About Hypertension

Sharon Bell asked:


 

Here are more ways to control hypertension without the use of drugs. These guidelines were issued by the Department of Health (DOH) in Manila and are recommended for those with mild hypertension (those with a reading of 140/90) who have no underlying disease.

EXERCISE REGULARLY. Exercise leads to weight loss which, in turn, lowers your blood pressure. So if you’re hypertensive and are overweight, a little exercise can solve both problems.

If you haven’t been exercising for a long time now, have a medical checkup before you embark on a fitness program. Begin gradually and work your way up to a level that’s not too taxing for you.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to use expensive equipment or join a marathon to benefit from exercise. Neither should exercise leave you out of breath and close to a heart attack.

Walking is simple yet it is a good exercise for most people. So is swimming, jogging, or aerobic dancing. Proceed at your own pace and you’ll be surprised at the results.

“You should exercise at least three times a week. That will keep you in good shape and lower your blood pressure,” said Dr. Desiree M. Narvaez, a medical specialist formerly with the DOH Non-Communicable Disease Control Service.

REDUCE SALT INTAKE. People with hypertension think they’re doomed to a life without salt. This is impossible since salt is found in all plants and animals and is required for the normal functioning of the body. Salt restriction - not the avoidance of salt - applies mainly to hypertensive individuals who are “sodium-sensitive” or those whose readings soar whenever they take excessive salt.

“It’s not true that everyone with hypertension must follow a salt-free diet. Only certain individuals need to reduce their intake appreciably. You can determine if you’re one of them by going on a strict low-salt diet for a few weeks. If your blood pressure doesn’t drop much, then you are probably not salt-sensitive and can enjoy the health advantages (and pleasures) of moderate salt intake without risk,” revealed Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld of the New York Hospital - Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in “The Best Treatment.”

If you happen to salt-sensitive, decrease your total salt intake to less than one teaspoon a day to reduce hyperten­sion. The body’s daily requirement is half a grain (or a quarter teaspoon), but many people consume three to four teaspoons of salt daily.

“For people trying to cut back on sodium, hiding the salt shaker won’t do the job. About 70 percent of our sodium intake comes from processed foods, so it’s important to read ingredient labels. Foods notoriously high in sodium include salted pretzels, sausages, pickles, tomato juice and canned vegetables,” said Larry Katzenstein, senior editor of American Health magazine.

Other high-salt goodies include bacon and ham, luncheon meats, and cheese and cheese products. Hold the ketchup, mustard and soy sauce as well or your blood pressure could shoot up like a rocket.

LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, HAVE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED REGULARLY. Visit your doctor regularly to have your blood pressure checked. It’s also wise to invest in a sphygmomanometer and learn to take your own blood pressure at home. Various devices are available. Your physician can advice you on which model to buy. (Next: When to treat hypertension.)

Since obesity is a factor in hypertension, it pays to lose weight. To help you shed those unwanted pounds, take Zyroxin, a safe and natural supplement that will maximize your weight loss through its unique fat-burning ingredients. For details, visit http://www.zyroxin.com.



Holly

joe d asked:


Hello

Can anyone tell me the link between smoking and hypertension at a cellular and blood vessel level?

how does smoking cause a change in hypertension?

dont need to know about the links to cancer etc. thankyou.
Can the source of answers please be included. as i would like to look at any reports/papers to understand this topic fully

Thank you

Mathew

Donald Saunders asked:


Hypertension is the most diagnosed condition in the US today and it is now estimated that it affects around seventy-two million Americans, which includes one out of every three adults. However, when we talk about hypertension, did you know that there are actually two forms of hypertension?

Most suffer from what is officially known as essential or primary hypertension which normally has few, or no, symptoms and more often than not develops gradually over many years. A much smaller, but nonetheless very significant, number of individuals suffer from secondary hypertension which arises out of an underlying medical condition and can occasionally present with a very rapid onset.

There are various medical conditions which can produce secondary hypertension but listed below are some of the more commonly found causes:

Sleep Apnea. The continual interruption to your breathing caused by sleep apnea leads to oxygen deprivation which causes damage to the lining of your blood vessels and affects the elasticity necessary in these blood vessels to control blood pressure.

Thyroid Problems. Excessive or inadequate hormone production from the thyroid gland, experienced in conditions such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, can, either directly or indirectly, result in a rise in blood pressure.

Kidney Problems. Your kidneys are composed of literally millions of minute blood vessels and structures which are designed to filter waste products from your blood. When this process of filtering is upset, such as in the case of polycystic kidney disease or hydronephrosis, one consequence is secondary hypertension.

