Investment ratios of McBride plc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Speculation proportions of McBride plc - Essay Example As indicated by David (2005), budget summaries furnish the potential clients with a limited understanding into the qualities and shortcomings of a business. This is on the grounds that what is accounted for doesn't give a top to bottom delineation of execution of an element. Such full perspective on a business is significant as it would at last impact users’ choices on whether to proceed with their relationship with a substance and furthermore, give potential financial specialists satisfactory data to help them in dynamic. In this manner, the idea of money related investigation The Mcbride Plc had fundamental standardized profit per portion of 2.9p, 12.3p, 9.2p, and 6.4p for the monetary year of 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008. This proportion is significant in looking at the presentation of organizations, as this is impossible utilizing the benefit they make straightforwardly in light of contrasts in the quantity of exceptional offers and pay. A higher Earnings for every Share is alluring to financial specialists as it demonstrates a higher relative salary. This organization has an EPS that changes now and again which implies that investors returns is unsteady. Cost to profit proportion (P/E proportion)- David (2003) states that value/income proportion is the most ordinarily used to assess interest in a substance. He further calls attention to that verifiably, the normal P/E proportion for the wide market has been around 15, in spite of the fact that it can vary essentially relying upon financial and economic situations. A stock with a significant expense/profit proportion proposes that speculators are expecting higher income development later on contrasted with the general market while a stock with a low value/income proportion recommends that financial specialists have increasingly unassuming desire for its future development contrasted with the market overall (David, 2003). From the calculations of value/profit proportion for McBride plc in table underneath, the proportion declined from 10.8 in 2010 to 9.44 in 2011. This decay may not be appealing to forthcoming development financial specialists regardless of

Parents Keep Gender Secret free essay sample

Would keeping your child’s sexual orientation mystery be something worth being thankful for or a terrible thing? In this article, Parents keep child’s sex mystery by Jayme Poisson, I am going to impart to you my contemplations and worries just as reality in this article I have perused. I have blended sentiments about this article and all through my article I will disclose to you why. Keeping sexual orientation of your youngster mystery can be hazardous to the child’s public activity. This article starts with a case of how individuals continually requesting that they revel the baby’s sex. The neighbors ask them every week what Storms sex is. They begin to censure them about how they are bringing up their other two kids, which are young men. They let the boy’s dress how they need with long hair, pink dresses, and they ride pink bicycles. Kathy Witterick and David Stocker, the guardians of Storm accept what they are doing is typical. We will compose a custom article test on Guardians Keep Gender Secret or then again any comparative subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page They state â€Å"we have chosen not to share Storm’s sex for the present †a tribute to opportunity and decision instead of constraint, a confront what the world could become in Storm’s lifetime(a increasingly dynamic spot? ). The grandparent’s point of view toward it is they are strong, yet they won't clarify the way Storm’s guardians decide to raise the infant genderless to their associates or to their companions. They have numerous worries about the kids being derided and being tormented when they get more established. Others can be pitiless to untouchables like the kids are turning out to be. Diane Ehrensaft , a California-based analyst, a creator of â€Å"Gender conceived, Gender made†, a guide for guardians of nonconforming children, says guardians ought to be strong of kids who are sexual orientation imaginative. Then again she stresses by not unveiling Storms sex; the guardians are denying the child an approach to discover oneself in reality as we know it where you are either male, female, or in the middle. My reaction to this article would need to me that I accept that the guardians did this since they believed that it was going to help Storm. I don't concur nor do I differ that is was acceptable. What I do accept is that it can hurt the children seriously in the public eye as well as in a psychological manner. I accept that the kids would have picked how they would have preferred to act male, female, or in the middle. Taking everything into account my convictions are that bringing up a youngster genderless can have great and awful results. Regardless of whether it be simply the kid finds all alone or the youngster gets lost and can't work in consistently social standards. I myself would not have brought up my kid genderless on the grounds that I feel it's anything but something worth being thankful for to do to a youngster by befuddling them. So in this end I can't help contradicting the manner in which they parent their kids.

