Managing High Blood Pressure

Peter Rodrick asked:


Blood pressure is the measure of the pressure against the walls of the arteries. There are two forces that form blood pressure. One of the forces is created when the heart pumps blood into the arteries through the circulatory system. The other force is due to the arteries as they resist the flow of blood. Blood pressure is always stated in two numbers, systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. The higher number is systolic pressure which represents the pressure while heart contracts to pump the blood to the body. The lower number is the diastolic pressure which represents the pressure when heart relaxes between the beats.

What is High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)?

High blood pressure or hypertension means high pressure or tension within the arteries. Arteries are the vessels that carry blood from heart to all the tissues and organs of the body. High blood pressure usually has no visible symptoms. There are lots of people whose blood pressures are high, but they do not realize it until it is too late. For this reason, high blood pressure is also called as the silent killer. Hypertension damages the blood vessels. This in turn risks heart disease, heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. So it is very necessary for one to reduce blood pressure.

Methods to Reduce Blood Pressure

Various scientific studies have shown that following are some of the effective ways one could reduce blood pressure:

1. Weight loss if obese or overweight : It is very important for one to reduce weight if one is obese or overweight. Weight impacts the strain on the heart which disturbs the pumping of blood due to which the pressure increases.

2. Restriction on intake of sodium : The intake of sodium should be restricted or in limit as sodium increases the blood pressure. Sodium intake causes water retention in the body. It is advisable to check the labels of the food packets like potato chips, bread, cheese, etc before buying them. Sodium mustn’t be there in the ingredients. Limit intake of sodium to 1,500 to 2,400 milligrams per day.

3. Increase intake of potassium, magnesium and calcium : A proper intake of minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium helps proper functioning of heart, due to which blood circulation increases and chances of high blood pressure decreases.

4. Reduce or stop intake of alcohol : Avoid alcohol as much as possible. If you cannot avoid it completely, you must limit it to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.

5. Limit intake of caffeine : Excessive intake of caffeine creates acidity causing stress on heart. This stress may increase the blood pressure.

6. Regular physical exercise : Regular exercise not only increases the blood circulation but also helps in maintaining the weight. It helps the body to perform its functions normally.

7. Increase the consumption of fruits, vegetables and fiber rich food : Increase in consumption of fruits, vegetables and fiber rich foods increases the energy required for the body to perform activity.

8. Cut down high cholesterol and high fat foods : Cholesterol and fats build up blocks in the heart which reduces the circulation of blood from the heart.

9. Stop smoking and stop intake of tobacco : Cigarettes contains nicotine. Nicotine and tobacco causes blood vessels to constrict and your heart to beat faster, which raises your blood pressure.

10. Reduce stress in your life : Reduce the stress in your life as much as possible by relaxation technique, biofeedback or just by avoiding stressful situations and conditions.

Reduce Blood Pressure - Some Treatment Approaches

To treat patient with blood pressure, one should be check if the patient is diabetic or not.

Diabetes increases the chances of cardiovascular disease. So control of blood pressure in diabetes is tougher. The goals for treatment in blood pressure are:-

For diabetic patients:

Systolic pressure: less than 140mg

Diastolic pressure: less than 85mg

For non-diabetic patients:

Systolic pressure: less than 130mg

Diastolic pressure: less than 80mg

Medicinal methods that are used to treat patient with blood pressure are:

1. ACE inhibitors : ACE inhibitors stop the production of hormone called angiotensin. Angiotensin causes the narrowing of blood vessels. ACE inhibitors expand the blood vessels and improve the blood flow.

2. Beta blockers : Beta blockers block the effect of hormone adrenaline and help in conditioning the nervous system of the body. Due to this the heart relaxes and beats slowly and thus the blood pressure reduces.

3. Alpha blockers : It causes blood vessels to widen and relax. It is generally a good combination with beta blockers for effect on resistance of circulation.

4. Calcium channel blockers : It reduces the muscle tension in the arteries, expanding them and creating more room for blood circulation. It also relaxes the heart muscles, reducing the blood pressure.

5. Diuretics : It helps to get rid of salts and excessive fluids through kidney. Helping the blood vessels to relax and reducing strain on blood circulation.

Randy

Bob Held asked:


As a first step, let’s talk about your heart.

Your heart is an organ that is mostly muscle tissue. It is a pump. In very simple terms its job is to receive incoming blood from the body that is low in oxygen and pump it to the lungs.

