About Hypertension

Jason Rickard asked:


Hypertension is a condition of increased blood pressure on blood vessels. It is considered as one of the most common lifestyle diseases and has affected around 50 million people in the United States. Hypertension, also called high blood pressure, is categorized into two types – essential hypertension and secondary hypertension – on the basis of the underlying causes for its occurrence. The reason for essential hypertension is not easily identifiable and treated, while secondary hypertension is the complication of any other existing chronic disease such as alcohol abuse, kidney failure, and hormonal imbalance. It is a highly risky disease, which essentially needs treatment, since it can lead to arteriosclerosis that results degenerative diseases, stroke, and cardiac arrest.

Now, natural treatment is preferred to reduce hypertension, as people are more aware of the possible side effects of conventional medication. Natural treatment methodology also has a unique advantage to cure the underlying causes, which the conventional medicines usually lack. Natural methods focus to cure the risk factors for hypertension such as cholesterol, hormonal imbalance, diabetes and obesity to restore the equilibrium and perfect functioning of the body.

Natural treatment primarily starts with life style modification since bad habits have contributed much to the cause of the disease. Balanced diet and diet modification is an essential part of natural treatment, which helps to reduce obesity, a major risk factor for hypertension. In addition to other nutrients, potassium, calcium and magnesium have to be additionally included in the diet since they play vital role in blood control. The increased tendency to partake in common salt must be avoided, to maintain the balance of electrolytes. A recommended mineral rich diet must include milk and milk products, fishes, oysters, nuts, green vegetables, and fruits such as bananas, potatoes, and molasses. Supplements of minerals and vitamins are to be used, if a proper diet is not feasible.

Natural treatment requires hypertension patients to implement certain lifestyle modifications. Exercise and relaxation therapies are an inevitable part of natural treatment. The excess calories have to be burnt off through regular exercises and it helps to induce oxygenation of blood. Relaxation therapies and meditation techniques such as yoga, breathing exercises, tai chi, biofeedback, and hypnotherapy help to avoid stress and other related psychiatric problems. Avoid alkaloid rich drinks such as coffee and fatty foods. Smoking has to be essentially quitted and dependency on alcohol has to be avoided.

Natural treatment also suggests certain herbal remedies such as Withania somnifera, Convolvulus pluricaulis, Passiflora, and Ginkgo biloba. Garlic is also recommended as a routine ingredient of diet since it has the power of being a blood thinner. However, be cautious when taking herbal supplements, only using according to the advice of a physician since herbal alkaloids may interfere the balance of the body functions.

Hypertension is a silent killer, which exhibit its symptoms only in advanced conditions. Hence, modify your lifestyle to practice good habits and a balanced diet and you can reduce the risk of hypertension naturally.

Erica

Scott James asked:


Experts are reporting that the levels of Hypertension being reported are changing and that trend levels are being reversed. The incidence of Hypertension, having been in decline over the past three decades is increasing.

In the United States of America they reckon that there are a staggering 50 Million plus people over the age of six who are sufferers of High Blood Pressure (as Hypertension is otherwise known). There are very few diseases quite as sinister or dangerous as High Blood Pressure. The real danger with it is the almost complete absence of any form of external warning sign whatsoever.

If you were to do an analysis of those suffering from High Blood Pressure then you would find that 30 percent of those suffering from it are completely unaware of the fact. It is a frightening fact that if High Blood Pressure is ignored and left untreated and thus goes about its business without treatment then it will cause almost irreparable damage to the body’s internal organs.

Hypertension is the single most important contributor to the incidence of stroke, one of the biggest killer diseases known to man. Hypertension is also the single largest cause of Heart Disease in the USA alone and contributes to over 500,000 deaths a year. How does reducing your lifespan by up to 20 years grab you? That is what could happen if High Blood Pressure is left untreated.

An immediate (or as soon as is possible) positive diagnosis of Hypertension is essential if it exists. Nowadays such is the desire to pick up on incidences of Hypertension at their earliest occurrences that the levels at which Hypertension was considered dangerous have now been lowered and an interim condition of “Pre Hypertension” has now been recognised.

The goal is to try and catch those whose Blood Pressure levels were once deemed to be at the high end of being normal and stop them from becoming sufferers of High Blood Pressure. Sustainable changes to your lifestyle are an important part of the whole new approach to the treatment of High Blood Pressure.