8 Bookish Holiday Traditions to Start this December

8 Bookish Holiday Traditions to Start this December If youre decking your halls with books and book accessories (and you  should be), theyre already pretty bookish. But they could be MORE bookish. Its like, how much more bookish could they be? Im dying over the idea of the  Jólabókaflóð,  the Icelandic tradition of giving books on Christmas Eve and then all retreating to your separate couches with your books and hot chocolate and not talking to each other (I assume). We have way too many family obligations to ever make this fly, but I do have an enormous pile of wrapped books and cozy socks to give to my children on the first day of school break, because I can imagine nothing better as a child than days of unstructured free time and a pile of new books. Itll be our own little  Jólabókaflóð! You could spread that flood out and make a bookish advent calendar for all of December, or just the twelve days of Christmas, or the eight days of Hanukkah. Or give a book every year on St Nicholas Day! YOU get a book, and YOU get a book. Speaking of advent calendars, you should be reading this carefully curated advent calendar of short stories, essays, and poems (starting Dec 1). Straight-up literally read The Night Before Christmas on the night before Christmas. Or ditto but for Hanukkah with  The Night Before Hanukkah! Other December holidays are still waiting on someone to adorably illustrate  in rhyme what happens on them, so…get on it, authors. Read a book featuring a holiday-specific food and then make that food! I highly recommend  The Latke Who Wouldnt Stop Screaming but you have to really commit to the screaming. Watch some festive holiday adaptations! The Muppets Christmas Carol, e.g. Or How the Grinch Stole Christmas  (but Miss Me With That Jim Carey Nonsense). My parents like to re-watch all of the Harry Potter movies in December because they find them generally festive, but if you are not a pair of adorable semi-retirees, you can watch all the holiday scenes  in a fraction of the time. A lot of parents find that gift-giving to their children gets out of hand, so its helpful to curtail gifts to something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something (or somethingsssssss, I dont care, go nuts on this part) to READ. And then you can always take your holiday bonus and any cash gifts and blow them at the book store on Boxing Day. What sort of bookish holiday traditions do you celebrate?

The effects of chinas one child policy Free Essay Example, 2250 words

The sociological effects of One Child Policy are also not very favorable. There is typically extended family structure in China. Each child in China bears the responsibility of supporting two parents as well as four grandparents in addition to his/her family. Since they have only one child, parents associate very high hopes with their child. Not all children manage to fulfill the hopes, desires, and dreams of their parents. Hence, when their child cannot get admission in a good university or he/she cannot join a respectable profession, parents are depressed and disappointed. The single child has to make a lot of sacrifices and compromises to fulfill the desires of his/her parents. The single child has to choose the carrier selected for him/her by his/her parents. Likewise, from carrier to job and accommodation, the single child cannot decide about anything independently. A 32-year-old woman, Ge Yang from Beijing shares the relentless and unflinching attention she got from her parent s that changed her life, â€Å"If my parents had had other children, they would have paid less attention to me, in which case I might have spent more time and energy doing things that interest me. We will write a custom essay sample on The effects of china's one child policy or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Chinese parents of my parents generation like to plan life for their children†¦ I think if I had another chance, I might choose to work in the tourism industry, or live in another city†¦But as a single child, I have the responsibility to look after my parents. I couldnt leave my city. I need to be with them. This is something I cannot change† (Yang cited in Hatton). One Child Policy understandably does not leave any room for siblings. One’s bond with siblings is very important for healthy development psychologically, socially, and emotionally. In a developing country like China, where both male and female parents have to work in order to be able to afford a decent living, the single child has to spend a lot of time alone. Lack of siblings is a major deprivation in such a lifestyle. Life gets boring for children when they have no sibling to share their things with or even to quarrel with. It is very traumatic for the parents to lose their only child in an accident that they spent whole life raising. The grief and sorrow experienced by parents who lose their child because of illness or accident or any reason cannot be explained in words. Not only they lose their child, but their generation essentially comes to an end with the death of that child. Parents in the Chinese society are not very enthusiastic about having their child join the ar med forces.

