Treatment Of High Blood Pressure
Treatment for HBP depends on its severity and associated risks of developing other diseases. Treatment options include:
Lifestyle changes
- Make and keep appointments to see your doctor for routine check-ups and follow-up tests.
Medications
- ACE inhibitors will help blood vessels relax and open up, leading to a lower blood pressure.
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers will help blood vessels open up, leading to a lower blood pressure.
- Beta blockers will help reduce your blood pressure.
- Alpha blockers will help reduce the arteries resistance, relaxing the muscle tone of the vascular walls.
- Alpha-2 receptor agonists will help reduce blood pressure by decreasing the activity of the sympathetic portion of the involuntary nervous system.
- Calcium channel blockers will help relax and open up narrowed blood vessels, reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure.
- Combined alpha and beta blockers are used as an IV drip for those patients experiencing a hypertensive crisis.
- Central agonists will help decrease the blood vessels ability to tense up or contract.
- Diuretics water pills will help reduce the amount of fluid retention in your body.
- Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors will help reduce blood pressure by blocking neurotransmitters in the brain.
- Vasodilators will help the muscle in the walls of the blood vessels to relax, allowing the vessel to dilate.
Why Is My Bottom Blood Pressure Number High
Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries, which carry blood to other parts of your body. Your blood pressure can be measured using two numbers:
- Systolic : pressure exerted when the heart pumps blood throughout the body
- Diastolic : pressure exerted when the heart relaxes and refills with blood
When your blood pressure is consistently higher than 130/80 mm Hg, you are considered to have hypertension.
Here Is Information About One Of The Most Dangerous And Sneakiest Health Conditions: Blood Pressure
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is a measure of how hard your blood pushes against your arteries as it moves through your body. High blood pressure occurs when your blood pressure, the force of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels, is consistently too high. High blood pressure is harmful because it makes the heart work harder and less efficiently.
Why blood pressure matters
High blood pressure can cause significant damage to your eyes, kidneys, brain and blood vessels. Left untreated, it can lead to kidney failure or vision loss. High blood pressure also can affect your ability to think, remember and learn. There’s even a type of dementia vascular dementia caused by high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is one of the most dangerous health conditions because of how sneaky it can be. You can have high blood pressure for years without experiencing any symptoms. Even without symptoms, damage to your heart can still occur. Fortunately, high blood pressure can be easily detected. And once you know you have high blood pressure, you can work with your health care provider to control it.
How is blood pressure measured?
Blood pressure is traditionally measured using an inflatable cuff around your arm. The cuff is inflated, and the cuff gently tightens on your arm. The air in the cuff is slowly released and a small gauge measures your blood pressure.
Your blood pressure is recorded as two numbers:
What is considered normal?
What you can do
Know your numbers
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How Can I Be More Active
- Check first with your healthcare provider before increasing your physical activity. Ask your provider what type and amount of exercise is right for you.
- Choose aerobic activities such as walking, biking or swimming.
- Start slowly and increase activity gradually. Aim for a regular routine of activity five times a week for 30 to 45 minutes each session.
What Do The Numbers Indicate When Writing Blood Pressure
The top figure represents the amount of pressure in your arteries during heart muscle contraction. This is referred to as systolic pressure. Most blood pressures are made up of two figures, with the first being higher than the second.
When you write “blood pressure” these figures should be written in scientific notation: 120/80 mm Hg. Scientific notation is a way of expressing large or small numbers by using a special type of notation called “scientific.” It makes arithmetic operations on the numbers easy. For example, if you want to know what number comes next in the sequence, you can use scientific notation to easily find this out: Next number in sequence is 10 times previous number, so the next number is 100 × 99 = 9900.
Scientific notation uses three parts: a number within parentheses, m for milli- then a decimal point and finally the number itself.
For example, 1000m is the same as 1 thousand. It shows that you have one thousand units. Milli- means one million, so 1mm hg is one hundredth of a meter per centimeter square of mercury. You may see other ways to express these numbers, such as K and psi, but they’re not as common as milli-.
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What Blood Pressure Numbers Mean
Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers, such as 120/80. The larger number is the pressure in the arteries as the heart pumps out blood during each beat. This is called the systolic blood pressure.The lower number is the pressure as the heart relaxes before the next beat. This is called the diastolic blood pressure. Both are measured in units called millimetres of mercury .
