How To Raise Blood Pressure Safely

Try Meditation Or Deep Breathing

While these two behaviors could also fall under stress reduction techniques, meditation and deep breathing deserve specific mention.

Both meditation and deep breathing may activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This system is engaged when the body relaxes, slowing the heart rate, and lowering blood pressure.

Theres quite a bit of research in this area, with studies showing that different styles of meditation appear to have benefits for lowering blood pressure .

Deep breathing techniques can also be quite effective.

In one study, participants were asked to either take six deep breaths over the course of 30 seconds or simply sit still for 30 seconds. Those who took breaths lowered their blood pressure more than those who just sat .

Try guided meditation or deep breathing. Heres a video to get you started.

Bottom line: Both meditation and deep breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps slow your heart rate and lower blood pressure.

Do Energy Drinks Cause High Blood Pressure

Youve probably heard that energy drinks can be bad for you theyre packed with caffeine so potent it can keep you awake all night. But a new study out Wednesday in the journal Circulation found that when consuming energy drinks, your blood pressure actually goes up. And not just a little bit. It went up by as much as 10 percent.

It might seem counterintuitive that an energy drink would make your blood pressure go up, but the researchers say there are two possible explanations. First, the amount of caffeine in energy drinks is extremely high, which may cause an overdose effect where your body becomes too jittery to regulate its normal system of blood pressure. Second, the other ingredients in energy drinks could also have an impact. For instance, ephedrine, one ingredient in some brands, has been linked to increases in blood pressure. The researchers used data from the Framingham Heart Study, which tracks more than 5,000 residents over time to see how their habits affect their risk of developing cardiovascular disease or dying early. They looked specifically at peoples consumption of energy drinks, both caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties.

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What Are The Side Effects Of The Treatment For Low Blood Pressure

There are no side effects for the lifestyle and dietary changes that can treat hypotension.

The medications used to treat hypotension have several side effects, some of which may be serious. Fludrocortisone can make certain infections worse, so its essential to discuss this medication with your doctor. The most common side effects from fludrocortisone are:

• Increased risk of infection.

The most common side effects from midodrine are:

• Numbness or tingling.
• Goosebumps and chills.

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Which Allergy Medications Affect My Blood Pressure

You should avoid decongestants if you have high blood pressure or heart problems. Decongestants constrict blood vessels to open nasal passages and facilitate breathing. Because decongestants constrict blood vessels throughout your body, they can worsen hypertension. Additionally, decongestants stimulate the release of norepinephrine in your body, which raises your blood pressure and your heart rate.

When choosing an allergy medication, be aware of combination products that contain decongestants. Products that contain a decongestant typically have the words sinus, cold, congestion, or on the label. They may also be labeled with the letters D, PD, or PE after the name.

Examples of allergy medicines that contain decongestants include the following:

• Allegra D
• Sudafed Sinus and Allergy
• Zyrtec D

The list above is a small sample of allergy medications that contain decongestants. Always check with your pharmacist before choosing allergy medications.

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How Is High Blood Pressure Treated

If high blood pressure is due to a condition like kidney disease or lung disease, treating it might be enough to get the blood pressure back to normal.

Doctors also might recommend lifestyle changes. If you have hypertension, your doctor might want you to:

Eat a healthy diet:

• Eat more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy.
• Limit salt.
• Avoid alcohol.

Get regular exercise:

• Try to exercise for 3060 minutes at least 3 times a week. But teens with severe hypertension should not do any weightlifting or power-lifting, bodybuilding, or strength training until their blood pressure is under control and a doctor says it’s OK.

Not smoke. Or if you do smoke, quit:

• People with high blood pressure should not smoke, and their home and car should be smoke-free.

If diet and exercise changes do not improve the blood pressure, doctors may prescribe medicine.

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Can Primary Hypertension Be Prevented

Pediatricians are making great efforts to prevent obesity and stem the tide of problems that accompany it. We believe that promoting healthy lifestyle choices will help combat this trend and will go a long way towards preventing primary hypertension in children .

Some things are being donenutritional information is being made more readily available, theres one push to provide healthy options in schools and another to remove soft drinks from thembut still, it often comes down to families making the right decisions. We are dedicated to educating families to assist with appropriate dietary and activity choices to improve overall health and reduce the risk of hypertension.

What Is Blood Pressure

As blood pumps through the circulatory system, it pushes against the walls of the arteries and veins. Blood pressure is the force of the blood as it presses against the blood vessel walls. It is measured in systolic pressure and diastolic pressure .

Blood pressure rises and falls throughout the day. Normal blood pressure is considered to be below 120/80 mm Hg. In a blood pressure reading, the top number refers to systolic pressure, and the bottom number refers to the diastolic pressure.

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First Why Is Your Blood Pressure High

Its natural to experience short-term spikes in blood pressure, like during exercise or after a cup of coffee. But over time, if your heart consistently pumps out more blood than usual or your blood vessels become stiffer, your blood pressure can stay high, which may lead to hypertension. Many things can cause this to happen, including eating too much salt, being overweight, or even taking certain medications that can cause high blood pressure as a side effect.