With Hypertension, if we take a base point of 115/75 mm Hg it has been proved that there is a 100 percent increase in the danger of a fatal Heart Attack or Stroke with every 20 point systolic increase or 10 point diastolic increase. The external signs and symptoms of High Blood Pressure may not be that obvious to the lay person, to the expert they can be spotted quite easily. Sometimes all it takes to lower the Blood Pressure levels are lifestyle changes whilst in certain other cases, Medication is required.

With Hypertension nowadays, and with the information that we now have at our disposal there is no reason that it should be the serious medical condition that it once was. The bottom line is that we all probably know someone who either has High Blood Pressure already but we also all know someone who not only has High Blood Pressure but has yet to be diagnosed with it.

Ann

Nazima Golamaully asked:


People that have been drinking bottled water for several years may often find that they have become victims to different kinds of diseases including heart problems, hypertension, atherosclerosis and more. Unfortunately, if this describes your case then you are at risk of becoming yet another statistic of the bottled water industry’s growing list of ill people.

This in spite of the fact that US regulations require that bottled water must contain alkalinity of less than three hundred mg/L, and hardness should also not exceed three hundred mg/L while pH must fall between six and eight while TDS must also be less than three hundred and fifty ppm.

More Like A Prescription For Illness

However, all of these readings will actually not help consumers because such readings actually read more like a prescription for hypertension as well as other diseases than a means to safeguard your health. In addition, the fact of the matter is that there is also a definite association between the amounts of softness present in municipally supplied water and mortality rates directly attributable to ailments such as hypertension. In fact, according to studies conducted in this regard on people living in eighty-eight different cities in the US there were twelve major as well as four trace constituents that pointed to death by hypertension.

In fact, if water contains excess of dissolved elements, the chances of dying from hypertension would be greatly increased. Even as far back as between the years 1941 and 1951, there was enough indication found that indicated that both hypertension and also arteriosclerotic heart diseases resulted from drinking different kinds of soft municipal water in different parts of the United States.

There are also several other interesting facts related to drinking water and suffering from various diseases including softer water causing higher mortality rates among non-white people suffering from hypertension and in fact, non-whites were a lot more prone to being affected by hypertension than their white counterparts.

Other studies have since been conducted in order to find out the association between hardness of water and suffering from hypertension, and in fact, it was found that among the male population as many as 22.5 percent were liable to suffer from hypertension while for females the percentage was slightly higher at 23.6 percent.

The bottom line is that if you are white and drinking particularly hard municipal water, then the chances of your dying from hypertension are greater, and so it certainly will pay for you to be extra careful about the type of water you drink.

Ellen

Armughan Riaz asked:


