Impact of Biochemical and Physiological Factors on Hypertension

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of hypertension from both biochemical and physiological perspectives, emphasizing its significant impact on individual and societal health. It explores the biological factors influencing blood pressure, such as heart rate, arterial flexibility, and blood volume, as well as the physiological effects related to the autonomic nervous system and hormonal functions. The essay also discusses the prevalence of hypertension across different age groups in the UK, highlighting the role of environmental risks like stress, obesity, and sodium intake. Furthermore, it examines the importance of diet and exercise in managing hypertension, addressing both the benefits of potassium-rich diets and regular physical activity, alongside societal issues contributing to the condition. The discussion includes acute and chronic effects of dietary modifications and exercise on blood pressure, underscoring their effectiveness in reducing hypertension risks. This student-contributed assignment is available on Desklib, a platform offering a wide array of study tools and resources.

NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY(CORE)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

TASK 1
This essay will highlight on both, biochemical and physiological are considered an important
area for a society because it is directly related to the health of the nation. Thus, these areas are
contributed to improve the life of people and that is why, considered as an important element
under health and social care (Barasi, 2007). That is why, it has a major negative impact upon the
health as well as society. Also, nearly half of the adults suffered from hypertension and the signs
of high BP is severe headache, nosebleed, confusion, vision problems, chest pain and irregular
heart beat (Fuchs and Whelton, 2020).
High BP is a common condition where long term force of blood against the artery walls is
high and causes a problem of heart attack (Hinton and et.al., 2020). High blood pressure is
mainly occurred due to unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity that make obese people that
results to increases the risk of hypertension (Ozemek and et.al., 2020). The concept is also
underpinning because the main target to biochemical testing is determination of patients with
particular and treatable reason of hypertension (Blake, Munoz and Volpe, 2016). Therefore, the
information collected from biochemical test is used to determine the chances of risk among
patients. Although, there are many factors that also contributed to hypertension but the blood
pressure is also influenced by three different biological factors like faster heart beats, open and
flexible arteries and how much blood is pump through blood vessels (Mann and Truswell, 2017).
Apart from this, physiological term refers to normal function of living organism and their
parts. Thus, it is also related to hypertension which is related to interaction between autonomic
nervous system and includes sodium that also assist in the function of hormones. Geissler and
Powers (2017) explained in their study that there is a direct connection between physiological
which have an effect over hypertension because it is more likely to experience mood issues like
anxiety and depression. Though it is a manageable condition and lifestyle as well as medication
always helps to control blood pressure.
The effects of hypertension involved heart attack or stroke because high BP causes
hardening and thickening of arteries which leads to such complication (Geissler and Powers,
2017). Thus, when blood is not pumped properly it causes direct impact over the brain and might
lead to blockage or clots in brain which might lead to death as well. As per the survey conducted,

the occurrence of hypertension is among adults and also higher in men i.e. 51% than women.
The research also indicated that hypertension is prevalence among the age group of 18 to 39 is
22% whereas the people who fall under the age of 40 to 59 has suffered the medium level of
hypertension i.e. 54%. On the other side people whose age is above 60 and the chances of
occurring is 74% i.e. highest (Distribution of Hypertension among the different age group in
both genders, 2017). Thus, it can be stated that the occurrence of hypertension is related to age
group and when an individual is growing the changes of high BP issues increases as well. Along
with this, the symptoms related to hypertension is headache, shortness of breath that affect the
body and it’s functioning as well (Geissler and Powers, 2017).
Figure 1: Trend of hypertension in UK
(Source: Malliga and Elangovan., 2017)
The above graph shows that there is an increase in UK and due to less stress, the new cases will
be minimized and provide positive impact over the quality of life. However, the government of a
country take many steps in order to minimize the negative impact and for that they took a
support of voluntary organization such as Public Health England which provide support to