Vitamins That Could Potentially Raise Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the pressure of blood pumping against the artery walls is higher than it should be. It is defined as having a systolic blood pressure reading greater than 130 mmHg or higher, and/or a diastolic blood pressure reading of 80 mmHg or higher. It is the single biggest risk factor for heart disease.
Certain supplements can raise blood pressure either by directly affecting the cardiovascular system or by interfering with blood pressure medications.
This article will examine whether vitamins and supplements raise blood pressure, and supplements to avoid if you have high blood pressure or are on medications to lower blood pressure or thin the blood.
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Switch To Dark Chocolate
A 2010 analysis of 15 studies suggests that dark chocolate may slightly reduce blood pressure. Ried K, et al. Does chocolate reduce blood pressure? A meta-analysis. DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-8-39 If youre eating chocolate, choose dark chocolate over other types, and make sure its at least 70 percent cocoa. 12 heart-healthy foods to work into your diet. .
Eat Garlic Or Take Garlic Extract Supplements
Fresh garlic or garlic extract are both widely used to lower blood pressure.
A meta-analysis found that for people with high blood pressure, garlic supplements reduced their systolic blood pressure by up to about 5 mm Hg and reduced their diastolic blood pressure as much as 2.5 mm Hg .
According to a 2009 clinical study, a time-release garlic extract preparation may have a greater effect on blood pressure than regular garlic powder tablets .
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Complications Of Isolated Systolic Hypertension
When high blood pressure isnt managed, it can cause damage to your arteries. This can affect many parts of your body and increase your risk of:
- Heart attack. Elevated blood pressure can damage your coronary arteries, which increases the risk of a blockage in one of your hearts arteries.
- Stroke. Untreated high blood pressure can damage or weaken the arteries in your brain, which increases the risk of an ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and transient ischemic attack .
- Heart failure. Elevated blood pressure can weaken the muscles of your heart, causing them to become too weak to pump blood efficiently to the rest of your body.
- Aneurysm. High blood pressure can weaken part of an artery, causing it to bulge out and possibly rupture.
- Kidney disease. The blood vessels in your kidneys can become damaged by untreated high blood pressure, resulting in your kidneys being unable to effectively filter toxins out of your blood.
- Vision loss. Damage to the blood vessels in your eyes can lead to bleeding in the retina and loss of sight.
- Dementia.Dementia or vascular dementia can occur when oxygen-rich blood flow to your brain is reduced.
How Serious Is Your Hypertension
Doctors classify hypertension according to systolic pressure and diastolic pressure readings and the effects various levels can have on your health.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a health condition that affects about one in three American adults. But not everyone who has hypertension has high blood pressure to the same degree. Doctors use four hypertension categories to help classify how likely your blood pressure level is to affect your health: prehypertension, stage 1, stage 2, and hypertensive crisis.
Normal Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is measured by taking two different measurements of the pressure within your arteries: systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure, the first or top number of the blood pressure reading, is the highest level of pressure in your arteries, which occurs when your heart muscle contracts and forces a burst of blood into the aorta. Diastolic pressure, which is the bottom number, is the pressure that exists within your arteries between heart muscle contractions, which is when your heart is filling with blood.
If your blood pressure reading is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury or mm Hg , you have normal blood pressure. This means that your systolic pressure is less than 120 mm/Hg and your diastolic reading is less than 80 mm/Hg.
Prehypertension: When Blood Pressure Is Above Normal
Stage 1 and Stage 2 Hypertension
Hypertensive Crisis: A High Blood Pressure Emergency
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What Can I Do To Prevent Or Manage High Blood Pressure
Many people with high blood pressure can lower their blood pressure into a healthy range or keep their numbers in a healthy range by making lifestyle changes. Talk with your health care team about
- Getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week
- Managing stress
Learn more about ways to manage and prevent high blood pressure.
In addition to making positive lifestyle changes, some people with high blood pressure need to take medicine to manage their blood pressure. Learn more about medicines for high blood pressure.
Talk with your health care team right away if you think you have high blood pressure or if youve been told you have high blood pressure but do not have it under control.
What Are The Blood Pressure Categories Recognized By The American Heart Association
The five blood pressure ranges recognized by the American Heart Association AHA are as follows.
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Normal- Blood pressure of less than 120/80 mm Hg is within the normal range. Healthy habits for the heart, such as a balanced diet and regular exercise, must be maintained.
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Elevated- Elevated blood pressure ranges from 120-129/ 80 mm Hg. Individuals with elevated blood pressure ranges are more prone to high blood pressure. This can be easily avoided by taking crucial steps toward a healthy heart.
