What is Hypertension and Why should You

Worry About it?

Let’s start with the basics. If you’re anything like me, the more you know about hypertension (or high blood pressure), the easier it will be for you to understand and discuss traditional and alternative treatment plans with your doctor.

Think of a simple bicycle pump

When you push down on the handle, air rushes through the tube into the bike tire. The air exerts pressure against the sidewalls of the pump hose, just as blood exerts pressure on your blood vessels when your heart pumps. Then, there’s a pause in the pressure as you raise the pump handle to pump again. There’s also a pause in your blood pressure as your heart pauses between beats.

These different blood pressures have names, when your heart pumps, the pressure is greater and it’s called systolic pressure. As your heart pauses between beats (for just a fraction of a second), the pressure lessens and it’s called diastolic pressure.

So what is normal blood pressure?

The rules have changed. Until a few years ago, 120/80 (you read this as 120 over 80, systolic pressure over diastolic pressure) was considered normal. Now, according to the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC), risk of cardiovascular disease starts with anything above a reading of 115/75.

However, because there are so many variables that can affect blood pressure, health professionals usually classify normal blood pressure as a range with 120/80 being the upper limit of normal.

Blood pressure measuring above 120/80 to 139/89 is classified pre-hypertensive. Anyone in this range is at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure.

Next is stage 1 hypertension with readings of 140/90 to 159/99.

Readings of 160/100 and above is stage 2 hypertension.

It isn’t necessary for both numbers to be elevated. A rise in either systolic and/or diastolic pressure can signify high blood pressure.

Although it was once thought that a higher diastolic measurement was of greater concern, it’s now known that an elevated systolic number is more dangerous for people over 50.

How do you know if you have high blood pressure?

Hypertension that is classified as mild to moderate usually has no symptoms. There’s really only one way to know. Get your blood pressure checked.

It’s estimated that around one third of the adult population of the United States has high blood pressure (approximately 73 million adults). And as many as one third of you don’t know it and aren’t being treated for it.

That means that every third adult you see as you walk down the street or in the grocery store could have high blood pressure. And if you consider only people over 50, every other person may be hypertensive.

So, if you haven’t had your blood pressure checked recently, schedule it now.

If your doctor get’s a higher than normal reading, you’ll need to return at a later date to have it checked at least once more. This is because your blood pressure can vary from day to day and throughout the day.

It’s also affected by stress, some people stress out just being in the doctor’s office (with subsequent higher bp readings. This is known as “white coat hypertension”). But don’t dismiss this as nothing to worry about. The everyday stresses of your job, or family or financial problems could be having the same effect on your blood pressure every day.

For a proper diagnosis of hypertension, your blood pressure readings need to be consistently high when averaged over two or more visits.

But you don’t feel anything, so what’s the big deal?

It’s a very big deal. While you’re going along not feeling anything, a lot of damage is being done to your body.

Damage caused by constant high pressure of your blood against your artery walls leads to thickening and hardening of the wall and restriction of the artery passage.

This makes your heart work harder. Which can lead to an enlarged heart and subsequently heart failure, coronary artery disease and cardiac arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).

Reduced blood flow to your heart can cause angina (chest pain), damage to your heart and heart attack.

Damage to the arteries in the brain has been tied to dementia in your later years. And if an artery in your brain ruptures or becomes blocked it can cause a stroke.

Sight impairment or blindness can result if an artery in your eye burst.

If the blood vessels in your kidneys are affected, kidney disease or kidney failure can result.

Next step?

1. Find out if you have hypertension
2. If you do, follow your doctors instructions
3. Come back here to find out what you can do to help yourself

Don’t put it off. If you wait too long, some of the damage, including death, may not be reversible.

Seen on a tee shirt:
Anybody with normal blood pressure these days, just isn’t paying attention!

Beans, Beans They’re Good for Your Heart….

Beans, beans they’re good for your heart the more you eat the more you….. , well you know how the rest of it goes.  Turns out this little rhyme has some truth to it.  The rotten egg odor in really smelly, uh, breaking wind, um, passing gas, flatulence, ok…farts, comes from hydrogen sulfide.  According to new research, cells that line the blood vessels of mice produce hydrogen sulfide and it helps to prevent high blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels of the mice.  And the hydrogen sulfide may have the same benefits for humans.

“Now that we know hydrogen sulfide’s role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension,” said Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Solomon H. Snyder, M.D., a co-author of the study detailed in the Oct. 24th issue of the journal Science.