This article will furnish you comprehensive Dietary Advice For Prehypertensive and Hypertensive Blood Pressure Levels. Here you will find Diet Tips To Reduce Blood Pressure
Diet For High Blood Pressure and Hypertension, Relation Between Diet and Blood Pressure
If you have Bad eating habits then it contributes significantly to unhealthily high blood pressure levels, even in middle age, when blood pressure levels typically rise as part of the aging process. Whether or not you are taking antihypertensive drugs, the need to make dietary improvements (eg. follow a healthy low-fat diet) is frequently at the top of a doctor’s list of recommendations to reduce or prevent the onset of high blood pressure. Before outlining the best type of diet for hypertension, let’s take a brief look at health consequences of raised blood pressure.
Hazards of Hypertension & High Blood Pressure
In under developed as well as developed countries, an estimated 20-40 percent of all adults suffer from persistent high blood pressure. High blood pressure puts a strain on the heart causing atherosclerosis(Thickenning of vessels). Result is damage to heart, Coronary artery disease, Kidney failure, Strok, Eye damage. Choice is yours, try to save these vital organs by controlling your BP. Remember Hypertension is a silent Killer, it shows its effects silently and when you come to know that you have BP, by that time hypertension often affects your vital organs.
Normal Blood Pressure Levels vs. Prehypertensive and Hypertensive
Normal blood pressure of an healthy adult at rest, is 120 (systolic) over 80 (diastolic) or less. Blood pressure levels greater than 120/80 and below 140/90 are at prehypertensive stage, while levels above 140/90 are considered hypertensive stage. Both prehypertensive and hypertensive subjects should make diet, exercise and lifestyle changes to reduce or prevent the onset of hypertension and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Weight increases blood Pressure
Over weight persons will be having high blood pressure. Weight reduction significantly decreases blood pressure.People with obesity double their risk of developing the disorder. In addition, roughly 7 out of 10 obese adults suffer from high blood pressure. If you lose even 10 pounds can produce noticeable improvements.
Dietary Advice and Tips For High Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure and not overweight, here are few tips to control your BP.
Choose A Healthy Balanced Diet
If you want to reduce your blood pressure, your diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods, while low in saturated and trans-fats. It should also be low in cholesterol, high in fiber, calcium,potassium and magnesium, and moderately high in protein. The American Heart Association and U.S. government recommend the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet as a good diet guide to reduce blood pressure.
First thing is to Reduce Your Intake of Sodium (Salt)
How salt intake increases blood pressure. Eating too much salt or sodium-rich foods leads to a greater uptake of fluid and causes greater retension of water inside body, leads to volume overloard and High blood presure. It also places extra strain on the arterioles (blood vessels that dilate/constrict to regulate blood pressure and blood flow). Both these effects lead to higher blood pressure. The Recoomended daily dose for sodium for most people is 2,400 mg.
You can Reduce Sodium Intake
How can you decrease sodium intake? Eat less pre-cooked or processed food, and eat more fresh food. Sodium is found naturally in fresh foods like grains, fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, and dairy products, but in much lower quantities than in processed foods (eg. packet, bottled or canned food).
High Sodium Foods
These foods typically have a high sodium content. In order not to exceed the RDA, either avoid them altogether, or choose low-sodium varieties.
Sauces: baking soda, barbecue sauce, catsup, garlic salt, mustard, onion salt,Soy sauce, steak sauce, salad dressing, baking powder, mustard, onion salt, seasoned salts like lemon pepper, bouillon cubes, meat tenderizer, and monosodium glutamate.
Salted Snacks: peanuts, pretzels, pork rinds. Tortilla chips, corn chips
Soup: instant soups, Regular canned soups.
Pickled Food: Olives, or sauerkraut, Herring, pickles, relish,
Meats: smoked or cured meats (containing sodium-nitrite) such as bacon, bologna, hot dogs, ham, corned beef, luncheon meats, and sausage, Hogmaws, ribs, and chitterlings,.
Dairy: Most cheese spreads and cheeses.
Drinks: club soda, saccharin-flavored soda,
Cereals: Instant hot cereals, Regular ready to eat cold cereals,
Ready-to-Eat: boxed mixes like rice, scalloped potatoes, macaroni and cheese and some frozen dinners, pot pies and pizza. Quick cook rice, instant noodles,
Fats: Butter, fatback, and salt pork.
Check Labels of Food Containers:
Choose those foods which labeled as low-sodium, very low sodium, or salt-free. Check food labels for words that indicate a high sodium content, including: sodium nitrite, sodium proprionate, disodium phosphate, and sodium sulfate., monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium benzoate, sodium hydroxide,
Lower Sodium Eating Habits
Do not add extra salt when cooking or preparing meals. Cook with more herbs and spices.
Do not have salt on the table while eating do not add salt on salad.
If you cook with salt, switch to chili, ginger and lemon juice for flavoring.
If you eat cured/smoked meats, switch to fresh cold meats.
If you eat ready-to-serve breakfast cereal, choose low-sodium types of cereal.
Rinse before eating, If you eat tuna, salmon, sardines, or mackerel canned in water.
If you eat soup, switch to low-sodium or fresh soups.
If you cook with whole milk or fat diet, switch to 1 percent or skimmed buttermilk.
Remember taking less salt diet, Your BP will be in normal Limits.
If you want to know more about High Blood Pressure Diet Visit our website.

Suzanne

richdan02 asked:


I have mildly elevated blood pressure and want to bring it under control through diet and exercise - so i’m looking for suitable hypertension exercise suggestions that I can try. Thanks.

Tara

richdan02 asked:


Can anyone tell me if there is a link between diabetes and hypertension?

Joshua

Mike Herman asked:


