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High Blood Pressure Stroke Symptoms

Coping With Stress And High Blood Pressure

ASK UNMC! How does high blood pressure affect stroke risk?

While high blood pressure needs to be managed with a combination of medical intervention and lifestyle changes, you can manage stress by making simple lifestyle changes. Keeping your stress in check is one way to prevent high blood pressure from developing. Lifestyle changes that you can make include:

  • Eliminating stressors: You might not always be in a position to eliminate all stressors from your life. However, eliminating stressors, you have control over goes a long way in helping you manage your health. Removing stressors from your life is essential if you have high blood pressure. Being constantly exposed to stressful situations when you have high blood pressure can worsen your condition.
  • Exercise regularly: The power of exercise in relation to maintaining a healthy lifestyle cant be overemphasized. Exercising regularly can help reduce stress symptoms. Regular exercise is also essential for people with high blood pressure. Research shows that it can help manage symptoms of the condition.
  • Adopt a healthier diet: The average person should adopt a healthy diet for optimum health. Its even more critical for people who are stressed or have high blood pressure to maintain healthy diets. If you have high blood pressure, you should avoid foods high in salt and fat as these can cause your blood pressure to spike.

If you have high blood pressure, making the above lifestyle changes is also essential to helping you manage your condition.

Drink Alcohol In Moderation

Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol will increase your blood pressure and raise the cholesterol levels in your blood.

Sticking to the recommended amounts of alcohol consumption is the best way to reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure.

The recommended daily limits of alcohol consumption are:

  • 3 to 4 units of alcohol for men
  • 2 to 3 units of alcohol for women.

A unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal-strength lager, a small glass of wine or a pub measure or spirits.

More about drinking alcohol reponsibly

When To See Your Doctor

The best way to find out if you have hypertension is by checking your blood pressure. This can be done at the doctors office, at home with a blood pressure monitor, or even by using a public blood pressure monitor, like those found in shopping malls and pharmacies.

You should know your usual blood pressure. Then you can seek further evaluation from your healthcare professional if you see a significant increase in this number the next time your blood pressure is checked.

If you have experienced any possible symptoms mentioned above, its important to tell your doctor right away. Symptoms very rarely occur with high blood pressure and could be a sign your blood pressure has been high for a long time.

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Primary High Blood Pressure

While the specific cause of primary high blood pressure remains unknown, there is compelling evidence to suggest that a number of risk factors increase your chances of developing the condition.

These risk factors include:

  • age – the risk of developing high blood pressure increases as you get older
  • a family history of high blood pressure – the condition seems to run in families
  • being of Afro-Caribbean or South Asian origin
  • high amount of salt in your diet
  • lack of exercise
  • excessive alcohol consumption

A number of health conditions, such as diabetes and kidney disease, have also been linked to an increase risk of developing primary high blood pressure.

Preventing High Blood Pressure And Strokes

High blood pressure dangers: Hypertension

The best way to combat high blood pressure is to adopt a healthy lifestyle, get regular physical exams, and check your blood pressure periodically between doctor visits.

Some tips for a healthier lifestyle include:

  • Find a form of exercise you enjoy it can be as simple as taking a 30-minute walk every day. And recruit an exercise buddy. Youre more likely to make it a habit if its something you enjoy or do with a friend.
  • Manage your weight to prevent high blood pressure and strokes, which occur more often in overweight or obese people. Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
  • Practice good sleep habits.
  • Quit smoking it is the number one risk factor for stroke.

To learn more about hypertension and strokes, call the UPMC Stroke Institute at 412-232-8840. The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute is also a great source of information about high blood pressure and stroke.

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How Common Is Stroke During Or After Pregnancy

Stroke is not common in pregnancy or during the years women can have children. But pregnancy does put women at higher risk for stroke, and the rate of pregnancy-related stroke is rising.1

How does pregnancy increase the risk for stroke? Pregnancy is like a stress test it can strain the heart and blood vessels. This is partly because the body carries more weight during pregnancy, but changing hormones also play a role.1

Although most American women are healthy during pregnancy and birth, strokes can still occur in some cases. The following are some of the possible problems:

What Are The Complications Of Having A Stroke

Recovery from stroke and the specific ability affected depends on the sizeand location of the stroke.

A small stroke may cause problems such as weakness in your arm or leg.

Larger strokes may cause parts of your body to not be able to move . Larger strokes can also cause loss of speech or even death.

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Blood Pressure And Primary Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease And Stroke

There is robust evidence that screening and treatment of hypertension prevents cardiovascular disease and reduces mortality in the middle-aged population . Even in older adults, lowering BP is likely to be beneficial provided that treatment is well tolerated, despite a lack of studies to support this. However, there is a lack of high-quality evidence for a favourable harmbenefit balance of antihypertensive treatment among older adults, especially among the oldest age groups .