The Natural Nature Of Life - 957 Words

â€Å"Sublime in nature†, the word itself is enough to know how horrific and dangerous experience that one can experienced from a natural activities. The natural experience that can last forever due to the terror and pain that you faced while experiencing it is called the natural sublime. Natural sublime experience could be anything that can take away your breath because of some kind of horror and astonishment that your faced/remember from that particular [natural sublime] experience. In my case, I had experience a natural sublime, which almost killed me. I have also imagined two other natural sublime experiences that I am planning to do next summer; climbing Mt. Everest and bungee jumping [I am going to experience both in Nepal]. Who want to experience a death? Everyone right? I mean no one wants to die but experiencing it is a whole different idea. My Natural Sublime experienced is no less than that. I experienced a death [not literally]. I was about 12 years old, hanging out with my friends. We had a pond near our house. We went there without our parent’s permission. We were having fun in the pond. As like a swimming pool, the pond had a different water level. Accidently I got into the water where it was more that 20 ft. of water [I didn’t know how to swim]. I was in the water, drowning deep down, almost unconscious. For a few second I didn’t know what to do, I was thinking about how I am going to die soon, I thought about my friends, families [mostly I was scared that IShow MoreRelatedThe Natural Law Theory Of Human Nature954 Words   |  4 Pagesour human nature that makes us feel great when we get a job and makes us feel horrible for something we steal something. This is because it feels natural for us to feel that we did something right or wrong. The natural law theory tells us that an action is morally right if it is natural and an action is wrong if it is unnatural. This means that human morality comes from nature and h as a purpose to live a good life. If someone’s actions are preventing them from making them live a good life, then theirRead MoreThe Wrongfulness Of Euthanasia By J. Gay Williams1473 Words   |  6 Pagestaking the life of a presumably hopeless person† (Gay-Williams 1979, 278). Based off aspects of his definition, Gay-Williams formats his three main arguments against active euthanasia which stem from nature, self-interest, and practical effects. Out of the three proposed arguments, the argument from nature stands out personally, as the least sound. Briefly stated, this argument is not sound because it fails to offer distinction between human characteristics which are the result of natural selectionRead MoreThe Natural Law Theory Essay examples1037 Words   |  5 PagesObeying by the natural law theory is the only true and moral way to live life; especially a life lived in God’s image. 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Moreover, Jim links à ntonia, theRead MoreNature And Nature : Emily Dickinson And Walt Whitman1326 Words   |  6 Pages Nature has an undefinable meaning as the theme is utilised in literature, and it has been a topic of reflection within the Romanticists since the beginning of the era. Romanticism and nature and inextricably linked ideas. Poets; Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman wrote during the romantic era, and both drew heavily from aspects of nature in their work. Nature can be paralleled against several things, including humanity and the idea of life and death. The contrast between the natural world and theRead MoreDarwin s Theory Of Natural Selection1189 Words   |  5 Pages When Charles Darwin presented his theory of natural selection in On the Origin of Species he was aware that it would not easily be accepted. Darwin compares the struggle he anticipates to the challenges encountered in other scientific fields, writing, â€Å"The difficulty is the same as felt by so many geologists, when Lyell first insisted that long lines of island cliffs had been formed, and great valleys excavated, by t he slow action of the coast-waves† (Darwin, 392). Darwin anticipates that his theoryRead MoreThe Environmental Issues Of Avatar1395 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Earth by 2154. In particular, Avatar demonstrates the results of overusing natural resources and thus forcing humans to continue to destroy other areas of nature for sources of energy. Since there is no longer energy on Earth, the only option is to seek out energy from a natural habitat where indigenous Na’vis have been living for years. In addition, since there is no energy, Earth is not able to sustain organic life or rich produce. Furthermore, the place is called Pandora and contains an atmosphereRead MoreEssay The Natural Law by Thomas Aquinas1670 Words   |  7 Pagessense guides people, culture, and even whole countries to act in certain ways. Thomas Aquinas called this innate sense the natural law. The natural law is established by God in order to make men more virtuous. When examined closely it is found t hat the natural law contains the precept of all law and, is at odds with certain laws that exist today, specifically abortion. The â€Å"natural law is appointed by reason† (Aquinas IV, 94, 1) and given to everyone. This is very contrary to popular belief that rightRead MoreThe New Technology Can Save Lives960 Words   |  4 Pages(44). When he says this he is talking about the meaning of life. Our early ancestors looked at everything in nature as living, and everything had purpose, but now we look at all of nature’s beauties as resources. 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Tobacco Industry Analytic Free Essays