commissioners and providers to understand the equity of access to checks. Apart from this,
British Heart Foundation launched an innovative Blood Pressure Funding Award Programme
where detection and management can be performed effectively (Geissler and Powers, 2017).
Furthermore, the incidence of hypertension in UK is reflected that around one in three
adults in UK suffered from hypertension and half of the people with high BP are not even
diagnosed or receiving any treatment which in turn reflected that the country is suffering from
the disease and there is a need to solve the same as well (Lanham-New, Macdonald and Roche,
2011). Thus, it reflected that the data of prevalence and incidence with regard to hypertension,
many individuals are undiagnosed. Apart from this, there are many causes of increasing
hypertension which include environmental risk in which the exposure to chronic stress, obesity
control and salt intake. Hence, it can be reflected that due to outer or higher outdoor temperature,
the blood pressure might increase and this in turn causes to contribute to hypertension (Geissler
and Powers, 2017). Also, the level of potassium intake might affect blood pressure which might
causes direct impact over the blood and the rise the same as well. For example, the more
potassium individual eats, the more sodium will release and study reflected that potassium
always assist to ease the tension in a blood vessel walls which help to lower BP and increase
potassium through a diet as well (Geissler and Powers, 2017). Along with this, higher intake of
sodium changes the tonic of the body and as a result, it makes the blood volume increase with
retained fluids. Therefore, this increases the level of blood and leads to hypertension.
Yes, the guideline of High BP is changed in 2017 for adult, the normal BP is identified as
130/80 millimeters. A secondary study shows that about 14% more people will be diagnosed
with high BP and they are very much concern about the changing life style so to improve the
changes have been identified under this (High BP redefined for first time in 14 years:130 is the
new high, 2021).
Beside this, it has been also evaluated that biochemical causes of disease in an accessible
and succinct form where all bringing of pharmacology are closely aligned with biochemistry.
Therefore, it has been identified that with the change in a biochemical process within a body, an
individual might affected which causes a direct effect upon body. On the other side,
physiological is refers to the organ system in a body that helps to perform in perfect manner
(Lean, Combet and Barasi 2017). Thus, working of a body function is related to the

physiological mechanism in which behavior of a human being in which functional outcomes of a
brain is considered as a key function. Therefore, it can be stated that the physiological factor
contributes to increase the function and generate a better outcome as well (Lean, Combet and
Barasi 2017).
Through the above discussion, it has been evaluated that biochemical and physiological is
related to hypertension is not different. High BP is considered one of the major issues which
affect the health and lead to stroke in a body as well. The main cause of hypertension is
environment risk, ineffective diet, also, there is a change identified in authoritative guidelines
related to hypertension i.e., the standard rate is changed to 130 by 80 from 140 to 80.
TASK 2
It has been identified that hypertension is consider one of the most common problems
identified in people and in that the role of diet and exercise is considered the only solution that
helps to minimize the same. The present section main aim is to determine the role of diet and
exercise for management of hypertension because it is directly related to lifestyle of an
individual. Thus, the present section presented how these two ways assist to manage the issue
among people and provide a healthy and better life as well.
According to the views of Mann and Truswell (2017) hypertension is due to being obese
and tool much use of sodium in a diet. That is why, it is necessary for an individual to have a
proper control over diet as per their age group. Such that the more an individual is weigh, the
more blood flow need to supply the oxygen and nutrients to tissue. On the critically side, it has
been evaluated that having a little diet in potassium always increases the blood pressure which
affect the individual body as well. Hardman and Stensel (2009) argued that it has been clinically
proven than reduction in blood pressure, only dietary approach without caloric restriction result
in minimal improvements in insulin sensitivity. Thus, it has been realized that a healthy dietary
pattern like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes always decrease the BP.
There is devastating evidence that diet, smoking and physical inactivity are considered an
important determinants of chronic disease in which hypertension is majorly increases. So,
controlling over the diet always help to manage the blood pressure and working of an individual
effectively. Apart from this, it can be stated that a regular exercise also makes in individual more

stable and boost the immunity as well to improve many disease as well. Sehar Klammer
Ekmekcioglu (2019) investigated in their study that a regular physical activity makes an
individual heart stronger and also pump more blood with less effort. Also, weight loss is one of
the most effective lifestyle changes for controlling BP. Thus, modification in lifestyle can at least
much as a single hypertensive drug and prevents the individual by 17% risk issues as well. So, it
can be stated that there is positive impact identified by using diet and regular adherence of
exercise because it controls the flow of blood and assist to generate a better outcome as well.
On the contrary side, it is further evaluated that Sizer and Whitney (2017) there are many
societal issues that lead to increase the symptoms of hypertension such that physical inactivity
and increase of alcohol consumption, smoking, body mass index. This is increases when an
individual has negative social interaction where anxiety and depression are increases. Volpe,
Sabelawski and Mohr (2007) reflected their opinion that hypertension is considered as a social
issue because the risk of high BP is might be low income, low level of education, type of
profession performed that affect the thinking as well. That is why, there are many circumstances
where management may be altered in different areas among individual such that with the change
in dietary pattern, individual body intake affected and this also cause adverse impact over their
health as well. In addition to this, biochemical responses also assist to make change over the diet
and this in turn help to improve the health as well.
There are both acute as well as chronic effects identified over the hypertension due to
intake of modified dietary. Such that nitrate acutely lower down the blood pressure among a
healthy human. There is an inversely relationship identified between dose of nitrate consumed
and BP reduction. That is why, it might affect the overall performance of a human being and that
is why, there is a need to manage the diet in which potassium should be maximum so that it helps
to reduce the chances of hypertension (Mann and Truswell, 2017). On the other side, it has been
identified under regular exercise that an aerobic exercise also reduces the ambulatory BP among
hypertensive patients and regular training lead to decreases the BP as well. The chronic effects
identified of exercise is increase off maximal cardiac output and raise blood flow capacity that
reduce the chances of stroke and fast pump of heart. This automatically reduced high blood
pressure issues among people. Williams, Anderson and Rawson (2013) critically evaluated that
though exercise is considered as a temporary solution but it helps to manage the people return

