It can, however, present as a sudden change in athletic performance, with the following signs and symptoms:

• Increasing fatigue

• Headache

• Nosebleeds

• Numbness and tingling of hands and feet (paresthesias)

• Shortness of breath

• Rapid heart rate felt in the chest (palpitations)

Causes

• Anabolic steroid use

• Stimulants such as caffeine, cocaine, ephedrine (Ma-Huang), phenylpropanolamine, and amphetamines

• Obesity

• Kidney disease

• Diseases of the adrenal glands

• Excessive alcohol use

• Excessive salt intake

• Narrowing of the large blood vessels of the body (coarctation of the aorta)

• Diseases of blood vessels

Factors that increase risk

• Obesity

• Lack of exercise

• Use of anabolic steroids

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