string(89) " a chance for domestic growth opportunities and premium pricing in the tobacco industry\." The barriers to entry in the tobacco industry are initially low and it is easy for small local and regional companies to enter into the market, but the barriers to enter the market nationally are very high. The economies at scale in manufacturing, distribution costs, and marketing at the national level make it very difficult for start-up companies to enter into the national market. There are substantial costs in raising the capital needed to build manufacturing facilities that can mass-produce tobacco products at the national level. We will write a custom essay sample on Tobacco Industry Analytic or any similar topic only for you Order Now Also, the costs of packaging goods such as cigarettes, at a mass level can generate high costs. Brand identity can also pose a barrier to entry for new entrants. Advertising restrictions imposed on electronic media by the U. S. government make it hard for any new entrant to gain brand awareness and also make it difficult for current top players in the market to increase their brand awareness. While many companies once relied on brand incentives in order to increase customer loyalty, they agreed to no longer use these incentives in the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) in 1998. Also with many already established brands such as Altria’s Marlboro Cigarettes brand already have a huge stake in the market place. They have generated a lot of brand loyalty and awareness making it difficult for a new company to generate enough brand awareness to enter the market. Suppliers In the tobacco industry farmers supply the tobacco to dealers and manufacturers. Many of the tobacco farmers in the U. S. are located in the Southeastern states such as North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Farmers usually sell their tobacco at public auctions to the highest bidders. A federal program that started with the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 once protected tobacco farmer’s prices. The tobacco growers were guaranteed minimum prices in exchange for limiting their production through allotments and quotas. U. S. grown tobacco is generally more expensive than non-U. S. grown tobacco because of the U. S. governments price-support system. Then in 2004 the government allowed for buyouts of the quotas, thus eliminating the price support system. However, in recent news many tobacco farmers are protesting for the entire buyout of their quotas and equipment. They say that the U. S. tobacco growing industry is on the verge of disappearing and they blame the high taxes on cigarettes and cheap tobacco imports. Thus illustrating that the farmers have little bargaining power due to the government interaction. Buyers Buyers in the tobacco industry are greatly affected by the economy and the level of their disposable income. Whenever a buyer’s disposable income declines, they are more likely to purchase cheaper brands of tobacco, and if a buyer’s disposable income increases, then they are more likely to buy more expensive brands. Buyer power was displayed in 1993 whenever Phillip Morris USA Inc. slashed their prices on leading brands such as Marlboro by 20% to raise their share of the market, thus leading many other leading companies to also reduce the prices of their popular brands. After many companies lowered their prices, discount cigarette brands saw a drop in their percentage of the market. However, in 2003 premium cigarette brands raised prices, then allowing discount cigarette brands to gain more of a share in the market, but the discount brands share in the market has been declining ever since. Consumers in the United States are now increasingly becoming more concerned with health issues. Consumer health awareness has hurt the market for tobacco sellers and has also led to the increase for government regulation. Many companies are now going international to focus on the increasing demand for tobacco products abroad. They are focusing on developing countries where the population is increasing much faster than in the United States and many of these countries have less government regulation, which can help with advertising and prices. Countries that have less taxation on tobacco sales can lead to higher revenues and sales of tobacco products because the costs involved are less. Industry Competitors/Intensity of Rivalry Within the tobacco industry there are three main competitors that control 90% of the domestic market. These three main players are: Altria Group, Inc. (Domestically known as Phillip Morris USA); Reynolds American; and Carolina Group. Phillip Morris USA, the United State’s largest tobacco company since 1983, controlled 50. 3% of the market share in the year 2006. Phillip Morris USA’s leading brand Marlboro had a 40. 5% share of the market in 2006; thus, displaying the importance of brand identity in the tobacco industry. Phillip Morris USA also offers different brands such as their premium brands Virginia Slims and Parliament, while also targeting the discount market with its brand Basic. The United States second largest tobacco company is Reynolds American, which offers premium brands such as Kool, Winston, Salem, and Camel; and two different discount brands, Doral and Capri. Reynolds American controlled 29. % of the market in 2006 and is also the second largest moist smokeless tobacco producer in the United States. The third largest company in the United State is Carolina Group with their premium menthol brand cigarette Newport that controlled 9. 