Primary (aka essential) hypertension has no known cause, however there are a number of lifestyle factors which do seem to effect the chances of developing hypertension.
Risk factors may be related to the environment, genetics and family history, smoking, diet, hormones, how much sodium (salt) you have in your diet or even the level of stress in your life.
Hypertension also increases your risk of having a stroke or heart attack, and can lead to other diseases as well as make other health conditions even worse. It is important to your health and your future to learn about the risk factors and by controlling and altering what you have control over you can change you decrease your risks.
• Exposure to environmental pollutants, such as tobacco smoke, vapors around the office, etc.
• Obesity - being over weight is a factor in hypertension, especially as one ages. Proper diet and weight loss may aid in reversing the associated problems.
• Lack of exercise - Daily ‘aerobic’ exercise (walking, swimming, running, cycling, etc.) can be very beneficial in decreasing blood pressure, as well as helping with your weight .
• Stress - we could all benefit from a little less of this. Exercise also helps with reducing your stress.
• Lower Alcohol Consumption - Drinking excessively doubles your chances of suffering high blood pressure or a stroke.
• Medicines and prescriptions (Ritalin, hormones, steroids, anti-rejection medications), your doctor and pharmacist should be intimately aware of what you are taking. Illegal drugs can also cause you problems (amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy).
• Diet - a diet high in sodium puts strain on the blood vessels by increasing the fluid volume in the body (salt attracts water)
These risks can be helped or even controlled with the help of a doctor
• Pregnancy - the extra volume of blood, plus toxemia from high dietary salt intake can put a great strain on the vascular system.
• Kidney failure - the body is unable to remove fluids from the body causing an increase in fluid volume and blood pressure.
• Right-sided Heart Failure - decreases the hearts ability to pump high volumes of fluid through the heart causing a back-up into the blood vessels
Risk Factors over which you have no control
• Family history of hypertension especially onset before the age of 50.
• Age -your increases your chances of getting hypertension
• Gender (male or female)
• Race (Afro-American)
• Nervous System disorders
Secondary Hypertension
While the single cause of Primary hypertension is not known, the cause(s) of Secondary hypertension is and it is usually caused by another condition or disease. Conditions such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes, kidney disease, or even from medications and pregnancy (Gestational hypertension and is one of the reasons your doctor wants to see you more frequently near the end).
Hypertension can be caused either by taking medications or by stopping medications too quickly. Medications such as corticosteroids, birth control pills and other hormones, migraine medications, and medications used for chronic anemia (erythropoieten). Also a number of over-the-counter medications such as cough/cold medications and medications for asthma can cause hypertension.
Medications for hypertension can also cause a rebound hypertension if they are not weaned off of slowly.
Street drugs that can cause hypertension include: alcohol, amphetamines, ecstasy (MDMA and derivatives), and cocaine.
A small number of people experience malignant hypertension. This is an extremely high blood pressure that causes swelling of the optic nerve (the nerve that control vision). This is considered a medical emergency. Many of your vital organs are in serious risk of injury including your brain, your eyes, blood vessels, heart, and kidneys.

Diane

Juliet Cohen asked:


Millions of people are affected by high blood pressure (hypertension), a condition in which blood travels through the body’s arteries at a pressure too high for good health. High blood pressure in the arteries that supply the lungs is called pulmonary hypertension (PHT). The blood pressure measured by cuff on your arm isn’t directly related to the pressure in your lungs. The blood vessels that supply the lungs constrict and their walls thicken, so they can’t carry as much blood. As in a kinked garden hose, pressure builds up and backs up. The heart works harder, trying to force the blood through. Nearly 50 million Americans have high blood pressure (also known as hypertension). It occurs when blood travels through the body’s arteries at a pressure too high for good health.

It is most commonly found in women between ages 20 and 40. However, men and women in all age ranges — as well as very young children — can develop PPH. There are two main kinds of pulmonary hypertension. One runs in families or appears for no known reason. The other kind is related to another condition, usually heart or lung disease. The most common cause of pulmonary hypertension is left heart failure leading to pulmonary venous hypertension (WHO Group II). This may be due to systolic or diastolic malfunction of the left ventricle or due to valvular dysfunction such as mitral regurgitation, mitral stenosis, aortic stenosis, or aortic regurgitation. It usually manifests as pulmonary edema or pleural effusions.Treatment is determined by whether the PH is arterial, venous, hypoxic, or miscellaneous.

The impotence drug Viagra, is sometimes used to treat pulmonary hypertension. Most medications often used to treat coexistent illnesses are safe for people with PHT. Prostacyclin given intravenously through a catheter surgically implanted in the skin improves the quality of life, increases survival, and reduces the urgency of lung transplantation. Vasodilators (drugs to dilate blood vessels), such as calcium channel blockers, nitric oxide, and prostacyclin, are often helpful for secondary pulmonary hypertension associated with scleroderma, chronic liver disease, and HIV infection. Bosentan, a new drug given by mouth, has been effective in some people. A drug similar to prostacyclin, called iloprost, can be administered by inhalation. Sometimes lung transplants also are done.

