Hi Healthies,
In the process of giving you information and prevention on some very common and day to day confronted issues, this time we will cover Blood Pressure. This is the most talked about and most common health related word we listen at least twice in a day. Here we are going to cover -
What is Blood Pressure and Why Do We Measure It ?
What Is The Normal Range of Blood Pressure ?
Reasons, Symptoms, Prevention For High Blood Pressure .
What is WHITE COAT HYPERTENSION ?
FACTS
FACTS
What is Blood
Pressure and Why Do We Measure It
We all know that our heart beats anywhere in the range of 60 - 90 times
in the normal person. This contraction and expansion in heart is responsible for blood and oxygen flow in different parts of our body. This generates pressure on the walls of blood vessels which we measure as BLOOD PRESSURE.
Most of us has got Blood Pressure checked at least once in our life. Either machine or doctor records two different numbers. One is greater than the other. The higher reading (SYSTOLIC) is the highest pressure on the arteries when heart contracts and pushes blood through the arteries to the rest of our body. The lower reading (DIASTOLIC) is the measure of the pressure on the arteries when the heart rests between beats.
Both systolic and diastolic numbers are important. It is written like 120/80 mg (higher is written first and we say it is "120 over 80"). Blood pressure is lowest when we sleep and changes as we get involved in different activities.
NORMAL RANGE OF BLOOD PRESSURE
Blood Pressure fluctuates throughout the day depending on what we are doing. Blood pressure increases when we are nervous, excited or active. So doctors recommends to measure the blood pressure while resting and in peace of mind. Higher reading of Blood Pressure leads to HYPERTENSION and lower leads to HYPOTENSION (Read: Understanding Low Blood Pressure ). Diversion in both the readings from normal is not good for our health. Below is the chart of the normal range of blood pressure.
According to prof Bryan Williams, the director of NIHR (National Institute Of Health Research) University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre "Blood pressure when someone is asleep is a strong predictor of heart disease. "
Note that blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day depending upon your activity. If you find it high once, have it tested several times throughout the day.
REASONS, SYMPTOMS AND PREVENTION FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
High recordings of blood pressure shows that heart is working hard to push the blood into our body. Exact cause of rise in blood pressure is still not known but we can take precautions to lower the level. In some patients blood pressure rises due to any other medical problem in them. When the cause of the rise in blood pressure is known it is called SECONDARY HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE or SECONDARY HYPERTENSION. If the person is suffering from diabetes than 130/80 or higher will be considered as high blood pressure.
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE BLOOD PRESSURE
1) Smoking
2) Being overweight or obese
3) Lack of physical activity
4) Too much salt in the diet
5) Too much alcohol consumption (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)
6) Stress
7) Older age
8) Genetics
9) Family history of high blood pressure
4) Too much salt in the diet
5) Too much alcohol consumption (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)
6) Stress
7) Older age
8) Genetics
9) Family history of high blood pressure
10) Chronic kidney disease
11) Adrenal and thyroid disorders
11) Adrenal and thyroid disorders
SYMPTOMS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
1) Severe headache
2) Fatigue or confusion
3) Vision problems
4) Chest pain
5) Difficulty breathing
6) Irregular heartbeat
7) Blood in the urine
8) Pounding in your chest, neck, or ears
2) Fatigue or confusion
3) Vision problems
4) Chest pain
5) Difficulty breathing
6) Irregular heartbeat
7) Blood in the urine
8) Pounding in your chest, neck, or ears
PREVENTION
1) SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS - Blood pressure often increases with weight. Ask your target weight with your doctor and how to achieve it. Decreasing your waist line also helps in lowering your blood pressure. For Asian women and men waistline greater than 81cm and 91 cm respectively is the matter of concern and have higher risk of high blood pressure.
2) PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - Moderate workout for 30-60 minutes a day will help lowering your blood pressure.
3) EAT HEALTHY TO STAY HEALTHY - Lowering your sodium, fat, trans fat and cholesterol intake and taking high fibre, fruits, potassium rich diet and vegetables will improve your blood pressure. Eating out at restaurants increases the sodium intake. Avoid picking up junk food. Include banana, potato, beans and yoghurt in your diet.
4) REDUCE SODIUM INTAKE - A small reduction in the sodium in your diet can reduce blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg.
5) LIMIT ALCOHOL INTAKE - Alcohol intake should not be more than one drink for women and 2 for men each day.
6) QUIT SMOKING
7)TAKE MEDICINES AS DIRECTED - Ask your doctor to schedule the medicine and talk to him about it's side effect if any.
8) MANAGE STRESS - As we have described earlier that stress increases the body's blood pressure, so manage your stress. Practice Yoga to calm your mind .
SOME BARRIERS IN LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE
1) COST OF MEDICINE - Discuss with your doctor for another alternative of the prescribed medicine. He can suggest you the cheaper alternative, generic drugs or any any discount program.
2) SIDE EFFECTS - Discuss with your doctor about the side effects of the medicines on you. Don't stop your medication all together. Ask your doctor about the other alternative. Sometimes changing the schedule also helps.
3) LACK OF DOCTOR-PATIENT COMMUNICATION
4) SCHEDULE IS VERY COMPLICATED - Ask your doctor to describe the schedule properly.
Note that higher the blood pressure , the more serious is the condition. High blood pressure hardens the arteries that decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to heart and brain. This reduction in the blood flow can cause -
1) HEART ATTACK - Blood supply to the heart is blocked and heart muscles die due to lack of oxygen.
2) A STROKE - Arteries that supply blood and oxygen to brain gets blocked or burst.
3) CHEST PAIN - Also known as Angina.
4) HEART FAILURE - Heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to other organs.
WHITE COAT HYPERTENSION
When patient's pressure elevates constantly in doctor's clinic but normal at other times it means patient is reacting to the White Coat doctor or ant other attendant is wearing. In this case blood pressure is measured throughout the day with the devices taking readings every 15 to 30 minutes while the patient is in his normal daily activities.
FACTS
1) When systolic and diastolic falls in different category eg. 160/80, higher category will be used to classify the blood pressure.
2) If the person is suffering from diabetes than 130/80 or higher will be considered as high blood pressure.
3) Higher the blood pressure , The more serious is the condition.
We will discuss about Low Blood Pressure in our next article. Hope this article will be helpful for you. I tried to provide you all the necessary information related to the blood pressure and hypertension. Prevention is always better than cure.
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References
lifeclinic.com
webmd.com
cdc.gov
nhlbi.nih.gov
mayoclinic
heart.org
timesofindia
timesofindia
Picture References
www.cdc.gov
www.newsfix.ca
specialty-hospital.com
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