7% of the market in 2006. For the cigarette industry unit volumes have declined and the price of cigarettes has increased,thus creating higher net revenue for companies. Many companies are u sing cost efficient strategies and are merging to help gain profits in the industry. For example, R. J. Reynolds and Brown Williamson Tobacco merged and now have a higher share of the market. Tobacco consumption declined a lot from 1994 to 2004 and the decline has started to slow down in the past couple of years, the growth rate is still not what it once was. [pic] Figure 1 : Market share holders in 2006 Rivalry in the menthol sector of the tobacco industry has been a strong focus of the leading companies in recent years. Menthol cigarettes offer a chance for domestic growth opportunities and premium pricing in the tobacco industry. You read "Tobacco Industry Analytic" in category "Papers" Carolina Group controls this sector with its leading brand Newport, while Reynolds American offers two brands, Kool and Salem, which have been in the market for a long time. With the potential growth in the menthol sector, the leading tobacco company Marlboro introduced their menthol brand with strong promotions to compete with already existing brands. Other potential areas of domestic growth in the tobacco industry include cigars, which are on the rise again; and snuff or smokeless, which is one the rise due to smoking restrictions in public places. By using the Porter’s Five Forces Framework I was able to discuss the five basic competitive forces within the tobacco industry. The level of difficulty for new entrants; the lack of bargaining power of suppliers; the bargaining power of buyers between different brands; the high level of potential substitutes; and the competition rivalry, as well as domestic growth areas; were all analyzed within the tobacco industry using the Porter’s Five Forces Framework. Dominant forces such as government regulation and health awareness influence change in the tobacco industry. The potential impact that theses forces could play on the tobacco industry could be harsh if companies don’t adjust and change with them. Strengths: Altria and R. J. Reynolds both display much strength within the tobacco industry. Both companies display high levels of brand identity and brand awareness with many different well-known brands. Altria has dominant control of the market with their diversified Marlboro brands of cigarettes that dominate the market, contributing a 40. 5% share in the market. R. J. Reynolds also has many well-known diversified brands such as Kool, Winston, Salem, and Camel that help to control 29. 8% of the market. Both companies can use their strong brand awareness to build customer value with existing and new products. B oth companies are aligned with their mission statements to provide for their customers and maintain levels of responsibility and integrity for their operations. Altria, for instance offers a wide array of information concerning health issues, tobacco laws, cigarette ingredients, and youth smoking prevention on their website. While R. J. Reynolds offers information to the public on legal and regulatory issues, maintaining responsible marketing, and also health issues related to their products that consumers can access on their website. Also, both companies produce mass amounts of tobacco products and in order to be the top two producers in the United State they must both have strong manufacturing infrastructures. Weaknesses: Both companies face the weakness of selling dangerous products to consumers. Tobacco products obviously involve a great deal of health risks and consumers have been made well aware of the risks involved in tobacco use. Both companies face liability issues and litigation for the sale of such a dangerous product, which can cost the companies a lot of money. These companies must place a great deal of concentration on defending themselves in numerous lawsuits that come about frequently due to the health liability issues. Recent cases involving the â€Å"light† cigarettes have been brought against Altria, these cigarettes have lighter amounts of nicotine and tar but still can be just as harmful as regular cigarettes. Also a lot of blame for such high health care costs in the United States is placed on these companies as well. Another weakness that Altria and R. J. Reynolds suffer from is their dependencies to rely solely on the sale of tobacco products in order for them to remain such profitable companies in the market place. Sales from 2000 to 2005 declined at around an average rate of 4% a year and a decline of about 1% in 2006. If sales continue to decline every year, this could lead to substantial effects on profits. With the cigarette consumption declining, companies such as Altria and R. J. Reynolds have began to look towards international markets with growth opportunities. With so much concentration on tobacco sales both companies also have the weakness of being so heavily invested in the success of the tobacco industry. These companies could face a great deal of losses if the tobacco industry keeps declining. Opportunities: Both Altria and R. J. Reynolds have the opportunity to expand the ir companies internationally to target new customers in areas that provide potential for growth in sales. With the help of countries with rising personal incomes, high per capita cigarette consumption, and less government regulation in foreign countries Altria is taking action to expand their horizons abroad. An article from Wall Street Journal by Vanessa O’Connell describes how Altria is using spin off, Phillip Morris International to focus on international markets such as Pakistan, where smoking consumption is up 42% since 2001; Ukraine, where smoking consumption is up 36%; and Argentina, where smoking consumption is up 18%. She also explains how China offers 50 million more tobacco buyers than in the United States, thus showing that China offers great potential market opportunities. R. J. Reynolds is also focusing on the global market with creation of R. J. Reynolds Global Products. R. J. Reynolds is participating in joint ventures in European countries and Japan, collaborating with other companies to produce American-like brand cigarettes in foreign markets. They have also been establishing a business presence in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean and are supplying cigarettes to the U. S. military outlets and U. S. Duty Free sectors. R. J. Reynolds also manufactures cigarettes to be sold by other companies in foreign countries. Both companies are taking advantage of the potential growth in international markets. Another opportunity that both companies are focusing on is the opportunities of marketing new tobacco