from the resting level and make them healthier as well. This in turn reflected that role of diet and
exercise is consider most effective ways to reduce the chances of hypertension and improve the
performance of human as well. The disease is mainly found in old age people and that is why,
National High Blood Pressure Education Program recommend the ways to keep people engage
and aware pertaining to causes of hypertension and minimize the ways as well. That is why,
intake of proper diet always helps to reduce the chances of hypertension.
It is recommended to control over diet and lifestyle is shown to help minimize the
hypertension. Also, to improve the hypertension is such that stop smoking and cut off caffeine
that helps to make a proper flow of blood in a body. Limit the amount of alcohol within a drink
is also considered as a most important remedy that helps to minimize the chances of
hypertension. It can be stated that more than 50% of the population in UK consume alcohol and
excessive use always increase blood pressure. That is why, focus upon the healthy diet and be
physically active assist to lead a better life as well. In addition to this, different programs and
campaign have been introduced in order to generate the best outcome so that people become
aware with regard to what causes hypertension.
Through the above discussion, it has been summarized that hypertension is lead to
different causes among individual and in all cases, only diet and regular exercise assist to create
a better health. Furthermore, it has been also suggested to patients with regard to hypertension
that people must concentrate on their diet and this in turn helps to improve the quality of life as
well. Also, this in turn reflected that by having enough knowledge pertaining to hypertension
will assist to create a better outcome and improve the quality of life. In addition to this, the entire
research helps to analyse the factors through which hypertension is increases.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barasi, M. E. (2007). Nutrition at a glance. Oxford: Blackwell.
Blake, J. S., Munoz, K. D. and Volpe, S. (2016) Nutrition: from science to you. 3rd ed. London.
Pearson Education.
Dept. of Health. (2012) Manual of Nutrition 12th ed. London. TSO.
Fuchs, F. D., & Whelton, P. K. (2020). High blood pressure and cardiovascular
disease. Hypertension. 75(2). 285-292.
Geissler, C. and Powers, H. (Eds.) (2017). Human Nutrition, 13th ed. Oxford. Oxford University
Press.
Hardman, A. E. and Stensel, D. J. (2009). Physical Activity and Health: The Evidence Explained.
London. Routledge.
Hinton, T. C. & et.al., (2020). Investigation and treatment of high blood pressure in young
people: too much medicine or appropriate risk reduction?. Hypertension, 75(1), 16-22.
Lanham-New, S. A., Macdonald, I.A., and Roche, H. M., (2011) Nutrition and metabolism, 2nd
ed., Chichester. Nutrition Society/Wiley-Blackwell.
Lean, M.E.J., Combet, E., and Barasi M.E. (2017). Barasi’s human nutrition: a health
perspective. (3rd ed.) BocaRaton. CRC press.
Mann, J.A. and Truswell, A. S. (2017). Essentials of Human Nutrition (5th ed). Oxford. Oxford
University Press.
Ozemek, C. and et.al., 2020. Impact of therapeutic lifestyle changes in resistant
hypertension. Progress in cardiovascular diseases. 63(1). pp.4-9.
Sehar, I. Klammer, N. Ekmekcioglu, C. (2019) The Effect of Electrolytes on Blood Pressure: A
Brief Summary of Meta-Analyses Nutrients. 11:6. p.1362.
Sizer, F. and Whitney, E. (2017). Nutrition Concepts and Controversies (13h ed). Australia.
Cengage Learning.
Volpe, S.L, Sabelawski, S.B. and Mohr, C.R. (2007). Fitness Nutrition for Special Dietary
Needs. Champaign (IL). Human Kinetics.
Williams, M.H., Anderson, D.E. and Rawson E.S. (2013). Nutrition for Health, Fitness and
Sport. New York. McGraw-Hill.
Online

High BP redefined for first time in 14 years:130 is the new high. 2021. [Online]. Available
through: <https://newsroom.heart.org/news/high-blood-pressure-redefined-for-first-time-
in-14-years-130-is-the-new-high>.
Malliga., E. and Elangovan., I. 2017. Distribution of Hypertension among the different age
group in both genders. 2017. [Online]. Available through
<https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Distribution-of-Hypertension-among-the-different-
age-group-in-both-genders_fig1_280711793>