There has been a debate about how far BP should be lowered. The American Guidelines for Management of Hypertension, influenced by the results of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial recommends a reduction of the treatment target from 140/90 mmHg to 130/80 mmHg, including for the very old. However, some authors emphasised that there is a greater potential for harm to exceed benefit when BP targets are lowered.

How Is High Blood Pressure Treated

Stroke & High Blood Pressure Community Conversation – Northeast Ohio

Your GP will advise you about reducing your blood pressure, including medication and lifestyle changes. Lowering your blood pressure, even by a small amount, can help you stay healthy.

Medication for high blood pressure

If youre diagnosed with high blood pressure and your GP thinks you are at risk of a stroke, they will recommend a medication they think will work for you.

For details about the different types of blood pressure medication available, turn to the below.

Whether youre offered medication depends on your individual risk of a stroke. Things that increase your risk include a previous stroke, heart problems, diabetes and taking certain medications.

Before starting medication you will have blood and urine tests, and you may have an electrocardiogram to check for heart problems.

If you are aged under 40 and youre diagnosed with high blood pressure, you should be referred for checks to look for the causes of your high blood pressure.

Tailoring your treatment

There are several different types of medication for high blood pressure, and we know that age, ethnicity and family history affect how they work. Other medications can also affect how they work. So your GP works with you to make sure your prescription is tailored to your needs.

Getting started with your medication

It can sometimes take a while to adjust to taking a long-term medication. You will have regular blood pressure checks, and you may be able to monitor your blood pressure at home.

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How To Control High Blood Pressure Without Medication

High Blood Pressure, also known as Hypertension, is now a very common condition in people. It is also the leading cause of heart attack, stroke and other fatal conditions affecting people all over the world. High Blood Pressure is a condition in which the arteries of the body are affected and they become stiff. The heart has to work harder to pump blood in the system which causes a rise in the pressure of blood in the arteries.

This in turn causes a problem in which the arteries of the body can rupture due to the pressure resulting in internal haemorrhage which could be fatal. High Blood Pressure is a serious condition and it requires immediate medical attention. All the patients of high blood pressure can also manage their condition without medication in early stages. You will need to adopt various lifestyle changes in order to control your blood pressure and ensure that your condition does not get worse.

Understanding Stroke Risk Factors

The risk of a stroke is never zero at any age, but the sooner you start controlling and managing your blood pressure, and any other risk factors, the better.

In recent years, much information about preventing strokes has been shared with healthcare professionals and the public. Many Americans have adapted their lifestyle through changes to their eating habits and quitting smoking. This has led to a 70% reduction in death due to stroke over the last 50 years².

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Ways To Keep Yourself And Your Baby Healthy During Pregnancy

The best way to protect yourself and have a healthy pregnancy is to be in good health before you get pregnant.

Don’t smoke.

Using tobacco products before or during pregnancy raises the risk for stroke.4 If you don’t smoke, don’t start. Learn how to stop smoking if you smoke.

Be healthy.

This will also help you have healthier blood pressure and blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Aim to lose weight when you are pregnant. Get more information about healthy weight.

Healthy foods are your best bet.

A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts as well low in sodium is a good way to maintain healthy blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Healthy eating is possible.

Be physically active

Women with healthy pregnancies should get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days.6 Learn more about physical activity during pregnancy.

Collaborate with your healthcare team.

Talk to your doctor about your risk for stroke or other problems during pregnancy. Your health care team will closely monitor your blood pressure and blood sugar throughout your pregnancy.

How Does Hypertension Cause A Stroke

High Blood Pressure Alcohol Stroke

High blood pressure strains your arteries constantly, weakening them. These arteries can easily clog and burst, increasing the risk of a stroke. Hypertension causes blood vessels to narrow and increases the chances of blood clots. Therefore, managing your blood pressure is a crucial way to decrease your chances of having a stroke.

There are two primary types of stroke, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. The former is more common and accounts for over 87% of strokes.

Hypertension can also cause temporary mini-strokes referred to as transient ischemic attack . In this case, clots get dissolved or dislodged naturally. Most individuals suffering from TIA fully recover from the condition, but it’s a warning sign that you can incur a full-blown stroke in the future.

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The Formation Of Blood Clots

Pregnancy makes the blood more likely to clot, which can lead to stroke. This increased risk for clotting happens in part because swelling from pregnancy can reduce blood flow to the lower legs. If blood doesn’t circulate well it will be more likely that it will clot. During late pregnancy, the body also makes more of a substance that helps blood clot. This helps protect women from bleeding too much when they give birth, but it also raises the risk for stroke.

The Link Between High Blood Pressure And Strokes

Heres how high blood pressure causes strokes: According to the American Heart Association, chronic high blood pressure eventually damages blood vessels throughout the body. When that happens, arteries can burst or clog more easily. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted when a blood vessel either bursts or is blocked by a blood clot.

A stroke can be life-threatening. When part of the brain is no longer receiving blood and oxygen, brain cells start to die. Strokes can lead to impaired vision, language, balance, and memory. They also can cause partial paralysis or death.

