Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure Symptoms

Screening and prevention are the best ways to protect your health, since there are many symptoms of high blood pressure. At every check up, your doctor should measure your blood pressure. The average blood pressure is what your normal blood pressure measurement is. Taking it one time does not reflect your true average.

Lots of people don't notice or experience the symptoms of high blood pressure, even though they suffer from this condition. In many cases, someone could experience the high blood pressure symptoms but mistake them for the symptoms of some other disorder. But at some time or other, most people with high blood pressure will experience some of the following symptoms:

* Headache - This can be one of the biggest hints when it comes to high blood pressure symptoms. * Dizziness * Irritableness * Queasiness * Feeling Hot * Faintness

When high blood pressure is left untreated, it can cause many issues, like organ damage. Just a few of the examples of what high blood pressure can induce include eye damage and vision problems, stroke, aneurysms, and heart attack. It's important that if you have experienced any symptoms of high blood pressure that you contact your doctor immediately. This could be a life or death situation, and you need to get it under control. Even if you haven't experienced symptoms, if you have a history of high blood pressure in your family, you should get your blood pressure taken regularly to monitor arising problems.

You may also be able to help prevent high blood pressure problems and symptoms by eating a healthy diet, exercising, and avoiding alcohol and cigarettes. Prevention: That's the key to healthy and happy living. Take control of your life and your health.

Psychological drug tolerance, Sensitization

The reward system is partly responsible for the psychological part of drug tolerance;

The CREB protein, a transcription factor activated by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) immediately after a high, triggers genes that produce proteins such as dynorphin, which cuts off dopamine release and temporarily inhibits the reward circuit. In chronic drug users, a sustained activation of CREB thus forces a larger dose to be taken to reach the same effect. In addition it leaves the user feeling generally depressed and dissatisfied, and unable to find pleasure in previously enjoyable activities, often leading to a return to the drug for an additional "fix".

Sensitization is the increase in sensitivity to a drug after prolonged use. The proteins delta FosB and regulator of G-protein Signaling 9-2 (RGS 9-2) are thought to be involved:

A transcription factor, known as delta FosB, is thought to activate genes that, counter to the effects of CREB, actually increase the user's sensitivity to the effects of the substance. Delta FosB slowly builds up with each exposure to the drug and remains activated for weeks after the last exposure—long after the effects of CREB have faded. The hypersensitivity that it causes is thought to be responsible for the intense cravings associated with drug addiction, and is often extended to even the peripheral cues of drug use, such as related behaviors or the sight of drug paraphernalia. There is some evidence that delta FosB even causes structural changes within the nucleus accumbens, which presumably helps to perpetuate the cravings, and may be responsible for the high incidence of relapse that occur in treated drug addicts.

Regulator of G-protein Signaling 9-2 (RGS 9-2) has recently been the subject of several animal knockout studies. Animals lacking RGS 9-2 appear to have increased sensitivity to dopamine receptor agonists such as cocaine and amphetamines; over-expression of RGS 9-2 causes a lack of responsiveness to these same agonists. RGS 9-2 is believed to catalyze inactivation of the G-protein coupled D2 receptor by enhancing the rate of GTP hydrolysis of the G alpha subunit which transmits signals into the interior of the cell.

Drugs causing addiction

Drugs known to cause addiction include illegal drugs as well as prescription or over-the-counter drugs.

* Stimulants:
o Amphetamine and Methamphetamine;
o Caffeine;
o Cocaine;
o Nicotine.

* Sedatives and Hypnotics:
o Alcohol;
o Barbiturates;
o Benzodiazepines, particularly alprazolam, clonazepam, temazepam, and nimetazepam;
o Methaqualone and the related quinazolinone sedative-hypnotics;
o GHB and analogues (specifically GBL).

* Opiate and Opioid analgesics;
o Morphine and Codeine, the two naturally-occurring opiate analgesics;
o Semi-synthetic opiates, such as Heroin (Diacetylmorphine), Oxycodone, and Hydromorphone;
o Fully synthetic opiods, such as Fentanyl and its analogs, Meperidine/Pethidine, and Methadone;
* Anabolic steroids.

