Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes High Blood Pressure In Elderly?
Question: Hi I am 52 years old male & had stress test 5 months back with normal BP & positive result. Suddenly by BP shoots up to 170/130 mm one day & have to undergo angioplasty for 2 blockages.
My question is whether I shall be considered as preexisting hypertension medical case for the angioplasty done now whereas 5 months back I did not have any problem & had successfully under gone the stress test with positive result.
My question is whether I shall be considered as preexisting hypertension medical case for the angioplasty done now whereas 5 months back I did not have any problem & had successfully under gone the stress test with positive result.
Brief Answer:
You would be labelled as recently diagnosed hypertension
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
Most often the onset of hypertension goes undetected as it is frequently without any symptoms in the initial stages. It is very unlikely that development of such a high blood pressure is without any previous history, it had probably just gone undetected. It might be labelled as recently diagnosed hypertension. In any case it does not matter since apart from angioplasty, you need treatment for hypertension anyway.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Kunal Saha
You would be labelled as recently diagnosed hypertension
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
Most often the onset of hypertension goes undetected as it is frequently without any symptoms in the initial stages. It is very unlikely that development of such a high blood pressure is without any previous history, it had probably just gone undetected. It might be labelled as recently diagnosed hypertension. In any case it does not matter since apart from angioplasty, you need treatment for hypertension anyway.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Dr. Kunal Saha
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for reply, however is there any possibility that blockages in the arteries of heart could be the result of any other discrepancies rather than the hypertension.
Brief Answer:
Hypertension is an association and not the cause.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
Hypertension does not cause the blockages. It is just caused due to the same cardiovascular risk factors that predispose to atherosclerosis which causes the blockages. The blockages occur due to deposition of fatty or atheromatous plaque inside the blood vessels of the heart and thus occlude the passage causing less blood to reach the drained areas. Such a condition may have linkages to genetic predisposition, sedentary lifestyle, food intake greater than output, smoking, drinking, degerative and oxidative processes etc.
Hope that helps.
If you found my answer helpful, please close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.
Regards
Dr. Kunal Saha
Hypertension is an association and not the cause.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
Hypertension does not cause the blockages. It is just caused due to the same cardiovascular risk factors that predispose to atherosclerosis which causes the blockages. The blockages occur due to deposition of fatty or atheromatous plaque inside the blood vessels of the heart and thus occlude the passage causing less blood to reach the drained areas. Such a condition may have linkages to genetic predisposition, sedentary lifestyle, food intake greater than output, smoking, drinking, degerative and oxidative processes etc.
Hope that helps.
If you found my answer helpful, please close the thread with a positive review and a 5 star rating.
Regards
Dr. Kunal Saha
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for your helpful answer, but can a person prove medically or legally that hypertension is not the cause of blockages of arteries in the heart.
Thanks for your helpful answer, but can a person prove medically or legally that hypertension is not the cause of blockages of arteries in the heart.
Thanks for your helpful answer, but can a person prove medically or legally that hypertension is not the cause of blockages of arteries in the heart.
Brief Answer:
There is already a positive correlation between these two factors.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
I think that there is some misconception in framing the question. Let me explain in slightly different terms. Let us imagine a condition where a dog barked and a balloon suddenly popped. So, did the barking of the dog cause the balloon to pop? In scientific terms we would say that these two factors were concurrently present. But concurrence does not prove causality. But the primary assumption would be that probably these two are not related as cause and effect as there is not reason for that to happen. Now if the two factors were say drinking and driving, the assumption would not have been that simple since these two are actually related. In case of hypertension and the blockages, there is indeed a positive correlation although they might not be related as cause and effect.
Hope that you understand. Purposefully I have skipped trying to answer your actual question.
Regards
Dr. Kunal Saha
There is already a positive correlation between these two factors.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
I think that there is some misconception in framing the question. Let me explain in slightly different terms. Let us imagine a condition where a dog barked and a balloon suddenly popped. So, did the barking of the dog cause the balloon to pop? In scientific terms we would say that these two factors were concurrently present. But concurrence does not prove causality. But the primary assumption would be that probably these two are not related as cause and effect as there is not reason for that to happen. Now if the two factors were say drinking and driving, the assumption would not have been that simple since these two are actually related. In case of hypertension and the blockages, there is indeed a positive correlation although they might not be related as cause and effect.
Hope that you understand. Purposefully I have skipped trying to answer your actual question.
Regards
Dr. Kunal Saha
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
