How Common Is High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a common condition, it is estimated that 18% of adult men and 13% of adult women have high blood pressure but are not getting treatment for it.
In 90-95% of cases, there is no single identifiable reason for a rise in blood pressure. But all available evidence shows that lifestyle plays a significant role in regulating your blood pressure.
Risk factors for high blood pressure include:
- age
- poor diet
- being overweight
- excessive alcohol consumption.
Also, for reasons not fully understood, people of Afro-Caribbean and South Asian origin are more likely to develop high blood pressure than other ethnic groups.
How And When To Take It
It’s usual to take enalapril once or twice a day.
Your doctor may advise you to take your first dose before bedtime, because it can make you dizzy. After the first dose, if you do not feel dizzy, you can take enalapril at any time of day. Try to take it at the same time every day.
If you have enalapril twice a day, try to take it once in the morning and once in the evening. Leave 10 to 12 hours between doses if you can.
What Is Considered High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure changes naturally throughout the day. This depends on many factors, including whether you are sitting, standing, exercising or sleeping, and upon how much fluid is in your body.
High blood pressure is when a persons blood pressure is persistently higher than it should be: usually 140/90mmHg or higher. Your doctor will need to take several measurements at different times before they can diagnose high blood pressure.
The decision to treat high blood pressure doesnt just depend on your measurements it also depends on your other risk factors for heart disease and blood vessel disease.
The Australian guidelines for classifying blood pressure ranges are:
| Systolic |
|---|
| 90 and over |
Read Also: Claritin And Hypertension
What If My Medicine Causes Side Effects
You should report any side effects, such as headaches, dizziness, tiredness, palpitations, ankle swelling, problems with your sex life, etc., to your healthcare provider. It may be possible to change the dose of your medicine or order a different medicine that may work better for you.
See also in this A-Z guide:
What If Lifestyle Changes Dont Help Lower My Blood Pressure
If diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes dont work to lower your blood pressure, your healthcare provider will prescribe medications to help lower your blood pressure. Your provider will take into account other conditions you may have, such as heart or kidney disease and other drugs youre taking when prescribing medications to treat your high blood pressure. Be sure to follow your providers dosing directions exactly.
Don’t Miss: Causes Of Increased Blood Pressure
Decrease Your Salt Intake
Salt is the enemy of high blood pressure, says Dr. Desai. When you eat too much salt, it increases the amount of fluid that enters the bloodstream and arteries from the surrounding tissue, which raises the pressure in the arteries.
While you may not have to remove salt from your diet completely, avoid foods very high in salt like chips, french fries, salted nuts, soups, store-bought salad dressings, processed foods and cheese.
Consider Taking Vitamins And Supplements
Research shows that a few vitamins and minerals may be helpful in lowering blood pressure. But talk to your doctor before taking any. Make sure they know everything you take.
- Vitamin C: This has antioxidants that protect the linings of your blood vessels. Orange juice is a good source, as are fruits like kiwi and strawberries, and vegetables like broccoli, kale, tomatoes, and sweet red peppers. Adults should get 400 mg per day.
-
Potassium: This helps your body get rid of sodium through your pee. Men should aim for 3,400 mg a day, and women around 2,600. Itâs found in fruits like bananas and prunes and vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and artichoke.
-
Vitamin D: This helps make the enzyme renin, which is linked to blood pressure health. You can get vitamin D from fatty fish, like salmon or mackerel, or milk. You also can absorb vitamin D from sunlight or take it in a supplement.
Recommended Reading: What Causes Blood Pressure To Drop
High Blood Pressure Treatment
The best way to lower blood pressure begins with changes you can make to your lifestyle to help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease. Additionally, your doctor may prescribe medicine to lower your blood pressure. These are called antihypertensive medicines.
The goal of treatment is to reduce your blood pressure to normal levels. Your doctor may prescribe medicine thats easy to take and has few, if any, side effects. This treatment is highly successful. If your blood pressure can only be controlled with medicine, youll need to take the medicine for the rest of your life. It is common to need more than one medicine to help control your blood pressure. Dont stop taking the medicine without talking with your doctor. Otherwise, you may increase your risk of having a stroke or heart attack.
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.
You May Like: Can Claritin Cause High Blood Pressure
How Often Should I Have My Blood Pressure Checked
Its recommended that Australian adults have their blood pressure checked by their doctor at least every 2 years. Some people may be advised to have more frequent checks for example, people who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure.
People with diabetes should have their blood pressure checked at least every 6 months if its normal and every 3 months if they have high blood pressure.
All Australians aged 45 and over and 30 and over for those of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent are eligible for a regular, 20-minute heart health check with their GP or nurse. This checks your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Your health professional will be able to assess your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 5 years.
