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.
What Causes Low Blood Pressure
Have you ever been puzzled about what are the causes of low blood pressure?
Low blood pressure can be caused by various potential factors, including decreased cardiac output, dilation of blood vessels, low blood volume, autonomic dysfunction, and certain medications.
A wide range of underlying conditions can also cause low blood pressure. In such cases, those problems should be treated first to improve low blood pressure.
Health conditions that can cause low blood pressure include:
- Pregnancy
- Rapid, shallow breathing
- Sweating
If you are suffering from the symptoms like rapid and shallow breathing, a weak rapid pulse, and cold, clammy, and pale skin, seek emergency medical help because it may be the signs of shock.
Stroke And Brain Problems
High blood pressure can cause the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to burst or be blocked, causing a stroke. Brain cells die during a stroke because they do not get enough oxygen. Stroke can cause serious disabilities in speech, movement, and other basic activities. A stroke can also kill you.
Having high blood pressure, especially in midlife, is linked to having poorer cognitive function and dementia later in life. Learn more about the link between high blood pressure and dementia from the National Institutes of Healths Mind Your Risks®external icon campaign.
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Foods To Combat Hypotension
There are certain dietary measures that can help relieve hypotension. We can divide them into groups according to the benefits they bring us in order to raise blood pressure:
- Foods rich in vitamin B12
- Iron-rich foods
- Salty foods
- Foods that regulate blood pressure
Here are some foods that have these properties, so you can easily guide you when choosing food to help you control your blood pressure.
Why Is It Dangerous To Lower My Blood Pressure Too Quickly
Before we talk about specific examples, lets learn why its dangerous to lower your blood pressure too quickly. Your heart and blood vessels carry blood to all your body parts, including large, important organs that keep you alive, like your lungs and especially your brain. Large drops in blood pressure can suddenly stop your brain from getting the continuous blood flow and oxygen it needs. This can lead to a stroke and permanent brain damage.
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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.
Types Of Low Blood Pressure
Medical professionals distinguish between three different types of hypotension. The most common type is primary hypotension . Other examples are secondary and ortho static hypotension.
- Primary hypotension: describes the most common form and usually occurs without a clear cause.
- Secondary hypotension: mostly occurs as a result of an underlying disease such as an underactive thyroid or various heart diseases.
- Orthostasis hypotension: occurs due to volume shift. for example, when you get up quickly from lying down.
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How Do I Know If I Have High Blood Pressure
Theres only one way to know if you have high blood pressure: Have a doctor or other health professional measure it. Measuring your blood pressure is quick and painless.
Talk with your health care team about regularly measuring your blood pressure at home, also called self-measured blood pressure monitoring.
High blood pressure is called the silent killer because it usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it.
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.
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You Shouldn’t Ignore White Coat Hypertension
Some people experience white coat hypertension, when blood pressure is elevated in the doctor’s office but not in other settings. These patients need to monitor their blood pressure at home or wear an ambulatory blood pressure monitor that takes your blood pressure every 30 minutes for 24 hours.
While white coat hypertension was formerly considered simple nervousness, recent research suggests otherwise.
A study published in the journal Hypertension found that people with white coat hypertension are at a significantly greater risk for developing sustained high blood pressure than people who have normal blood pressure. One possible explanation is that people with white coat hypertension have a harder time managing stress and anxiety.
Reduce Stress Through Meditation And Rest
Chronic stress can lead to chronic elevations in the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, says Dr. Desai. These hormones constrict the arteries and cause weight gain, which further increases blood pressure.
He recommends reducing stress by using breathing exercises, practicing meditation, completing physical exercise, practicing yoga, logging quality sleep, taking breaks throughout the day, spending time in nature, listening to music and eating a balanced diet.
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Caveats To Treating Hypotension At Home
Most of the time, doctors decline to treat mild or moderate hypotension because low blood pressure benefits your heart health. In severe cases, doctors may prescribe medications to boost low blood pressure that is causing frequent falling or other undesired effects. Doctors also may treat an underlying condition causing hypotension.
People who have been diagnosed with heart or kidney diseaseincluding anyone who takes medication for or heart failureshould never take steps to raise their blood pressure on their own, as this can have serious negative health consequences. If youre in this group and experience symptoms of hypotension, contact your prescribing physician or primary care provider for guidance regarding how to proceed.
Otherwise healthy adults who occasionally experience symptoms of hypotension can try a home remedy for low blood pressure.
How Is Blood Pressure Measured
Blood pressure is measured using a machine called a blood pressure monitor.
A cuff is put over your arm. This cuff is attached to a machine which measures the pressure inside your arteries. When the machine is switched on the cuff tightens and then slowly loosens again. It is quick and painless. At the end, the machine will give a blood pressure reading.
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury .
A blood pressure reading contains two numbers and will be written as a figure like 120/75
The first number is the pressure when your heart beats . The second number is when your heart relaxes .
During a blood pressure test, a blood pressure cuff is wrapped around your arm so a blood pressure monitor can measure your systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
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How To Increase Low Blood Pressure Naturally & Quickly: 11 Tips
Low blood pressure is a serious problem like hypertension. How blood pressure may inflict untold damage to the body and mind. It causes symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, fatigue, difficulty breathing, nausea, palpitations, blurred vision and cold, clammy skin. The condition may be caused by issues such as dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, prolonged bed rest, heart problems, pregnancy, a reduction in blood volume, neurological conditions and endocrine disorders. Certain medications such as beta blockers, diuretics, antidepressants, alpha blockers, and others may also lead to the problem of low blood pressure. You can try several simple ways to alleviate symptoms. In this article, VKool.com will show you 11 solutions on how to increase low blood pressure naturally and quickly. The writing collected a list of safe and effective solutions for treating low blood pressure from reliable sources. However, it is not intended to give medical advice and it is solely for the informational purpose. Keep reading this writing to learn these 11 solutions on how to increase low blood pressure in more detail!