As it passes through the lungs the blood gets rid of carbon dioxide and picks up oxygen. Then the blood goes back to the heart and the heart pumps the oxygen rich blood out to the entire body.

Blood flows through arteries going out from the heart to various parts of the body, and through veins on the way back to the heart.

The heart pumps blood by the rhythmic contraction of the four chambers in the heart. It is the strong contractions of the lower two chambers (called ventricles) that pumps the blood out of and away from the heart to the various parts of the body.

There is a great deal of pressure created by the contraction of the ventricles. and it is this pressure that pushes the blood through the miles of arteries within the body.

It is the pressure, the force of the blood pushing against the inside walls of your arteries, that is being discussed when we talk about blood “pressure.”

What do the numbers mean?

You’ve probably heard the sound of a heart beating at some time. It sounds sort of like: lub-DUB, lub-DUB, lub-DUB, lub-DUB.

The “lub” is the sound of the auricles beating and pumping the blood into the bigger, more powerful chambers, the ventricles. The “DUB” is the sound of the ventricles beating, and pumping the blood away from the heart (see the above illustration).

When the powerful ventricles contract (the “DUB”), that is the moment of greatest pressure called the “systolic pressure.”

Between one “lub-DUB” and the next “lub-DUB” is a moment when the heart is not beating at all, that is the moment of lowest pressure called the “diastolic pressure.”

When doctors or nurses measure your blood pressure, they usually give it to you as two numbers, the “systolic” over the “diastolic” or the high over the low measurements.

These numbers fall into certain ranges:

What controls blood pressure?

Blood pressure is controlled by tiny muscles that line the inside of your blood vessels.

These muscles allow your arteries to operate like soft rubber tubes, that expand with each beat of your heart.

When these muscles throughout the vascular system [the arteries and veins that carry blood] expand, blood pressure drops.

When these muscles throughout the vascular system tense up, blood pressure rises.

When these muscles get tense, the arteries become narrower, more rigid, less flexible, and the heart has to beat harder to keep the blood flowing through these narrower tubes.

If the muscles that line your arteries are tense all the time, the blood pressure will remain high. This is called hypertension!

Continuous high blood pressure puts extra strain, wear and tear on your heart and arteries, that can eventually lead to heart attacks and strokes.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

What is it that makes the muscles that line your blood vessels tense all the time? What are the things that can actually drive your blood pressure up?

* Poor diet

* Nutritional deficiencies

* Being overweight

* Alcohol and caffeine in excess

* Emotional and physical stress

* Being diabetic

Each of the above can cause the loss of vital minerals from the body. These minerals are essential to the natural and effective control of blood pressure.

“Magnesium is essential for cells to maintain proper balances of other minerals such as potassium, sodium, and calcium.”

“When cells are deficient in magnesium, this balance is disrupted, and cells lose potassium and are flooded with calcium and sodium.”

“In the smooth muscle cells of the blood vessels, this sets the stage for constriction and elevation of blood pressure.”

excerpted from The Magnesium Solution

by Jay S. Cohen, M.D.

Not having enough magnesium is one of the main causes of high blood pressure.

“As many as half of us in the United States are magnesium deficient.”

“Our soils are becoming depleted of magnesium, which eliminates the natural opportunity to receive magnesium from fruits, vegetables, and water.”

excerpted from The Sinatra Solution

by Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D.

Blood Pressure Drugs

Today, most people with high blood pressure are only treating the symptoms and not getting to the root of the problem.

Furthermore, many hypertension medications given to people with high blood pressure are adding to the problem instead of getting to the root cause.

All blood pressure medications are man-made chemicals. They are alien substances in your body.

They attempt to directly address the high blood pressure (which is a symptom) rather than what is causing the high blood pressure.

Some of these medications will do this by slowing your heart beat, others by interfering with nerve impulses to your arteries, and still others by removing water from your body, or blocking biochemical reactions, or preventing calcium from entering the cells that make up the walls of your arteries.

All blood pressure medications have side effects. Some of these side effects are so strong that they negatively impact your quality of life.

Often, two or three of these drugs are prescribed to be used at the same time, which creates even more side effects as a result of the chemical interactions between the drugs.

Tammy

Kehinde T asked:


Please how can I effectively reduce high blood pressure within the next couple of weeks. My current BP is 140/90 and need to get it within the normal range in the next 5 weeks. I have started exercising vigourously( tae bo in the morning, brisk walking in the evening), eating right, started HCTZ medication.
What else can I do to bring it down fast?