Addictive drugs also includes a large number of substrates that are currently considered to have no medical value and are not available over the counter or by prescription.

The legality of psychoactive drugs

The legality of psychoactive drugs has been controversial through most of history; the Opium Wars and Prohibition are two historical examples of legal controversy surrounding psychoactive drugs. However, in recent years, the most influential document regarding the legality of psychoactive drugs is the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, an international treaty signed in 1961 as an Act of the United Nations. Signed by 73 nations including the United States, the USSR, India, and the United Kingdom, the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs established Schedules for the legality of each drug and laid out an international agreement to fight addiction to recreational drugs by combatting the sale, trafficking, and use of scheduled drugs. All countries that signed the treaty passed laws to implement these rules within their borders. However, some countries that signed the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, such as the Netherlands, are more lenient with their enforcement of these laws.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authority over all drugs, including psychoactive drugs. The FDA regulates which psychoactive drugs are over the counter and which are only available with a prescription. However, certain psychoactive drugs, like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs listed in the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs are subject to criminal laws. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 regulates the recreational drugs outlined in the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Alcohol is regulated by state governments, but the federal National Minimum Drinking Age Act penalizes states for not following a national drinking age. Tobacco is also regulated by all fifty state governments. Most people accept such restrictions and prohibitions of certain drugs, especially the "hard" drugs, which are illegal in most countries.

In the medical context, psychoactive drugs as a treatment for illness is widespread and generally accepted. Little controversy exists concerning over the counter psychoactive medications in antiemetics and antitussives. Psychoactive drugs are commonly prescribed to patients with psychiatric disorders. However, certain critics believe that certain prescription psychoactives, such as antidepressants and stimulants, are overprescribed and threaten patients' judgement and autonomy.

Uses of psychoactive substances

Psychoactive substances are used by humans for a number of different purposes, both legal and illicit.

Anesthesia

General anesthetics are a class of psychoactive drug used on patients to block pain and other sensations. Most anesthetics induce unconsciousness, which allows patients to undergo medical procedures like surgery without physical pain or emotional trauma. To induce unconsciousness, anesthetics affect the GABA and NMDA systems. For example, halothane is a GABA agonist, and ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist.

Painkillers

Psychoactive drugs are often prescribed to manage pain. As the subjective experience of pain is regulated by endorphins, neurochemicals that are endogenous opioids, pain can be managed using psychoactives that operate on this neurotransmitter system. This class of drugs includes narcotics, like morphine and codeine, and also NSAIDs such as aspirin and ibuprofen.

Psychiatric medications

Psychiatric medications are prescribed for the management of mental and emotional disorders. There are 6 major classes of psychiatric medications:

* Antidepressants, which are used to treat disparate disorders such as clinical depression, dysthymia, anxiety, eating disorders and borderline personality disorder.
* Stimulants, which are used to treat disorders such as attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy and to suppress the appetite.
* Antipsychotics, which are used to treat psychoses such as schizophrenia and mania.
* Mood stabilizers, which are used to treat bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder.
* Anxiolytics, which are used to treat anxiety disorders.
* Depressants, which are used as hypnotics, sedatives, and anesthetics.

Recreational drugs

Many psychoactive substances are used for their mood and perception altering effects, including those with accepted uses in medicine and psychiatry. Classes of drugs frequently used recreationally include:

* Stimulants, which elevate the central nervous system. These are used recreationally for their euphoric and performance-enhancing effects.
* Hallucinogens, which induce perceptual and cognitive distortions.
* Hypnotics, which are used recreationally to because they induce inebriation.
* Analgesics, which are used recreationally because of their euphoric effects.

Examples include caffeine, alcohol, cocaine, LSD, and cannabis.

In many cultures, possessing or having used recreational drugs is seen as a status symbol. Recreational drugs, especially those known as club drugs, are seen as status symbols at social events such as at nightclubs and parties. This is true of many cultures throughout history; drugs have been viewed as status symbols since ancient times. For example, in ancient Egypt, gods were commonly pictured holding hallucinogenic plants.