What About The Patient’s Compliance Withmedication Regimens
When uncomplicated hypertension has not caused symptoms, as often happens, some patients tend to forget about their medications. Patients also tend to fail to take their medications as prescribed if they cause side effects. These quality of life issues are very important, especially with regard to compliance with prescribed blood pressure medications. Certain antihypertensive medications may cause such side effects as fatigue and sexual impotence which can have profound effects on a patient’s quality of life and compliance with treatment. More resistant cases of hypertension that require higher doses of medication may cause more adverse effects, and therefore, less compliance.
In dosing schedules that require taking medication two to four times a day , some patients will remember to take their medicine only some of the time. In contrast, medications that can be given once daily tend to be remembered more regularly.
Expensive blood pressure medications, especially if insurance does not cover the costs, may also reduce compliance. People attempt to save money by skipping doses of the prescribed medication. The least expensive medication regimes use generic drugs, which are readily available for some of the diuretics and beta blockers. Lifestyle changes such as losing weight, reducing dietary sodium, decreasing consumption of alcohol, and exercising regularly, reduce the need for some medications.
Why Does Hypertension Matter
If you are in this 130/80 range, reducing your blood pressure can help protect you from heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, eye disease, and even cognitive decline. The goal of the new guidelines is to encourage you to treat your high blood pressure seriously and to take action to bring it down, primarily using lifestyle interventions. “It is well documented that lifestyle changes can lower blood pressure as much as pills can, and sometimes even more,” says Dr. Fisher.
Making those changes can be challenging. More than one woman has woken up in the morning committed to healthy eating only to be derailed by a plate of cookies on a table in the office or a dinner out with friends.
Nutrition For Lowering Eye Pressure
Finally, eat a healthy diet! Nutrients like vitamins C, E and A, as well as fatty acids and minerals, can all help to protect your important optic nerve. Cutting back on sugars and carbohydrates is a good beginning but there are actually foods that can help your eyes to function better. Many of the vitamins and minerals that your eyes need can be found in a well-balanced diet. Diets that are high in leafy green vegetables are recommended because of the vitamins they contain.
Many of us struggle with maintaining a healthy diet. If your daily life is too hectic to allow for well-balanced meals or if you just dont know how to prepare the food you should be eating, you may want to consider purchasing vitamins for eye health that will supplement your eyes nutritional needs!
These simple lifestyle changes can really help you reduce your eye pressure. Remember that when you take care of your body, you reap the benefits tenfold! Many of the things that your physician has been telling you to do for your overall health are probably similar to our suggestions. After all, your eyes are an important part of your body, it makes sense that what is good for your body would also be good for your eyes.
Take the time to take care of your eyes! Dont miss seeing what the future holds.
Our Rebuild Your Vision Ocu-Plus Formula Contains All 17 Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbal Supplements to Protect Against Glaucoma!
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What Is A Dangerous Level Of Blood Pressure
As far as specific numbers for high blood pressure, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology released updated guidelines in November 2017. It can be broken down into two categories: elevated and high.
Elevated blood pressure ranges from 121/80 to 129/80. Its generally not treated, but serves more as a warning sign that it should be monitored and the patient might explore how to lower blood pressure by making some lifestyle changes.
High blood pressure starts at 130/80 or higherthats stage one. Stage two, or the worst degree, is 140/90 and above. If the upper limit of blood pressure is more than 180, thats where it starts getting really dangerous, increasing the likelihood of an immediate heart attack, heart failure, or stroke.
Avoid Heavy Alcohol Drinking
Drinking too much alcohol has been associated with high blood pressure. Heavy drinking also contributes to stroke. The CDC recommends that men drink two or fewer drinks per day. Women are recommended to drink one or fewer alcoholic beverages per day.
Alcoholism is a disease that is difficult to treat on your own. If you find it difficult to control your drinking, many people have successfully limited or quit drinking through counseling and drug treatment. You can reach the national substance abuse hotline anytime at: 1-800-662-HELP .
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Invest In A Home Blood Pressure Kit
The AHA recommends using a home blood pressure monitor if you have high blood pressure. Itll help your doctor determine whether treatments are working. The blood pressure in the office may not represent your blood pressure at all times, explains Dr. Krumholz. The blood pressure thats measured outside the office can be very important in determining your risk of the consequences of high blood pressure.
Ask your health-care provider for a brand recommendation. There are many inexpensive ones on the market, says Dr. Krumholz. Heres how to know when high blood pressure is an emergency.