Obesity. An increase in weight is frequently accompanied by a rise in heart rate, as your heart is put under pressure to push a growing amount of blood around your body, and a consequently increased pressure on the walls of your arteries.

Dietary Supplements. A number of commonly available dietary supplements, such as ginseng and St John’s wort, are capable of producing hypertension.

Of course this list is not exhaustive and might also have included such items as prescription and over-the-counter medicines, preeclampsia, Cushing’s disease, diabetes and much more.

Hypertension, whether secondary or primary, is a serious medical problem which can result in the development of other life-threatening conditions such as cardiovascular disease, heart disease and kidney failure.



Heather

Marie C asked:


my mom got cough and colds lately.. And slight fever too.. What is recommended for her? She’s got hypertension? What antipyretics is good for her and mucolytic for her cough? is it safe to use with someone with hypertension?

Derek

Lito asked:


I was looking at Hydroxycut for my weight loss program but it has side effects such as incresed blood pressure. I am hypertensive. So what are the best pills then?

Denise

Richard asked:


Hypertension is known as the silent killer, and many people may not even be aware that they even have it. If you are one of those health conscious individuals that ask to have your blood pressure taken every time you visit the doctor for a routine check up then you are one of the more sensible people. Generally most people do not know what their blood pressure is at any given time; let alone what the normal levels are according to their ages. Take a painless blood pressure test as soon as possible and find out whether you are suffering from hypertension or not! In laymen’s terms hypertension can also be called ‘high blood pressure’

 

The definition of hypertension is the force of blood pushing against your blood vessel walls or veins. This force is generated by your heart pumping to aciculate the blood for normal body functions. When your doctor measures your blood pressure then there are two readings that will be taken into consideration, namely the diastolic and systolic blood pressures.  Diastolic pressure is when your heart is in a relaxed state and systolic pressure is when your heart pumps blood out of your heart.

 

Possible symptoms of Hypertension.

 

As mentioned above it is difficult to determine when a person is suffering from hypertension. Some people may experience headaches, blurred vision and sometimes dizziness. The best possible way to find out if you are suffering from hypertension is obviously a visit to your doctor or clinic to have your blood pressure taken. Because hypertension is a dangerous disease that can lead to strokes and heart attacks, kidney diseases and even dementia to name just a few examples, you can see that it is obvious to investigate your blood pressure as soon as possible for your own peace of mind.

 

What should normal blood pressures be.

 

Different situations can make blood pressure fluctuate but in the majority of people in a relaxed state, normal readings of blood pressures would be 120/80 which is very healthy. Pressures of 130/80 are still fine, but when your readings are 140/90 you can be suffering from hypertension. If this is the case you may be more prone to suffering the conditions mentioned above. There are many treatments that can be prescribed by doctors but the factors you can change in your lifestyle may be the most effective treatment of all. Reducing stress in your life, changing unhealthy diets, and exercising a little more often all help your body. Some medications available to treat blood pressure may be needed for older people in addition to lifestyle changes.

 

You only have one heart and one life.

 

This simple information in this article can be life changing and it begins with having your blood pressure checked. It is as simple and as painless as that. If you have been diagnosed with hypertension there is no cause for panic. Reduce salt, fatty foods, and alcohol consumption for a start. Quit or cut back on smoking and relax a bit by getting away from stressful situations. Realize that something can be done to treat this condition with a little education. Live a healthy balanced lifestyle!



Rachel

Sharon Bell asked:


 

What causes blood pressure to rise? Some people still believe that this is due to nervousness or stress. While anxiety or tension may temporarily make your blood pressure rise, there is no evidence that they are solely responsible for the condition. In short, your personality has nothing to do with your persistently elevated readings.

“It’s too bad that hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure because it just adds to the popular misconception that an elevated pressure will simply go away if you relax, ‘take it easy’, or use tranquilizers. Of course, we should all try to deal with life’s problems calmly and with equanimity. But if you suffer from true hypertension, relaxing may lower your blood pressure a little, but it will not drop down to normal,” according to Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld of the New York Hospital - Memorial Sloan - Kettering Cancer Center in “The Best Treatment.”

Some cases of hypertension can be traced to kidney or heart disease, a tumor or adrenal gland problem. If an underlying cause is found, the condition is called secondary hypertension. However, in more than 90 percent of cases, the cause of high blood pressure is unknown. This is called primary or essential hypertension.