Heart health checks are covered by Medicare and free at practices that bulk bill this service.
Your Hbp Deserves Your Attention
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can be fatal. If youve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, these five simple steps can help you keep it under control:
In many cases this will be your doctors first recommendation, likely in one of these areas:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Strive for a body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9.
- Eat healthier. Eat lots of fruit, veggies and low-fat dairy, and less saturated and total fat.
- Reduce sodium. Ideally, stay under 1,500 mg a day, but aim for at least a 1,000 mg per day reduction.
- Get active. Aim for at least 90 to 150 minutes of aerobic and/or dynamic resistance exercise per week and/or three sessions of isometric resistance exercises per week.
- Limit alcohol. Drink no more than 1-2 drinks a day.
Recommended Reading: What Causes Irregular Blood Pressure
Systolic And Diastolic Blood Pressure
The muscle activity of the heart can be divided into two phases: in the systolic phase, blood is pumped from the heart chambers into the bodys and the lungs circulatory system in the diastolic phase, the heart chambers fill with blood again. Both phases of muscle activity can be mapped using a blood pressure monitor. The first reading indicates the maximum pressure the heart exerts when it beats . Diastolic blood pressure refers to the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.3
Managing Blood Pressure Is A Lifelong Commitment
If you have high blood pressure, its vital that you listen to your doctor. Remember: Youre a part of your healthcare team. You and your doctor are partners.
Educate yourself about HBP and learn how to monitor your blood pressure at home. Armed with this information, you can commit to living heart healthy.
- Reduce high blood pressure.
- Prevent or delay the development of high blood pressure.
- Enhance the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
- Lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney damage, vision loss and sexual dysfunction.
Read Also: High Blood Pressure And Vinegar
Prevent And Manage High Blood Pressure
Whatever your age, you can take steps each day to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.
You can help prevent high blood pressurealso called hypertensionby making healthy choices and managing other health conditions you may have.
Health care professionals and other partners can help by visiting The Surgeon Generals Call to Action to Control Hypertension. Learn about specific steps that key sectors can take to make a substantial, positive impact on the health of Americans.
Read The Surgeon Generals Call to Action to Control Hypertension and share it with your colleagues, peers, and loved ones. Incorporate actionable steps into your work, community, or personal life to help reduce high blood pressure.
Cut Back On Sugar And Refined Carbohydrates
Many studies show that restricting sugar and refined carbohydrates can help you lose weight and lower your blood pressure.
Sugar, especially fructose, may increase your blood pressure more than salt, according to one 2014 review. In trials lasting at least 8 weeks, sugar increased blood pressure by 5.6 mm Hg diastolic and 6.9 mm Hg systolic .
A 2020 study that compared various popular diets found that for people who with more weight or obesity, low carb and low fat diets lowered their diastolic blood pressure by an average of about 5 mm Hg and their systolic blood pressure 3 mm Hg after 6 months .
Another benefit of a low carb, low sugar diet is that you feel fuller longer, because youre consuming more protein and fat.
Recommended Reading: Can You Reverse Pulmonary Hypertension
Do Regular Physical Activity
Regular aerobic exercise reduces blood pressure. The reductions are greater for people who start with higher blood pressure. Even relatively small increases in physical activity have been shown to lower blood pressure.
- People aged 18-64 years should do a total of 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate-intensity activity or 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous activity every week. You can achieve this in shorter periods of activity. Moderate-intensity activity includes brisk walking, golf, swimming and mowing the lawn. Vigorous activity includes jogging, aerobics, soccer, netball or fast cycling.
- People aged 18-64 years should also do muscle strengthening exercises at least 2 days per week, such as squats, lunges, pull-ups, push-ups, lifting weights, carrying things or digging. When doing resistance exercises, its important to breathe normally and not hold your breath since this raises blood pressure.
- People aged 65 and older should aim for some physical activity every week preferably 30 minutes of moderate intensity on most days. Any activity is better than none, and you can gradually build up to the target total.
If you experience any chest pain, palpitations or unexpected breathlessness during exercise, stop the activity and seek medical advice.
How To Treat High Blood Pressure Naturally 10 Tips
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , hypertension affects 1 in 3 adults in the US.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is one of the main trigger factors for both strokes and heart attacks. A blood pressure reading of 140/90 mm Hg or above is considered hypertension. In most cases, it does not lead to any noticeable symptom so that it is also called a silent killer.
Many factors contribute to this health issue, including smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, excess salt intake, alcohol consumption, obesity, stress, genetics, and age.
By controlling and managing the risk factors of this disease, you will be able to keep your blood pressure in check. In addition, follow a healthy diet that contains a lot of foods that are abundant in antioxidants and low in saturated fats to help control high blood pressure levels well.