Naturally Treat High Blood Pressure
By | Submitted On October 02, 2007
It seems like the later I stay up at night, the more educational the television shows become. Recently I found a show called “The Truth about Food’ on the Discovery Channel. I immediately kept flipping but later returned to the show after feeling a little guilty from a late night snack. It turned out, I learned more about natural health in the next 20 minutes then I did in the last week! Specifically, I learned how important food is to our health and high blood pressure! Duh!
Did you know that food can naturally treat high blood pressure , shed those extra pounds and increase your sex drive?
So I ask you… Can you picture not having to worry about high blood pressure? Can you imagine being excited to go to bed early once again? Can you imagine the reward of a new wardrobe after shedding 20+ pounds?
Quit dreaming! Because doing all of these might be simpler than you think!
What I learned about Naturally Treating High Blood Pressure
But you would never imagine what happened after 2 weeks? All hypertension contestants reduced high blood pressure substantially, reduced cholesterol levels and lost weight . And finally, you would never imagine the gained confidence and smiles on everyone’s thinner face!
High blood pressure numbers dropped a whopping 10%.
Cholesterol levels plummeted an astonishing 25%.
Participants lost an average of 10 pounds in two weeks.
Why Every Second Counts with HBP!
High Blood Pressure Medication… Is it worth it?
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Why Is High Blood Pressure So Serious
High blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer because most of the time, its symptoms arent particularly noticeable, yet outcomes may be vast and very serious. In addition, the longer that you suffer from high blood pressure and dont take steps to manage it, the more chance it will cause irreversible damage to your body.
Hypertension is a main cause of chronic and acute health problems like:
- heart failure
- eye damage
- nerve damage
Thus, its crucial that you take control of high blood pressure as soon as possible and make it a lifelong goal to keep it at a healthy level.
What Is High Blood Pressure
Arteries are naturally flexible and smooth, which allows blood to easily move throughout the body. High blood pressure creates extra force against the artery walls, which damages the lining of the arteries. As they become narrower and harder, this restricts blood flow, and when blood flow is lowered, the heart has to work harder to pump it through the body, which only makes the problem worse.
Healthy blood pressure is any reading under 120/80 mm Hg, where the top number represents the blood pressure level when heart beats and the lower number represents the blood pressure level in between beats. Anything over 120/80 is considered high, and you are considered to be at a very high risk if your reading is over 140/90.
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Practice Emotional Freedom Techniques
EFT refers to a whole host of methods to reduce emotional stress, and bring your body into a more comfortable balance.
There are plenty of techniques, but today, I want you to focus on taking an emotional inventory.
Check in with yourself once a day. Examine how you are feeling. Try to address any issues that are pestering you.
Most importantly, make a conscious effort to carve out some quiet time to spend in peaceful meditation. Focus on your breathing, and calm yourself.
The modern world doesnt lend itself to moments of introspection. You have to actively create them for yourself.
Which Medications Are Used To Treat High Blood Pressure
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers
The angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and the angiotensin receptor blocker drugs both affect the renin-angiotensin hormonal system which helps regulate blood pressure. ACE inhibitors act by blocking an enzyme that converts the inactive form of angiotensin in the blood to its active form. The active form of angiotensin constricts or narrows the arteries, but the inactive form cannot. With an ACE inhibitor as a single drug treatment , 50 to 60 percent of Caucasians usually achieve good blood pressure control. African American patients also may respond, but they may require higher doses and frequently do best when an ACE inhibitor is combined with a diuretic.
As an added benefit, ACE inhibitors may reduce an enlarged heart in patients with hypertension. These drugs also appear to slow the deterioration of kidney function in patients with hypertension and protein in the urine . They have been particularly useful in slowing the progression of kidney dysfunction in hypertensive patients with kidney disease resulting from type 1 diabetes . ACE inhibitors usually are the first-line drugs to treat high blood pressure in patients who also have congestive heart failure, chronic kidney failure, and heart attack that weakens the heart muscle . ARB drugs currently are recommended for first-line kidney protection in diabetic nephropathy .
ARB drugs include:
- telmisartan , and
- eprosartan .
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Blood Pressure Foods To Avoid
- High sodium foods: Sodium raises blood pressure avoid high sodium processed foods, pickles, olives or canned foods.
- Trans fats and Omega-6 fats: These fats increase inflammation and blood pressure and are found in packaged foods and conventional meats.
- Sugar: High sugar consumption is connected to high blood pressure.
- Caffeine: Too much caffeine can cause an increase in blood pressure.
- Alcohol: Narrows arteries and can increase blood pressure.
How To Cure High Blood Pressure Naturally
High blood pressure is a disease that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and has many causes. Thankfully, certain habits and plants are ideal for preventing and countering hypertension. They provide us with a solution to naturally cure high blood pressure without resorting to medications. Here is what you can do or eat to improve your blood pressure.