Common Causes Of High Blood Pressure Spikes
Some people with high blood pressure will experience sharp rises in their blood pressure. These spikes, which typically last only a short period of time, are also known as sudden high blood pressure. These are some possible causes:
- Caffeine
- Certain medications or combinations of medications
- Chronic kidney disease
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What Happens If Diastolic Pressure Is Low
If your diastolic blood pressure is too low, your heart muscles wont get enough oxygenated blood. This can lead to weakening of you heart, a condition called diastolic heart failure. You may be at higher risk for this type of heart failure if you have coronary heart disease, which is narrowing of your heart arteries.
Heart Attack And Heart Disease
High blood pressure can damage your arteries by making them less elastic, which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart and leads to heart disease. In addition, decreased blood flow to the heart can cause:
- Chest pain, also called angina.
- Heart attack, which happens when the blood supply to your heart is blocked and heart muscle begins to die without enough oxygen. The longer the blood flow is blocked, the greater the damage to the heart.
- Heart failure, a condition that means your heart cant pump enough blood and oxygen to your other organs.
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How Can I Raise My Diastolic Pressure
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High Blood Pressure And Older Adults
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High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major health problem that is common in older adults. Your bodys network of blood vessels, known as the vascular system, changes with age. Arteries get stiffer, causing blood pressure to go up. This can be true even for people who have heart-healthy habits and feel just fine. High blood pressure, sometimes called “the silent killer,” often does not cause signs of illness that you can see or feel. Though it affects nearly half of all adults, many may not even be aware they have it.
If high blood pressure isn’t controlled with lifestyle changes and medication, it can lead to serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease such as heart disease and stroke, vascular dementia, eye problems, and kidney disease. The good news is that blood pressure can be controlled in most people.
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Eat Smaller And More Frequent Meals
A sudden drop in blood pressure after eating larger, heavier meals is known as postprandial hypotension, common in older adults. After a large meal, blood indeed rushes to the intestine to help in proper digestion. As a result of this additional blood demand of the intestine, blood flow to other parts of the body will decrease and cause a drastic drop in blood pressure.
Eating small healthy meals frequently throughout the day may help prevent triggering postprandial hypotension. Also, consider reducing your carbohydrate intake because high-carbohydrate meals are thought to influence the BP decrease.
What Can You Do To Help Relieve Symptoms Of Low Blood Pressure
Depending on the type of low blood pressure you have, you may be able to relieve some of your symptoms by:
- Eating a healthy diet with fewer carbohydrates and smaller meals.
- Drinking more water and avoiding alcohol.
- Getting up slowly after youve been sitting or lying down.
- Focusing on breathing a few times before you change position.
- Wearing compression stockings.
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Good Sleep Can Prevent And Manage High Blood Pressure
Most people experience a dip in blood pressure during the deepest stage of sleep , which is the body’s normal and healthy reaction to sleep. Not having that nighttime dip is a risk factor for heart disease and may increase daytime blood pressure.
Typically people spend 90 minutes to two hours in slow wave sleep per night. A recent study published in Hypertension found that men who got less slow wave sleep each night were a higher risk for hypertension than men who got more deep sleep.
While sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, and age can both affect the amount of deep sleep you get, there are steps you can take to ensure a good night’s sleep. Getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and being more active during the day can help improve the quality of your sleep.
How Can I Raise My Blood Pressure Instantly
Everyone went to know, how can I raise my blood pressure instantly? Here is the total solution to raise your blood pressure instantly. Low blood pressure is indeed less harmful to health, like hypertension , but is mostly stiff felt by those affected as much. In addition to a lack of concentration, dizziness, and malaise, constant tiredness puts a significant strain on those affected in everyday life.
However, in addition to a healthy lifestyle, some foods can remedy the situation quickly and are easy to integrate into the daily routine well show you which foods raise blood pressure and what tips will help as well!
The essentials in brief:
- Typical symptoms of low blood pressure: dizziness, tiredness, difficulty concentrating, nausea.
- Some foods can raise blood pressure: licorice root, chocolate, salt, spices.
- Some drinks alsocan Increase Blood pressure coffee, green or black tea, as well as isotonic beverages.
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Boost Your B12 Intake
Vitamin B12 performs a critical role in helping the body produce healthy red blood cells. Lack of this important vitamin can result in anemia, which lowers blood pressure and can result in excessive bleeding as well as organ and nerve damage. Foods that are rich in vitamin B12 include eggs, chicken, fish like salmon and tuna, and low-fat dairy products.
Is Salt Really Off Limits
Salt can raise blood pressure in some people. Most people who have high blood pressure should get no more than 2,400 mg of salt each day from their food and drinks. This is about one teaspoon plus one fourth of a teaspoon. Your doctor may tell you to limit your salt even more than this.
Do not add salt to your food at the table. Check the labels on your drinks and canned and frozen foods to see how much salt they have in them. While some foods, such as potato chips, obviously have a lot of salt in them, you may be surprised to see how much salt is in foods like bread or cheese.
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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
- Not smoking
- 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.
How To Raise Low Blood Pressure Naturally
- Chronic Disease
Blood pressure levels change during the day. Your body constantly works on balancing your blood pressure. Blood pressure helps your vital organs, including your brain and lungs, get enough blood and oxygen to function better. If you wonder how to raise low blood pressure naturally, in this article you will find 5 natural ways.
Having low blood pressure once in a while isnt like to cause concern. But having it regularly can be because of diabetes, anemia, hypothyroidism, pregnancy or mildly happen when you stand up and after you eat.
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