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Stage 1 hypertension is when the blood pressure always falls under 130-139/80-89 mm Hg. The health care professional will prescribe medications along with lifestyle changes based on the risk of developing a cardiovascular condition or atherosclerosis.
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Stage 2 hypertension is when blood pressure always falls under the range of 140/90 mm Hg or more. A combination of antihypertensives with regular fitness activity becomes mandatory.
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A hypertensive crisis is a stage of high blood pressure requiring medical attention immediately in order to avoid life-threatening conditions.
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How Common Is Hypertension In Children
Hypertension is becoming increasingly common in children and adolescents. A recent study that looked at 15,000 adolescents found that nearly one in five had hypertension. And theres reason to believe that hypertension is vastly underdiagnosed in children, since:
- it can be difficult to measure in infants and young children
- its sometimes challenging to identify
- its often thought of as not something that really affects kids
The rise in the number of children with primary hypertension in the United States is thought to correlate with the rise of obesity.
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, people who practiced diaphragmatic breathing, a deep breathing technique, twice daily for 4 weeks experienced a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure .
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.
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The Ideal Blood Pressure Levels
Maximum blood pressure values of 120/80 when physically at rest are considered ideal for an adult. Blood pressure levels up to 139/89 are within the normal range that do not pose any health risk. Levels over 129/84, however, are already considered in the elevated-normal range.
Blood pressure readings over 159/99 are considered to be minor hypertension and require a medical attention to avoid harmful complications.
Whats The Impact Of Having High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases such as:
- coronary heart disease where the main arteries that supply your heart become clogged up with plaques
- strokes a serious condition where the blood supply to your brain is interrupted
- heart attacks a serious condition where the blood supply to part of your heart is blocked
Diabetes and kidney disease are also linked to high blood pressure complications.
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Diagnosis Of High Blood Pressure
The best way to diagnose HBP is to have it measured. A blood pressure reading, given in millimeters of mercury , has two numbers.
- Systolic blood pressure indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls during heartbeats.
- Diastolic blood pressure indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls while the heart is resting between beats.
Blood pressure measurements fall into four general categories. The American Heart Associations guidelines are as follow:
- Normal blood pressure: A reading of less than 120 and 80
- Elevated blood pressure: A reading ranging from 120 to 129 and below 80
- Stage 1 hypertension: A reading ranging from 130 to 139 or 80 to 89
- Stage 2 hypertension: A reading ranging from 140 or higher or 90
- Hypertensive crisis : A reading higher than 180 and/or 120
*If you have an electronic blood pressure machine and would like to measure your blood pressure at home, please follow The American Heart Associations guidelines:
Diagnosing High Or Low Blood Pressure
Only one of your numbers needs to be higher than it should be to be diagnosed with high blood pressure, and only one needs to be lower than it should be to be diagnosed with low blood pressure.
So if your top number is over 140 or the bottom number is over 90, you may be diagnosed with , regardless of the other number. If your top number is under 90 or your bottom number is under 60, you may be diagnosed with . Use the to see where your numbers sit.
If your top number is consistently higher than 140mmHg, but the bottom number is healthy – this is known as Isolated Systolic Hypertension. If the bottom number is consistently higher than 90mmHg but the top number is healthy – this is known as Isolated Diastolic Hypertension.
Making sure your readings arent a one-off
A single high reading doesnt necessarily mean you have high blood pressure, as many things can affect your blood pressure throughout the day, such as the temperature, when you last ate, and if youre feeling stressed.
Your doctor or nurse will probably want to measure your blood pressure a number of times over a few weeks to make sure the reading wasnt just a one off and that your blood pressure stays high over time.
Read about how , getting a , the you might have if you have a high blood pressure reading, and .
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First What Are Systolic And Diastolic Blood Pressures
To know if your blood pressure is good or bad, youll first need to know about systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The top number of your blood pressure reading is your systolic blood pressure. Thats how much pressure is pushing on your blood vessel walls as your heart contracts and pumps out blood to your body. The bottom number is your diastolic blood pressure. That tells you the pressure on your blood vessel walls when your heart relaxes between contractions.
For example, 128/82 would be interpreted as a systolic blood pressure of 128 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure of 82 mmHg. If your blood vessels are healthy, they will stretch to make room for the blood that is pumped through them. However, if your blood vessels are stiff, the blood flowing through them will be under greater pressure, and that means your blood pressure numbers will be higher.