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Get Your Potassium And Magnesium
When a client comes in with high blood pressure, there are several things we talk to them about right away. The first is simply adjusting their diet to a more plant-based approach, says Alison Clayshulte, nutritional consultant at the Cambiati Wellness Programs. Ideally we want our clients to have three times as many vegetables as proteins. Vegetables are high fiber, which is generally a plus, but Clayshulte is especially interested in the mineral content of these healthy foods.
We ask clients to specifically focus on vegetables high in potassium, as this mineral has shown beneficial effects on those with high blood pressure, says Clayshulte. The highest amounts of potassium are found in leafy greens , sweet potatoes, mercury-free tuna, beets, and Brussels sprouts.
The first choice for these essential minerals is through natural foods. Some people cant get enough in through food.
In addition to high potassium foods, Clayshulte says that magnesium supplementation shows lots of promise in recent studies. Taking about 300 mg of magnesium as a supplement over three months reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings, she says. Magnesium also promotes relaxation and stress reduction, which helps lower blood pressure measurements.
How Can I Lower My Blood Pressure Naturally Over Time
Now that weve discussed why theres no fail-proof, safe, and fast way to lower blood pressure, remember, there are still many ways to lower your blood pressure over time. Here are some simple recommendations:
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Exercise most days of the week. Exercise is the most effective way to lower your blood pressure. Being physically active at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week goes a long way toward keeping or getting your blood pressure under control.
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Consume a low-sodium diet. Too much sodium causes blood pressure to rise. The AHA recommends keeping your daily sodium intake to less than 2 grams, but keeping it less than 1.5 grams is even better! The DASH diet provides a low-sodium eating plan for you to use as an example.
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Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1 to 2 drinks per day. Drinking more than average1 drink for women and 2 drinks for mencan cause your blood pressure to rise. Plus, alcohol can cause you to pack on the pounds, which can also lead to an increase in blood pressure.
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Make stress reduction a priority. Stressful situations can cause your blood pressure to go up temporarily. But if you continue to be stressed, your blood pressure can remain high. Find calming activities you can do every day to help you relieve stress. Coloring, walking outside, listening to relaxing music, and even taking a warm bath can help you keep you lower your stress levels.
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Maintain A Healthy Body Weight
In overweight persons, the chances of hypertension are high. Maintaining a healthy body weight can lower the risk of developing high blood pressure. Studies show that weight loss of even 3% to 9% can help reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Besides overall body weight, focus on losing belly fat too. It is because excess belly fat itself is a crucial risk factor for high blood pressure.
Eating below your maintenance calories can help you to decrease body weight. It thus prevents high blood pressure.
Make Sure To Rest Well:
If you dont rest soundly, it can influence your high bp, Individuals who encounter lack of sleep, particularly the individuals who are moderately aged, have an expanded danger of hypertension.
Your high bp typically dips down when youre resting. The national Sleep Heart Health Study found that frequently resting under 7 hours every night and over 9 hours a night was related with an expanded prevalence of hypertension.
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Maintain A Healthy Weight
If you want to lower blood pressure, the first thing you may hear from your doctor is lose weight. Being at a higher weight can put you at a higher risk for high blood pressure. But, being overweight doesnt automatically give you hypertension, and losing weight doesnt automatically get rid of the problem.
As a heavy woman myself, I dont love stepping into a doctors office and hearing lose some weight as their only medical advice.
So, consider weight to be one small aspect of hypertension. Instead of worrying about your weight, it seems much more effective to focus on healthy eating.
How You Can Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally Starting Now
How to lower blood pressure naturally is becoming more important to more people.
Of course, there are plenty blood pressure-lowering medications you can take. However, the problem with taking blood pressure drugs is that not only do they have a lot of unpleasant side-effects, but once you start taking them you have to stay on them for life to keep your blood pressure down.
This is because high blood pressure medications dont actually treat the cause of your high blood pressure, they just dampen the symptoms.
The advantage of lowering blood pressure naturally is that doing so addresses the causes of high blood pressure. This enables you to effectively bring your blood pressure down and keep it down and without nasty side-effects.
You could say that to lower blood pressure naturally does have some side-effects but these are good ones. Being healthier, fitter, less stressed are side-effects youre probably happy to have
So whats the best way to lower blood pressure naturally?
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Make Sure You Sleep Well
To effectively fight high blood pressure, it is important to get restful rest at night. And that goes through sufficiently long nights, in favorable conditions: absence of noise, of light Ideally, make sure to sleep about eight hours per night.
If you have trouble falling asleep, relaxation techniques should be preferred. Eat light in the evening and avoid screens at least an hour before bed. You will thus help your body to regulate its blood pressure in a natural and very efficient way.
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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