You might know that a blood pressure reading has two numbers . The American Heart Association describes normal blood pressure as a first number of 120 or less and a second number of 80 or less.

Is There Is A High Blood Pressure Diet

In about half of people with high blood pressure, limiting sodium intake by eliminating table salt, cooking salt, and salty and processed foods can reduce blood pressure by 5 mm Hg. Losing weight and participating in regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure further.

If these lifestyle changes and choices don’t work, medications should be added. The medications have been proven to reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, and kidney problems.

Weight Control

• Aim for a healthy weight range for your height and body type. Your health care practitioner can help you calculate a healthy target weight.
• Even a small amount of weight loss can make a major difference in lowering or preventing high blood pressure.
• You must burn more calories than you take in to lose weight.
• Crash or fad diets are not helpful and may be dangerous.
• Some weight loss medications also carry major risks and may even elevate blood pressure, and great caution is advised in using these drugs. Please ask your health care practitioner or pharmacist for help in deciding if a weight loss medication is appropriate for your situation.

Exercise or Increase Physical Activity

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What Can I Do If I Find Out My Blood Pressure Is Dangerously High

Normally, high blood pressure, sometimes called the silent killer, has few symptoms. But sometimes, a patient may be prompted to check their blood pressure because of troubling symptoms like headache, chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and loss of balance. These may be signs of dangerously high blood pressure, also known as a hypertensive crisiswhen your first blood pressure number is greater than 180 or your second number is greater than 120.

In this scenario, do NOT try to lower your blood pressure on your own. A hypertensive crisis is an emergency situation that can end in death, so someone nearby should call 9-1-1 immediately. Emergency personnel will begin the process of lowering your blood pressure in the ambulance while on the way to the hospital. Even then, they will follow guidelines on how quickly they can safely lower your blood pressure and will monitor your blood pressure closely.

Managing A Cold With Hypertension

If you cant take a decongestant because of high blood pressure, there are other ways to reduce your cold or allergy symptoms:

• Take Coricidin HBP, which is free of decongestants

• Drink plenty of fluids including water, juice, tea and soup to prevent dehydration and clear mucus from your lungs

• Take a pain reliever such as Tylenol or Motrin for fever, sore throat, body aches and headache

• Flush your sinuses with a saline spray to relieve nasal congestion

• Soothe a sore or scratchy throat with lozenges

• Use a vaporizer or humidifier if necessary to boost humidity

• Get plenty of rest

• Return to your doctor after five to seven days to make sure youre on the road to recovery

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What Medications Treat High Blood Pressure

• Of appropriate, chlorthalidone is the preferred diuretic.

Beta-Blockers

• Beta-blockers reduce heart rate and decrease the force of heart contraction by blocking the action of adrenaline receptors. Beta blockers are widely prescribed and effective but can cause increased fatigue and decreased exercise tolerance because they prevent an increased heart rate as a normal response to physical activity.
• They are also prescribed for people who have associated heart disease, angina, or history of a heart attack.
• Examples of beta blockers include, carvedilol , metoprolol , atenolol

Calcium Channel Blockers

• Calcium channel blocking agents work by relaxing the muscle in artery walls and by therefore reducing the force of contraction of heart muscle.
• Example of calcium channel blockers include, nifedipine , diltiazem , verapamil , nicardipine , amlodipine , and felodipine

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

• ACE inhibitors stop the production in the body of a chemical called angiotensin II, which causes blood vessels to contract. Narrower blood vessels are associated with increased blood pressure. Relaxing artery walls leads to lower blood pressure.

• Examples of ARBs include losartan , valsartan , candesartan , and irbesartan

Blockers of Central Sympathetic System

Direct Vasodilators

Take your high blood pressure medicine as prescribed and only discontinue them on the advice of your doctor or other healthcare professional.

New Findings Focus On Diastolic Blood Pressurethe Second Number In Your Blood Pressure Reading

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Of the two numbers that make up your blood pressure reading, the first one typically gets more attention. That’s because as people age, their arteries lose their elasticity, and the inner walls are more likely to accumulate cholesterol-laden plaque. These factors tend to raise systolic blood pressure, a measure of the pressure inside the arteries when the heart contracts to pump blood throughout the body.

Current guidelines suggest that most people should aim for a systolic blood pressure reading of 140 millimeters of mercury or lower. But last year, a widely publicized clinical trial suggested that a target of 120 mm Hg could further reduce the dangers associated with high blood pressure .

Yet reaching that lower target required an average of three blood pressure medications, which resulted in more side effects. Now, two recent observational studies highlight some concerns about blood pressure that’s too low, particularly with regard to diastolic blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure represents the pressure between beats when the heart relaxes.