Pulmonary Hypertension Treatment and Prevention Tips

1. Diuretics reduce the amount of fluid in the body.

2. Given oxygen therapy to help treat pulmonary hypertension.

3. High dose calcium channel blockers are useful in PAH patients.

4. Prostacyclin is commonly considered the most effective treatment for PAH.

5. Viagra, is sometimes used to treat pulmonary hypertension.

6. Bosentan drug given by mouth, has been effective in some people.

7. Transplantation may be a possible treatment for severe secondary pulmonary hypertension.

Lawrence

Jason Rickard asked:


Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, is a common ailment in adults. Stress, improper diet and lack of exercise are some of the causes of hypertension. Dietetic management plays an integral role in helping people with hypertension stay as healthy as they can. What you eat is basically who you are and good food contains nutrients that your body needs to function normally.

Hypertension is also associated to people who are overweight. In this case, intake of high-calorie food should be minimized. For people with average weight, it is best the check a daily-recommended calorie diet that is best suitable for your age, gender and lifestyle.

Eating protein-rich foods like meat and chicken should also be restricted. People with hypertension should have 20 grams per day at a maximum. It can also be calculated as 1 gram per 1 kilogram of one’s body weight. To give a more concrete example, if for instance your weight is 70 kilograms then 70 grams of protein would be enough for one day.

Animal fats are also a no-no. Eat fatty foods pose a greater risk for people with hypertension. An increase intake of fatty foods can even lead to arteriosclerosis but not all fats are bad. You may be allowed to eat foods containing vegetable oils but not oily foods like liver or egg yolk.

One way to lower down blood pressure is to have a low fat and low sodium diet. Two to three grams of sodium would be enough per day. Keeping your potassium level high would also improve your condition. Good sources of potassium include celery, watermelon, tomatoes, bananas and other leafy vegetables. Get enough fluids everyday. If you have hypertension and oedema at the same time, then that’s the only time you need to limit your water intake.

Remember that you should always have a healthy lifestyle to combat hypertension. Manage your hypertension diet by quickly writing down your meal plan on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Smoking and drinking alcohol should never be in the list of the things you should do. With enough vigilance with the food you eat, in no time you can ease away from hypertension and live a better and healthier life.

Claude

Juliet Cohen asked:


Hypertension is one of the most common worldwide diseases afflicting humans. Hypertension also known as high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. The heart pumps blood into the arteries (blood vessels), which carry the blood throughout the body. Blood pressure measurements are the result of the force of the blood produced by the heart and the size and condition of the arteries. Many factors can affect blood pressure, including how much water and salt you have in your body, the condition of your kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels, and the levels of different body hormones. High blood pressure can affect all types of people. Hypertension is affects mostly age 55, 90 percent chance of developing it at some point in your life.

Hypertension is most common symptoms headaches, fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, facial flushing or tinnitus. Malignant hypertension (or accelerated hypertension) is distinct as a late phase in the condition, and may present with headaches, blurred vision and end-organ damage. Hypertension is damage the heart and blood vessels, and can eventually lead to several other conditions, including stroke ,heart failure ,heart attack ,kidney failure and vision problems. Hypertension is typically treated by making changes in your lifestyle, and with drug therapy. Lifestyle changes include losing weight, stopping smoking, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough exercise, especially aerobic exercise. ACE inhibitors stop the production of a hormone called angiotensin II that makes the blood vessels narrow.

Angiotensin-II receptor antagonists work in a similar way to ACE inhibitors. Vasodilators medications prevent the muscles from tightening Beta-blockers block the effect of the hormone adrenaline and the sympathetic nervous system on the body. This relaxes the heart so that it beats more slowly, lowering the blood pressure. Alpha-blockers cause the blood vessels to relax and widen. Combining them with beta-blockers has a greater effect on the resistance in the circulation. Calcium-channel blockers reduce muscle tension in the arteries, expanding them and creating more room for the blood flow. Diuretics help the body get rid of excess salt and fluids via the kidneys. Weight reduction and regular aerobic exercise are also recommended to treating mild to moderate hypertension.

Asymptomatic Hypertension Treatment and Prevention Tips

1. Avoid smoking.

2. Stopping smoking.

3. Eating a healthy diet is also recommend.

4. If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar under control.

5. Hypertension is typically treated by making changes in your lifestyle.

6. Weight reduction and regular aerobic exercise are also recommended.

7. Relaxation therapy, such as meditation can be an additional method of ameliorating hypertension.

Joe