Warren

Richard Romando asked:


High Blood Pressure and headaches are different though related health issues. Though headache and blood pressure is at times invariably related, it does not necessarily mean that a person is experience headaches because his or her blood pressure is at high levels. Knowledge of certain basic causes of the two would lead to better transparency about their relation.

A headache is a mild or severe pain in the upper portion of the skull. Headaches can be due to neck or back pains, stress, sinusitis, dehydration and a list of possible causes. Severe, repeated episodes of headaches may result in high blood pressure, which is the reason why many people link high blood pressure to headaches.

A High blood pressure as name suggests is the condition when the blood pressure reaches a high level. Blood pressure is the force exerted by blood against the arteries. When the heart beats and pumps blood, the blood pressure is at its highest – known as the systolic pressure. On the other hand, your blood pressure falls when your heart rests between each beat – known as the diastolic pressure.

Systolic and diastolic pressures are indicative of the level of blood pressure. For e.g. in the conventional notation 120/80, systolic is at the top while diastolic is the bottom number. If both numbers become high the person is suffering from high blood pressure and thus is more prone to heart attacks, strokes or kidney disorders.

When the prima condition for high blood pressure is unknown, it is called the essential high blood pressure. Whereas, if the rise in blood pressure is because of medications or health conditions such as headaches, then you have a secondary high blood pressure.

Is Headache Related to High Blood Pressure?

Knowing that people who suffer from high blood pressure often suffer from headaches, and often the latter is invariably accompanying the former, conclusion was made that their high blood pressure was caused by headaches. Contrasting enough it has been found that high blood pressure may reduce the risks of headaches.

It has been found that some patients experience headaches after being diagnosed with high blood pressure. However, experts comment that this phenomena is mostly anxiety driven.

For more information please visit Headache Care

Kim

Joe Barton asked:


Did you know that if you are over the age of 20, you could be part of the 65 million Americans who suffer from high blood pressure? That is about one in three adults in the United States. Why should we be concerned? Each year, high blood pressure, also called hypertension, takes the lives of almost 60,000 Americans. Sadly, the rate of death from high blood pressure increased nearly 30 percent in the last decade alone. This ’silent killer’ has become an epidemic among nearly all ethnicities, genders and age groups. If you or a loved one suffers this devastating disease please continue to educate yourself and take action TODAY!

High Blood Pressure… What is it?

What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is basically the force pushing on the arteries by your blood as it passes through them. Someone with high blood pressure has blood that is putting higher than normal pressure on the arteries. This puts more stress on the body. Hence, the heart has to work so hard to get the blood pumped through those arteries that it can actually enlarge and damage the heart, eventually causing a heart attack, stroke, aneurysm and other heart problems if left untreated. High blood pressure can be deadly if left untreated.

How is Blood Pressure Scored?

Testing your blood pressure is extremely quick and simple. The actual measuring of blood pressure is done with the help of a blood pressure cuff, which most people are familiar with. It is highly recommended that you get your blood pressure checked immediately if you think you suffer from high blood pressure. Unfortunately, there are no symptoms for high blood pressure, hence the name ’silent killer’. Once tested you will receive two numbers.

Simply put, your blood pressure is measured as one number "over" another number, such as 120/80. The top number is your systolic pressure or the measure of the blood pressure while the heart is beating. The bottom number is your diastolic pressure or the pressure when the heart is at rest.

What is considered High Blood Pressure?

Here are the numbers for what is usually considered "normal," as well as prehypertension and hypertension.

Systolic Pressure over Diastolic Pressure

Normal (less than 120 over less than 80)

Prehypertension (120-139 over 80-89)

Stage One (140-159 over 90-99)

Stage Two (160 or higher over 100 or higher)

If your blood pressure does not clearly fall into one of these categories, the higher number is the decisive number to look at. For example, Bill’s systolic blood pressure is 125 but his diastolic is 75. Bill would still be considered prehypertension. And Bill should continue reading!

Is there a cure for high blood pressure?

Fortunately, there is a ‘natural way’ to lower your high blood pressure. It is also highly recommended to seek medical advice if you suffer from hypertension. Naturally curing hypertension with doctors’ advice will always provide the best results. Unfortunately, many high blood pressure medications (Diuretics, Beta Blockers, ACE Inhibitors, Alpha Blockers and Vasodilators) have very unpleasant side effects. For information on this please check out our link below.