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What Is High Blood Pressure In Children

Although it’s most common in older adults, hypertension can also affect children. The normal blood pressure for a child is dependent upon the child’s age, gender, and height. Your doctor can tell if your child’s blood pressure is abnormal. Children are at higher risk for hypertension if they are overweight, African-American, or if they have a family history of the condition. Children with high blood pressure may benefit from the DASH diet and taking medications. Children with high blood pressure should also maintain a healthy weight and avoid tobacco smoke.

Tips For Taking Blood Pressure Medication

Untreated high blood pressure can increase your risk of serious health problems. If your doctor prescribes medication to lower your blood pressure, remember:

• If you take blood pressure medication and your blood pressure goes down, it means medication and lifestyle changes are working. If another doctor asks if you have high blood pressure, the answer is, “Yes, but it is being treated.”
• Healthy lifestyle changes may help lower the dosage you need.
• Get up slowly from a seated or lying position and stand for a bit before walking. This lets your blood pressure adjust before walking to prevent lightheadedness and falls.
• Tell your doctor about all the drugs you take. Don’t forget to mention over-the-counter drugs, including vitamins and supplements. They may affect your blood pressure. They also can change how well your blood pressure medication works.
• Blood pressure medication should be taken at the same time each day as part of your daily routine. For example, take it in the morning with breakfast or in the evening before brushing your teeth. If you miss a dose, do not double the dose the next day.
• Remember to refill your medication before you run out and bring it with you when traveling. Its important to keep taking your medication unless your doctor tells you to stop.
• Before having surgery, ask your doctor if you should take your blood pressure medication on the day of your operation.

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How Can You Prevent Low Blood Pressure

You may be able to prevent hypotension by making changes to your lifestyle and diet, such as:

• Eating fewer carbohydrates and choosing small, healthy meals.
• Staying hydrated and avoiding alcoholic drinks.
• Rising slowly when youve been sitting or lying down.
• Taking a few deep breaths before you change position.
• Wearing compression stockings.

Keep Yourself At A Healthy Weight

Having overweight or obesity increases your risk for high blood pressure. To determine whether your weight is in a healthy range, doctors often calculate your body mass index . If you know your weight and height, you can calculate your BMI at CDCs Assessing Your Weight website. Doctors sometimes also use waist and hip measurements to assess body fat.

Talk with your health care team about ways to reach a healthy weight, including choosing healthy foods and getting regular physical activity.

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Low Blood Pressure: How To Raise It Naturally

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Although we hear more about how to correct high blood pressure ,low blood pressure can be equally challenging to improve.

Im contacted regularly by individuals who want to know how to raise their blood pressure by using natural methods, where possible. Therefore, I wrote this post to share my experience, a few remedies and tips to show you how to use foods, herbs and lifestyle changes to raise blood pressure naturally.

At the end of this article you can download my popular do-it-yourself guide Low Blood Pressure eBook covering Nutrition, Herbal and Lifestyle Solutions to Increase Low Blood Pressure Naturally.

Lets get started!

Side Effects Of Antihistamines

Like all medicines, antihistamines can cause side effects.

Side effects of antihistamines that make you drowsy can include:

• sleepiness and reduced co-ordination, reaction speed and judgement do not drive or use machinery after taking these antihistamines
• dry mouth

• feeling sick
• drowsiness although this is less common than with older types of antihistamines

Check the leaflet that comes with your medicine for a full list of possible side effects and advice about when to get medical help.

If you think your medicine has caused an unwanted side effect, you can report it through the Yellow Card Scheme.

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If you continue to suffer from allergy symptoms but cant take allergy medications because of high blood pressure or other heart problems, there are other ways you can help mitigate the sneezing, sniffling, coughing, and watery eyes that allergies can trigger.

Consider these allergy-control methods:

• Run a dehumidifier, because mold loves moisture.
• Use allergen-reducing bedding such as mattress and pillow protectors.
• Try a saline nasal spray or wash to reduce nasal congestion.

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Lifestyle Changes For Low Bp

Eat small meals frequently Consuming smaller and more frequent meals has been known to help with hypotension. This is because smaller and frequent meals reduce the gap between each meal and also keep you filled with the right nutrients, thereby reducing the chances of low blood pressure, as compared to larger and heavier meals.

Increase salt intake A sure shot low BP treatment at home is to increase your salt intake. Salt contains sodium and for people with blood pressure problems, higher sodium intake can be a good solution. Thus, consuming more salt can help raise your blood pressure.

Wear compression stockings The role of compression stockings is to decrease the amount of blood to be constricted to your lower legs and help it to be distributed throughout the body. They can also help to reduce the pressure and pain arising out of varicose veins. You can easily buy them for yourself online.

Dont get up or move around quickly Any sudden or rapid movements can cause problems for someone with low blood pressure. For example, sitting up or standing up quickly can make you feel lightheaded, dizzy, or can even cause you to faint.

Avoid alcohol Alcohol can cause your blood pressure to fall so if you already have low blood pressure, you should avoid any sort of alcoholic beverages.

Drink plenty of water Water helps increase the volume of blood as well as reduce any chances of dehydration. Both of these can help in increasing your blood pressure.