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In Most Cases High Blood Pressure Does Not Cause Headaches Or Nosebleeds

  • The best evidence indicates that high blood pressure does not cause headaches or nosebleeds, except in the case of hypertensive crisis, a medical emergency when blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or higher. If your blood pressure is unusually high AND you have headache or nosebleed and are feeling unwell, wait five minutes and retest. If your reading remains at 180/120 mm Hg or higher, call 911.
  • If you are experiencing severe headaches or nosebleeds and are otherwise unwell, contact your doctor as they could be symptoms of other health conditions.

Causes Of High Blood Pressure

Adam’s stroke: a missed case of high blood pressure

High Blood Pressure is an extremely common condition nowadays and almost everyone is affected by it. It can affect anyone in any age group now and is also a leading cause of death in young people. The most common causes of High Blood Pressure are given below.

  • Sedentary Lifestyle- Nowadays everyone is leading a sedentary lifestyle. Everyone is more comfortable in their homes thus they do not go out to exercise and thus it can lead to the development of high blood pressure.
  • The junk food available today in the market is the leading cause of high blood pressure in youngsters. The Cholesterol in these foods gets stuck on the walls of arteries which makes it stiff. This causes more pressure on the heart to pump blood through these arteries thus developing high blood pressure.
  • Underlying Conditions- Many underlying conditions can also lead to the development of high blood pressure. These conditions can be some adrenal gland disorder, thyroid disorder, kidney diseases, heart diseases, and illegal drug intake.
  • Family History- A family history of high blood pressure puts you at risk of developing high blood pressure too. You will need to take extra care of yourself in order to prevent the development of high blood pressure.
  • Age Age is also a common factor in the development of high blood pressure. Higher the age of the person means that he is at more risk of developing high blood pressure.
  • Hearing a pounding in your chest, neck and ears
  • Excessive sweating
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    High Blood Pressure Increases Risk Of Stroke

    American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association | Together to End Stroke

    Normal blood pressure is below 120/80.Stroke occurs when a blood vessel to the brain is blocked or bursts. Blood and oxygen flow are interrupted, and brain cells begin to die.People with high blood pressure have a significantly higher risk of stroke.1 Up to 80% of strokes may be prevented.2 More than 1 in 3 American adults with high blood pressure dont know they have it.3 At age 50, people without high blood pressure have a life expectancy 5 YEARS LONGER than people with high blood pressure.3Have your blood pressure checked and keep it in check to REDUCE your risk of stroke.

    Together to End Stroke before it happens. For more information, visit www.heart.org/HBP

    1 Benjamin et al Circulation, 2019 139 e56-5282 DAgostino, R.B. et al. Stroke. 1994 25:40-433 Mozzafarian D et al. Circulation. 2017 135:e135-139

    Stroke Family Warmline:

    High Blood Pressure And Preventing A Stroke

    Even though hypertension is a risk factor for stroke, over 11 million Americans are unaware that they have high blood pressure. So, the best solution for fighting high blood pressure and stroke is regular checkups by a qualified healthcare provider.

    Some of the ways to reduce hypertension and the chance of a stroke include:

    Make the best possible dietary choicesEat more fruits, fiber, and green vegetables. Also, limit your intake of salt, saturated fats, coffee, and sugar.

    Maintaining a healthy weightObesity is a risk factor for hypertension, diabetes, and stroke.

    Stop smokingIf you smoke cigarettes, quitting will lower your chances of having a stroke.

    Limit or stop drinking alcoholExcessive alcohol intake can raise your blood pressure.

    Regular exerciseGet at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity a day.

    Minimize stressChronic stress increases the likelihood of a stroke.

    Follow medication recommendationsStrictly follow your healthcare provider’s instructions about taking your medicines. Some of the medications¹ that can help to prevent stroke include:

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    How Does Sleep Apnea Affect The Heart

    Theres a very strong association between sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease, says Aeshita Dwivedi, M.D., a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. However, the relationship is not entirely understood, and experts are still trying to work out whether sleep apnea directly . We dont know if its causative, its more a very strong correlation, says Dr. Dwivedi. But they kind of go hand in hand.

    One theory, she explains, is that sleep apnea puts your body under a higher-than-normal level of stress. Why? Because you are not getting all the oxygen that you need when your airways are obstructed.

    Normally when you sleep, your body relaxes. Your heart rate slows down and your blood pressure drops. This gives your heart a break. But, says Dr. Goldberger, sleep apnea interrupts that rest by repeatedly activating your sympathetic nervous system, the part of your nervous system that responds to threats and stressful situations . The flood of hormones associated with this fight or flight response cause your heart rate and blood pressure to rise and your blood vessels to narrow.

    In the short term, this is OK, says Dr. Dwivedi. But if it is chronic, it becomes problematic. Here are some of the heart issues that have been linked to sleep apnea:

    Sleep apnea may also impact your ability to maintain heart-healthy habits. Because the disorder prevents you from getting a good nights sleep, you will be fatigued during the day.

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