Start naturally treating your High Blood Pressure Today with these twelve tips!

1. Exercise for 30 minutes at least 4 times a week! Exercise equals a strong, efficient heart.

2. Loss that extra 15! This appears impossible… however, you would be surprised what will happen if you eat smaller portions and keep exercising!

3. Pass on the salt! Sodium reduction is a key to your high blood pressure treatment!

4. Grains are great, fruits are fabulous, and vegetables are vivacious!

5. Reduce your intake of alcohol.

6. Pack the potassium. Potassium is essential for lowering your blood pressure. Eat bananas, citrus fruits, low-fat milk and some vegetables.

7. More Magnesium! Potassium and magnesium usually go hand-in-hand for lowering blood pressure. Eat whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables and most nuts.

8. Calcium is King! This mineral will be a god-send to hypertension sufferers. Consider low-fat dairy products and calcium supplements.

9. Garlic has become a popular supplement! It is no wonder; it has great benefits to help your high blood pressure.

10. How about Hawthorn? No, not the writer… the herb! Sprinkle this herb on any dish and watch those blood pressure numbers plummet.

11. Multi-vitamins are loaded with vitamins that benefit your health and lower your blood pressure.

12. Relax! I know it sounds simple, but you would be surprised how many people forget about this.

Finally, don’t stop here! This is just the tip of the iceberg for getting your life back to normal and lowering your blood pressure. You are dealing with a deadly disease if left untreated. Please take a few more minutes and check out our high blood pressure/hypertension website which is 100% satisfaction guarenteed! You would be amazed what others are saying about it! Please click below.

http://www.bloodpressurenormalized.com/hbp1/

Charlene

tennis asked:


My mom is taking synthroid and provachol and all of a sudden her blood pressure went from low to high. I thought perhaps one of these medications contributed or caused it.

Oscar

Juliet Cohen asked:


High blood pressure or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from the pumping heart to all the tissues and organs of the body. High blood pressure directly increases the risk of coronary heart disease (which leads to heart attack) and stroke, especially when it’s present with other risk factors. High blood pressure can occur in children or adults, but it’s more common among people over age 35. It’s particularly prevalent in African Americans, middle-aged and elderly people, obese people, heavy drinkers and women taking birth control pills. It may run in families, but many people with a strong family history of high blood pressure never have it. High blood pressure is a blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher. Nearly 1 in 3 American adults has high blood pressure. Once high blood pressure develops, it usually lasts a lifetime. High blood pressure is called the silent killer because it usually has no symptoms. Affecting approximately one in four adults in the United States, hypertension is clearly a major public health problem.

High blood pressure is called the silent killer. High blood pressure typically develops without signs or symptoms. and it affects nearly everyone eventually. There are two levels of high blood pressure: stage 1 and stage 2. It is less common in younger adults. Most cases are mildly high (up to 160/100 mmHg). However, at least 1 in 20 adults have blood pressure of 160/100 mmHg or above. High blood pressure is more common in people with diabetes. About 3 in 10 people with Type 1 diabetes and more than half of people with Type 2 diabetes eventually develop high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a ‘risk factor’ for developing a cardiovascular disease , and kidney damage, sometime in the future. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, but it can cause serious problems with such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack and kidney failure. It is estimated that one in every four American adults has high blood pressure. Some people can prevent or control high blood pressure by changing to healthier habits.

Calcium channel blockers may work better for blacks than do ACE inhibitors or beta blockers alone. Some medicines lower blood pressure by removing extra fluid and salt from your body. Others affect blood pressure by slowing down the heartbeat or by relaxing and widening blood vessels. Diuretics are sometimes called water pills. They work by helping your kidneys flush excess water and salt from your body. Beta blockers help your heart beat slower and with less force. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors keep your body from making a hormone called angiotensin II, which normally causes blood vessels to narrow. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are newer blood pressure medicines that protect your blood vessels from angiotensin II. Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) keep calcium from entering the muscle cells of your heart and blood vessels. Vasodilators open blood vessels by directly relaxing the muscle in the vessel walls, causing blood pressure to go down.

High Blood Pressure Treatment Tips

1. Diuretics are sometimes called water pills. They work by helping your kidneys flush excess water and salt from your body.

2. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors keep your body from making a hormone called angiotensin II, which normally causes blood vessels to narrow.

3. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are newer blood pressure medicines that protect your blood vessels from angiotensin II.

4. Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) keep calcium from entering the muscle cells of your heart and blood vessels.

5. Alpha-beta blockers reduce nerve impulses to blood vessels the same way alpha blockers do, but they also slow the heartbeat, as beta blockers do.

6. Nervous system inhibitors relax blood vessels by controlling nerve impulses from the brain.

7. Vasodilators open blood vessels by directly relaxing the muscle in the vessel walls, causing blood pressure to go down.

8. Alpha-beta blockers- reducing nerve impulses to blood vessels, alpha-beta blockers slow the heartbeat to reduce the amount of blood.

Zachary

JUST-K asked:


Is it safe for a person(couple) having High Blood Pressure to have any type of arousal or sexual intercourse freely? Please advice.

Wendy

Paul J Johnson asked:


There are high blood pressure signs you should be aware of, regardless if you are taking birth control pills or not. However, for most high blood pressure sufferers, recognizing signs can be easier said than done. The reason is because high blood pressure generally has no symptoms due to the fact that the basic warning signs associated with it are extremely vague.

Nevertheless, the following are the basic warning high blood pressure signs you should be aware of:

 Headaches
 Dizziness
 Nosebleeds
 Flushed face
 Fatigue.

As you can see, from the above list of symptoms, it is easy for someone to ignore or mistaken these symptoms as another problem. This is why high blood pressure is commonly known as “the silent killer”, because for those who don’t receive regular blood pressure checkups, it usually isn’t until one experiences the more extreme symptoms that he/she seeks medical attention.

The following extreme high blood pressure signs occur if high blood pressure (blood pressure is equal to or greater than 140/90 mmHg.) has been persistent, severe and left untreated for a long time. The symptoms are usually the result of damage that has been done to the brain, eyes, kidney and heart.

They include:

 Severe unexplained headache
 Fatigue
 Restlessness
 Nausea
 Vomiting
 Shortness of breath
 Blurred vision
 Chest pain or shortness of breath after slight exertion

More extreme signs include:

 Eye damage and loss of vision
 Organ failure - kidneys and/or heart fail
 Heart attack
 Stroke or a transient ischemic attack (better known as a mini stroke)
 Aneurysm
 Peripheral arterial disease
 Brian swelling - this is rare but can cause drowsiness and coma.

Note: if you are experiencing any of the above extreme signs visit your hospital emergency department immediately.

How can high blood pressure be treated?

First of all, regardless if you have high blood pressure signs or not, always have your blood pressure checked annually, and inform you doctor if you have a family history of hypertension, kidney failure, heart attack or stroke, as this increases your risk.

That being said, high blood pressure can be managed thorough lifestyle changes, but depending on the severity of the condition, some individuals may benefit from a combination of lifestyle changes and medical treatment.

Lifestyle changes -

Food - Limit and eliminate food products that encourage high blood pressure including, table salt, cooking salt, salty and processed foods, foods high in saturated fat, sugary foods and drinks, caffeine and alcohol.

Quit smoking - Nicotine in cigarettes causes the blood vessels to constrict, and increases blood pressure.

Exercise - Physical activity actually works to reduce blood pressure while inactivity increases blood pressure. Exercise is a great way to keep your body healthy and strong, and is a fantastic way to lose and maintain a good weight.

Lose weight - If you are exceptionally overweight or obese you are putting excess pressure on your heart. You must reduce your weight by incorporating regular exercise and healthy eating habits in your lifestyle. Avoid crash diets as these can only make your condition worse.

Medication - If your doctor feels you require medication to help control your high blood pressure signs, you may be prescribed medication to help relieve the stress that is being placed on your heart, organs and blood vessels including: diuretics (water pills), beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, Alpha-blockers, etc.

Remember although medications can help, lifestyle changes are essential for controlling high blood pressure.

It is vital that you realize high blood pressure can go undetected for years and cause no symptoms while still damaging the blood vessels, heart and other organs. Therefore, if you suspect you have high blood pressure signs, are unsure if you do, or even if you don’t, always visit your health care provider annually to have your blood pressure checked. Monitoring your blood pressure, and taking action to control it when it’s high, is the only way you can protect yourself from the silent killer.

Carlos

richdan02 asked:


Are high blood pressure and anxiety related, and if so what sort of risk is there.

Tanya