“Despite all the time and money spent on hypertension research, we still don’t understand why it happens in about 85 percent of cases. In 10 to 15 percent, a specific cause can be identified and usually involves kidney diseases, an overactive or underactive thyroid, or hormones secreted by the adrenal glands (such as adrenalin, noradrenalin, cortisol or aldosterone). Some of these abnormalities can be dramati­cally cured, often by surgery - e.g. removing a hormone-secreting tumor, or opening up a narrowed artery to the kidneys by balloon angioplasty or an operation. Your physician will know when and how to look for these relative­ly rare conditions,” Rosenfeld said.

But if none of these problems are present, hypertension could be the result of something else. Heredity appears to be a factor. Dr. William Manger, former chair of the U.S. National Hypertension Association, says your risk of developing hypertension increases to about 25 percent if you have one parent with the disease.

If both of your parents are hypertensive, your risk becomes more than 60 percent. Other factors that may increase blood pressure are being overweight, excessive drinking and smoking, and too much salt in the diet.

“There are also indications that use of oral contracep­tives may contribute to increased blood pressure; however, this is more likely to occur in women who are overweight, whose parents are hypertensive, or who have other hyperten­sive risk factors,” said the editors of Consumer Guide’s “Family Health & Medical Guide.” (Next: Complications of hypertension.)

Since obesity is a factor in hypertension, it pays to lose weight. To help you shed those unwanted pounds, take Zyroxin, a safe and natural supplement that will maximize your weight loss through its unique fat-burning ingredients. For details, visit http://www.zyroxin.com.



Tom

Nick Johnson asked:


After the miracle diet drug, Fen Phen, was introduced in the early 90’s, nearly 6.5 million people consumed the drug. The reason for such a large consumption was the immediate weight loss associated with the drug. However, after ties between Fen Phen and the fatal Primary Pulmonary Hypertension were established, American Home Products removed the drug from the market in mid September of ‘97.

While Fen Phen supporters did not want to believe the horrible side effects that would befall some, they soon came to the realization that the drug was quite harmful. Soon after Fen Phen was pulled from American shelves, evidence implicating AHP of withholding serious knowledge of the harmful side effects the drug would cause came to light.

Since millions of people had taken the diet drug Fen Phen, a large percentage of these people were experiencing drastic side effects, and in some cases even death. Many people say they would pay any price to lose weight. However, death was not the price they wanted to pay.

A large number of the lawsuits filed in state court were filed because of the different effects Fen Phen caused on people’s health. The people filing suit were seeking some type of compensation for the rising medical bills they were incurring.

In late 1997, every single federal Fen Phen case was transferred to the United States District Court. This event started a series of nationwide Fen Phen settlements. In mid-November of 99, preliminary approval was given to the settlement class. In order to find that the agreement reached in the settlement was fair, the district court held a hearing.

In August of 2000, the settlement agreement was awarded approval. Thus creating the American Home Products Settlement Trust. After attempts to overturn the court’s ruling, the AHP gave in to the settlement.

If you are a patient who has suffered from PPH (Primary Pulmonary Hypertension) caused by the diet drug Fen Phen, then you should know that you are not part of the settlement agreement with AHP. All Primary Pulmonary Hypertension patients are required to file independent lawsuits to make any legal claim.

Cured of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension:

Like many other deadly diseases, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) has no known cure. However, one does not have to live in discomfort and a fear of the disease consuming them. Medications and treatments are available to help ease the unpleasant symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease. Although some do not see the purpose of a medicine without a cure, many people give thanks that they are able to continue their lives in an orderly manner.

There are many different ways in which Primary Pulmonary Hypertension patients may receive treatment. They may receive oxygen, diuretics, or calcium channel blockers. Each treatment is different and each treatment should be considered. Although there are many conventional ways to ease the symptoms of PPH, there also a few forms of treatment that have not yet been approved by the Federal Drug Administration.

The simple procedure of administering oxygen to a pulmonary primary hypertension patient can be very beneficial in relieving difficulties in breathing. In addition to relieving strenuous breathing, administering oxygen also helps to relax the lungs artery muscles. Another advantage to receiving oxygen is that the pressure in the lungs will decrease to a reasonable level.

When an excessive amount of fluid builds up around the heart, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension patients receive diuretics. When patients receive diuretics, the doctors must be extremely careful. The reason such precaution must be taken is, the patient must not get entirely dehydrated. With an already poorly functioning ventricle system, dehydration can cause the blood to stop being pumped to the lungs.