I’m not so sure I like where this is going.  Do you get a free can of air freshener with each prescription?

However, you can reap the benefits by including sulfur rich foods, such as garlic and onions in your diet.

P.S. By the way, beans are good for your heart.  They’re loaded with soluble fiber and flavanoids, helping to reduce cholesterol and inhibiting adhesion in blood platelets which lowers the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Source: MSNBC Health

A Good Reason to Know Your Blood Pressure Readings

A new study indicates that many doctors don’t know the national guidelines for hypertension.  And they aren’t beginning  treatment for middle aged men when they should.

Americans are becoming more aware of the dangers and risk factors of high blood pressure.  Know your blood pressure numbers.  If they indicate that you should be on treatment for hypertension and you aren’t, you need to speak up.  

Source:  Medicine Net.com

Guided Relaxation Helps Reduce Hypertension

 A small study of elderly people with high blood pressure compared the use of guided relaxation methods against listening to classical music.  Both methods lowered blood pressure.  However, the guided relaxation methods with it’s deep breathing instructions lowered systolic pressure more.  Diastolic pressure, the second number in blood pressure readings, improved comparably.
 Source:   Medicine Net.com

Should You Monitor Your Blood Pressure at Home

Blood pressure should be monitored at home as well as by your health care provider.  According to Dr. William White at the UConn Health Center, blood pressure can vary greatly throughout the day and night, so just having your blood pressure checked just one or two times during an office visit may not reveal your true blood pressure behavior. 

Dr. Williams along with Dr.Thomas Pickering of Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center of New York are co-authors of an American Society of Hypertension position paper on home and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.  They state that there is increasing evidence that these two methods of monitoring will better predict your cardiovascular risk than office monitoring of your blood pressure alone.

Source: University of Connecticut

Hypertension Glossary

Anti-hypertensive  

Anything such as lifestyle change, medication or any other treatment that lowers high blood pressure.

Arteriosclerosis  

The thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries due to fatty deposits on the inner linings of artery walls (atherosclerosis), calcification of the artery walls and thickening of the muscles of the artery walls because of chronic high blood pressure. 

Atherosclerosis  

The progressive thickening and hardening of the artery wall because of fat deposits. Atherosclerotic heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

Blood pressure  

The pressure of blood flow inside the artery walls produced by the pumping action of the heart.  The pressure is measured by two numbers. The first, systolic pressure, is the measure of the blood flow as the heart beats or pumps out blood.  The second, diastolic pressure, is the measure of blood flow between heart beats.

Blood pressure monitor  

A device used to measure and/or record blood pressure.  A syphgmomanometer (the type usually used in the doctor’s office and hospitals comes in two types. One uses columns of mercury to measure pressure and the other uses a gauge with a dial face.  Digital readout monitors are also available with most models sold as home use blood pressure monitors.

Diastolic  

The pressure of the blood flow when the heart is at rest, between beats.

HBP   

Abbreviation for High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure  

Blood pressure reading of 140/90 or above.  (see hypertension)

Hypertension  

High blood pressure that is repeatedly elevated, having a pressure reading of 140 (systolic) over 90 (diastolic).

Hypertensive retinopathy  

Damage to the blood vessels in the retina, the area at the back of the eye, caused by hypertension.

Low blood pressure  

Hypotension, pressure is so low that not enough nutrients and oxygen are delivered to the vital organs.  When not enough oxygen reaches the brain, dizziness and fainting can occur.  Low blood pressure is defined more by syptoms than by a specific pressure reading.

Normal range  

While 120/80 was long considered the optimum blood pressure reading, it is now considered the upper limit of the normal range.

Prehypertensive  

Usually listed as readings between 120/80 as the upper limit of normal blood pressure and 139/89 as the cut off before you are considered to have hypertension.  The experts usually use ranges instead of definite cut off numbers because your physical condition, current health and predispositon to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, etc. must also be considered when deciding if treatment is needed.

Pulse  

The contraction and expansion of the artery as blood is pumped through it by the beating of the heart.

Systolic  

Systolic pressure is the maximum pressure reading as the heart or more specifically  the left ventricle of the heart contracts forcing blood out to the body through the arteries.  It is the first or higher number.

Syphgmomanometer 

Instrument used to measure blood pressure (see blood pressure monitors).

White-coat hypertension  

High blood pressure brought on by feelings of anxiety at being in the doctors office or the hospital.  Does not necessarily mean you have hypertension. Usually readings must be checked and compared at subsequent visits for correct diagnosis.