Read Also: Why High Blood Pressure Happens
Who Is Prone To High Blood Pressure
Unsurprisingly, there are some people who are more likely to get high blood pressure than others. There are several risk factors that you should know about. We will go over the main list in just a moment. However, the most popular risk factors include your age, your family history, your race, and your overall lifestyle choice. For some people who suffer from chronic kidney disease, you may be more likely to suffer from high blood pressure.
Garlic Supplements For High Blood Pressure
You can use garlic as a natural medicine to treat hypertension and improve your cardiovascular health.
Regularly taking garlic as a supplement can help to turn prehypertensive conditions into safe conditions. For example, a meta-analysis of 20 trials found that garlic supplementation can lower systolic blood pressure by 9 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 7 mmHg.
Other studies have found that taking garlic supplements on a long-term basis could have a significant effect on blood pressure. Over a 12-week period taking 2 aged garlic capsules daily helped lower systolic blood pressure by around 12 mmHg.
Read Also: Can Apple Watch Test Blood Pressure
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.
How Is High Blood Pressure Diagnosed
High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. So the only way to find out if you have it is to get regular blood pressure checks from your health care provider. Your provider will use a gauge, a stethoscope or electronic sensor, and a blood pressure cuff. He or she will take two or more readings at separate appointments before making a diagnosis.
| Blood Pressure Category | |
|---|---|
| and | 120 or higher |
For children and teens, the health care provider compares the blood pressure reading to what is normal for other kids who are the same age, height, and gender.
People with diabetes or chronic kidney disease should keep their blood pressure below 130/80.
Read Also: Bp And Headaches
Who Is At Risk Of High Blood Pressure
There are a number of modifiable and non-modifiable factors that can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure.
Non-modifiable risk factors
1. Age
In the UK, as in other developed nations, blood pressure tends to rise with age. In England, the increase in average systolic pressure between ages 16 to 24 years and 75 years and above is just under 20mmHg. This is thought to reflect the length of time that people are exposed to modifiable lifestyle risk factors.
2. Gender
Health Survey for England figures show that for any given age up to about 65 years, women tend to have a lower blood pressure than men. Between 65 to 74 years of age, women tend to have a higher blood pressure. In terms of prevalence, in England the proportion of the population with hypertension increases from 5% of men and 1% of women aged 16 to 24 years, to 58% in men and women aged 65 to 74 years.
3. Ethnicity
In England, people from Black African and Black Caribbean ethnic groups have a higher risk of hypertension than the general population, although any differences in hypertension between other ethnic groups is not always apparent.
Ethnic groups, such as South Asian, Black African and Black Caribbean communities, are more prone to developing type 2 diabetes which also increases the risk of having high blood pressure.
4. Genetics
Modifiable risk factors
1. Excess dietary salt
2. Obesity
There is a strong and direct relationship between excess weight and high blood pressure.
6. Mental health
The Highlight Is Know Your Numbers Week Which Takes Place Every September
1.5 million1.5 million people have had a free blood pressure check during our annual , the UKs biggest blood pressure testing and awareness event.
120/80An ideal blood pressure is under 120/80mmHg. Do you Know Your Numbers? .
6 million6 million people in the UK have high blood pressure and dont know it. Could you
350Every day in the UK, 350 people have a stroke or heart attack that could have been prevented. .
We believe every adult in the UK should know their blood pressure numbers in the same way they know their height and weight. When you Know Your Numbers! you can take steps to look after your blood pressure and lead a long and healthy life.
Recommended Reading: Blood Pressure Effect
Why Focus On High Blood Pressure
The Global Burden of Disease 2015 highlights that high blood pressure is the second biggest known global risk factor for disease after poor diet. In the UK, high blood pressure is the third biggest risk factor for disease after tobacco smoking and poor diet.
High blood pressure is, however, the largest single known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and related disability.
High blood pressure increases the risk of:
- heart failure
- coronary artery disease
- stroke
It can also increase the risk of chronic kidney disease, peripheral arterial disease, and vascular dementia.
Approximately 1 in 4 adults worldwide have high blood pressure. It is projected to affect more than 1.5 billion people around the world by 2025.
The Global Burden of Disease 2015 report estimated that high blood pressure was responsible for 10.7 million deaths worldwide.
Often described as a silent killer because it rarely causes symptoms, high blood pressure was responsible for around 75,000 deaths in 2015, according to the Global Burden of Disease report.
High blood pressure affects more than 1 in 4 adults in England, around 12.5 million people in 2015. The prevalence of high blood pressure for adults in England in 2015 was 31% among men and 26% among women, with little change over the last few years.
- a 17% reduction for coronary heart disease
- a 27% reduction for stroke
- a 28% reduction for heart failure
- a significant 13% reduction in all-cause mortality