products to consumers. With more consumers looking for alternatives to smoking Altria has been f ocusing on developing its smokeless tobacco product line. With snuff being providing potential growth in the market, Altria is exploring the moist snuff or chew market as well as a new product called Snus. Altria is currently test marketing its Marlboro Snus products and its Marlboro moist smokeless tobacco in certain areas of the United States. They are also using the strong brand identity of Marlboro to help their new products enter into the market. R. J. Reynolds is also developing new products that have potential market opportunities. Reynolds is developing new exotic brands of Camel cigarettes and also trying to capitalize on smokeless tobacco opportunities with their brand of Camel Snus. Both brands are using their already existent brand awareness to help romote new products in the market. Threats: Companies in the tobacco industry such as Altria and R. J. Reynolds have a negative public perception because of providing such dangerous products and must deal with this perception accordingly in order to remain in the market. With the threat of being seen so negatively in the public eye companies must provide support in educating consumers about the dangerous health risks involved wi th smoking. Government regulation also poses a threat to both companies. In the 1998, the Master Settlement Agreement between tobacco companies and the government came to an agreement that tobacco companies would have to pay $250 billion over a 25 year span to help reimburse healthcare systems for to higher costs due to many patients with tobacco use related illnesses. The threat of government regulation poses high cost threats dealing with litigation and taxes. Both companies have been affected by the high taxes placed on the sale of tobacco products, thus causing them to have to raise prices, which could have a negative effect on sales. Also the threat of changes in the legal atmosphere pose a problem on companies. As new laws are adopted both companies must adapt to stay profitable, such as the new public smoking laws that threatens both these companies that rely on cigarette sales. The threat of Altria’s and R. J. Reynolds’ consumer base growing old and dying off from tobacco related illness and America’s new focus on healthy living styles display how these companies are affected by the benefits of substitutes for smoking and quitting smoking. There has also been a huge decline in the number of smokers in the United State over the past 40 years, which has cut the consumer base in half. With the number of smokers in the domestic market declining both companies also face the threat of marketing restrictions in the United States. Tobacco products cannot easily be marketed to consumer in the United States, which threatens the growth of tobacco products. Both Altria and R. J. Reynolds are aware of the threats that they face and that can explain why they are developing new products and moving towards international markets. The SWOT Analysis displayed how strengths such as brand identity have played a huge role in the success of both Altria and R. J. Reynolds. Altria leads the market with its well-known brand Marlboro and is taking on opportunities with new products and international markets. While R. J. Reynolds has a smaller share in the market they are also trying to grow by focusing on the same opportunities. Both companies also face many of the same weaknesses and threats, that being in the tobacco industry pose, such as government regulation and health awareness. They are taking action to deal with them by exploring new opportunities. How to cite Tobacco Industry Analytic, Papers

Silent Killer Essay Example

Silent Killer Essay According to the Bible, â€Å"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.†(Matthew 6:21). Indeed, the role of the heart in the body is as valuable as a treasure. As one important muscle in our body, it has a very vital function in our human body. This muscle pumps blood in our body, so that blood could distribute oxygen to other parts of our body. Oxygen is needed in order for our organs to function properly. However, when the blood pressing on the inside of our arteries (blood vessels) is higher than normal, a person will have high blood pressure. In this case, high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, may damage our arteries. This will make a person more likely to have a stroke, heart attack, kidney problems, or heart disease. High blood pressure can cause serious health problems even if you do not feel sick. This is why hypertension is often called the silent killer because you may not have symptoms. To know the physiological origins of high blood pressure, we should discuss the normal functions of the heart first. Normally, the pumping of the heart creates a rhythmic pulsing of blood along and against the walls of the blood vessels, which are flexible enough to dilate or contract and thus keep the pressure constant. Most physicians consider the blood pressure of a healthy adult to be   near 120/80—i.e., equivalent to the pressure exerted by a column of mercury 120 mm high during contraction of the heart (systole) and 80 mm high during relaxation (diastole). However, for a variety of reasons, the blood vessels could lose their flexibility, or the muscles surrounding them may force them to contract. As a result, the heart must pump more forcefully to move the same amount of blood through the narrowed vessels into the capillaries, thereby increasing the blood pressure. Over time, this higher pressure, or hypertension, can damage the arterioles (the small terminal twigs of an artery that end in capillaries) in such organs as the liver, kidney, or brain and can also weaken the overworked heart. The increased risk of death from congestive heart failure, kidney failure, or stroke is the chief danger of hypertension (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2006). We will write a custom essay