Another method of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension treatment is through calcium channel blockers. An example of this would be nifedipine, a muscle relaxant. Nifedipine specifically relaxes the muscles that are found in the walls of blood vessels. Even though this form of treatment appears quite pleasant, it often is not. Although the right side of the heart is able to function more efficiently, the blood pressure may be decreased throughout the entire cardiovascular system. Thus, it may create somewhat of an unpleasant situation for the PPH patient.

A couple forms of treatment still in the experimental phase include the inhalation of Nitric Oxide and the use of prostacycline. The purpose of inhaling nitric oxide is to relax the lung’s blood vessels. When inhaling the nitric oxygen, the rest of the body does not feel the effects.



Teresa

Emilia Klapp, R.D., B.S. asked:


Introduction

You may be reading this article because by now you are probably aware that hypertension or high blood pressure can cause major problems to your health. And you are right. But it is also true that high blood pressure can be controlled if you take the right steps, one of them being an adequate diet. That’s why people with hypertension need to be aware of what foods would be of benefit and which ones could be damaging to this condition. Let us look at the steps you can take.

If you have hypertension

If this is your case, don’t get discourage thinking that a healthy diet means eating “boring” menus; nothing of that sort. What it means is that you may need to make small changes in your menus and follow certain simple guidelines such as the ones listed below:

Lower salt in your meals a little more

Reducing the sodium (salt) in your diet causes high blood pressure to go down. Avoid salty and smoked foods, cold cuts and hard cheeses. To season meals, replace salt with aromatic herbs, lemon or vinegar. 

Foods rich in potassium

This mineral helps achieve an internal equilibrium with sodium. You find it in fruits and vegetables. Try to include a salad at lunch time. I, personally, like steamed vegetables such as spinach, green peas or green beans sauté with olive oil and a couple of garlic cloves; any of these vegetables would make a healthy and tasty side dish. At night, try to include either a vegetable soup or a vegetable pure as a first dish. 

Reduce saturated fat

Fats from animal origin (cold cuts, meats and eggs) raise blood pressure while Omega-3 fats (fish) and oleic acid (olive oil) lower it. Try to include about 2 or 3 times a week fatty fish for lunch or dinner. As for breakfast, you can have a toast of whole grain bread, low in sodium, with extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil would help you not only to maintain the right level of blood pressure but would also protect your arteries.

Avoid alcohol excess

If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation: a small glass of red wine a day with meals. Studies have shown that an excess in alcohol consumption accounts for 7% of the hypertension cases.

Limit coffee intake

Limit beverages that contain caffeine such as coffee, tea, cokes, etc. because they trigger high blood pressure. My favorite beverage is water; you cannot go wrong with it.

More calcium and magnesium

Research has shown that low doses of calcium and magnesium, especially during menopause, raise the level of blood pressure. How can you include these two minerals in your diet? Increase your intake of dark green vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, kale, etc. You can find a large variety of dark green vegetables at the market ready to be included in your salad with very little work on your part.

Vitamin D

According to the University of Harvard, women who ingest daily calcium and vitamin D have less risk to develop hypertension. My favorite way to increase vitamin D in my body has always being walking in the sun at least 20 minutes a day, most days of the week. If you work, you may take 15 or 20 minutes after lunch in sunny days and go out for a walk. It would do wonders for you: it would help you lower hypertension, prevent osteoporosis, and, I guarantee you, would get you in a good mood.

Control your stress

Situations that cause you anxiety and stress can raise your blood pressure. Stress triggers certain hormones that in turn, they cause the level of blood pressure to go up. You may want to try meditation; it works wonders to lower hypertension.

Do not smoke

A study of the Harvard Medical School has shown that women who smoke two packs of cigarettes a day have a 21% more risk of developing hypertension. Remember that hypertension is the major risk for strokes and heart attacks.

Avoid being overweight

Overweight triggers hypertension. If you have some extra pounds, don’t just go on a temporary diet. The best way to keep an adequate weight is to learn how to eat healthy and keep the good habits for the rest of your life.

Walk

Try to walk at least a minimum of 30 minutes a day, 4 or 5 days a week. It would help lower your hypertension. Walking several days a week helps also lower the level of LDL, the bad cholesterol, and increase HDL, the good one.

Conclusion

As you can see, making a few changes is not as bad as it sounds because.  A few changes in your diet will pay back handsomely by keeping your hypertension or high blood pressure under control which in turn can save you a lot of grief, mental and physical, in the future.

Have a great and healthy day.

Emilia Klapp, BS, RD.



Bernard

jgdeza asked:


Query is in reference to the thesis that a regular spicy diet would either lower, or elevate high blood pressure and eventually cause hypertension.

Jerome