sample on Silent Killer specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Silent Killer specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Silent Killer specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer High blood pressure occurs when the systolic number is higher than 140 or when the diastolic number is higher than 90. Only one of these numbers needs to be high to have high blood pressure. For example: 118/98, the systolic number (118) is normal, but the diastolic number (98) is high. For the blood pressure of 180/70, the systolic number (180) is high, but the diastolic number (70) is not. A good systolic number is less than 120. For some people, a number between 90 and 100 is normal. A good diastolic number is usually lower than 80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). There are three types of high blood pressure: 1.) Prehypertension A blood pressure that is very close to the numbers for hypertension is called prehypertension. A systolic pressure between 120 and 139 or a diastolic pressure between 80 and 89 is considered prehypertensive. Having prehypertension makes a person more likely to develop an even higher blood pressure in the future. If one is prehypertensive, the doctor may suggest lifestyle changes. If one has kidney disease or diabetes, the person may need medicine to treat   prehypertension. 2.) Primary hypertension: Also known as essential or idiopathic hypertension. This is the most common type of hypertension and occurs in about 90% of people. The cause of primary hypertension is not known. 3.) Secondary hypertension: Is usually caused by a medical condition or a medicine. Some examples include: Kidney disease, Sleep apnea (when breathing stops for short periods during sleep), and Stress (AltCareDex Medicine Modality, August 2006). With all these information about hypertension, we realize that the function of the heart is more than a remarkable pump affects our entire body. If the flow of blood to or through the heart or to the rest of the body is reduced, or if a disturbance occurs in the small bundle of highly specialized cells in the heart that generate electrical impulses to control heartbeats, the result may at first be too subtle to notice. However, without diagnosis and treatment, these changes could develop into a life-threatening problem. To top it all, hypertension could lead a person to have a heart attack. What happens in a heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), is that the blood supply to the heart muscle, or myocardium, is severely reduced or stopped, as when a blood clot becomes lodged in a coronary artery. Deprived of its blood supply, the area of heart muscle served by the blocked artery weakens and dies. The affected area is called an infarct, hence the term â€Å"myocardial infarction.† A heart attack is also called coronary thrombosis (referring to a clot) or coronary occlusion, meaning an obstruction. A heart attack can also be the result of an unexplained temporary spasm of a coronary artery (Physicians Desk Reference, 23 June 2003). This brings us to what are the main causes of heart disease – the risk factors are often related to lifestyle—smoking, physical inactivity, a high-fat diet, raised blood pressure—account for at least three in every four new cases of cardiovascular disease (Edwards, 2001). With the threats of heart disease, the best way to protect your heart is by making positive changes in your lifestyle, such as not smoking, exercising, controlling your weight, and limiting fat in your diet (Lenfant, 23 August 2000). Risk factors may be controllable or uncontrollable: 1.)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Genetics African Americans are at higher risk for high blood pressure than are whites and if you have people with high blood pressure in your family, your risk of developing it is higher. But the high blood pressure that plagues African Americans is no longer thought to be only the product of genetics. Lifestyle differences, environment and poorer access to quality health care are also factors. 2.)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aging   Our risk for high blood pressure tends to rise as we age. It generally begins in people between the ages of 35 and 50, and occurs in over 50 percent of people over the age of 65. 3.)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Weight Carrying too much weight around is not only physically and emotionally difficultit can be life threatening. Being overweight is a major risk factor in developing high blood pressure. 4.)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Smoking A significant rise in blood pressure goes with the smoking of each cigarette. 5.)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Inactive lifestyle Not participating in any form of regular exercise can increase your risk for high blood pressure. 6.)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nutrition A diet high in fat increases your risk for high blood pressure. 7.)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Salt Eating salt drives up blood pressure, and African Americans tend to be more sensitive to sodium than whites. 8.)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stress Emotional stress, including the stress brought on by acts of racial prejudice, encourages high blood pressure. 9.)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alcohol Excessive alcohol intake is an important risk factor for high blood pressure (Black Enterprise, May 2001). As we now know how important the heart is to our body, we should take steps in taking care of it by improving our lifestyles and prevent the risk factors associated with high blood pressure. As it is a muscle, we need to keep our hearts healthy by having a regular exercise and proper diets. We should not wear our hearts under our sleeves and we should start lifestyle changes in fighting heart disease. Prevention is always a better alternative than any drugs or surgical procedures known to man.