What Help Lower Blood Pressure

Medicines For High Blood Pressure

Several types of medicine can be used to help control high blood pressure.

Many people need to take a combination of different medicines.

• if you’re under 55 years of age you’ll usually be offered an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin-2 receptor blocker
• if you’re aged 55 or older, or you’re any age and of African or Caribbean origin you’ll usually be offered a calcium channel blocker

You may need to take blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life. But your doctor might be able to reduce or stop your treatment if your blood pressure stays under control for several years.

It’s really important to take your medicine as directed. If you miss doses, it will not work as well.

The medicine will not necessarily make you feel any different, but this does not mean it’s not working.

Medicines used to treat high blood pressure can have side effects, but most people do not get any.

If you do get side effects, do not stop taking your medicine. Talk to your doctor, who may advise changing your medicine.

Eat Healthy High Protein Foods

A long-term study concluded in 2014 found that people who ate more protein had a lower risk of high blood pressure. For those who ate an average of 100 grams of protein per day, there was a 40 percent lower risk of having high blood pressure than those on a low protein diet .

Those who also added regular fiber into their diet saw up to a 60 percent reduction of risk.

However, a high protein diet may not be for everyone. Those with kidney disease may need to use caution. Its best to talk with your doctor.

Its fairly easy to consume 100 grams of protein daily on most types of diets.

• cheese, such as cheddar

A 3.5-ounce serving of salmon can have as much as 22 grams of protein, while a 3.5-ounce serving of chicken breast might contain 30 grams of protein.

With regard to vegetarian options, a half-cup serving of most types of beans contains 7 to 10 grams of protein. Two tablespoons of peanut butter would provide 8 grams .

These supplements are readily available and have demonstrated promise for lowering blood pressure:

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid

Adding omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids or fish oil to your diet can have many benefits.

A meta-analysis of fish oil and blood pressure found a mean blood pressure reduction in those with high blood pressure of 4.5 mm Hg systolic and 3.0 mm Hg diastolic .

Whey protein

This protein complex derived from milk may have several health benefits in addition to possibly lowering blood pressure .

Magnesium

Citrulline

What Is High Blood Pressure

Your blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries, according to the CDC. Your arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body.

Its normal for your blood pressure to rise and fall during the day. But, if it stays elevated, its considered high blood pressure.

Your blood pressure is measured two ways:

• Systolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats
• Diastolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats

When you get a blood pressure reading, the systolic blood pressure number is on top, and the diastolic blood pressure number is on the bottom.

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association define high blood pressure as a reading at or above 130/80 mmHg. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHG, while elevated blood pressure is considered 120-129/less than 80 mmHG.

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Eat Dark Chocolate Or Cocoa

While eating massive amounts of dark chocolate probably wont help your heart, small amounts may.

Thats because dark chocolate and cocoa powder are rich in flavonoids, which are plant compounds that cause blood vessels to dilate.

A review of studies found that flavonoid-rich cocoa may reduce short-term blood pressure levels in healthy adults .

For the strongest effects, use non-alkalized cocoa powder, which is especially high in flavonoids and has no added sugars.

Bottom line: Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain plant compounds that help relax blood vessels, which may lower blood pressure.

In people with overweight, losing weight can make a big difference to heart health.

According to a 2016 study, losing 5% of your body weight could significantly lower high blood pressure (

23 ).

Losing weight can help your blood vessels do a better job of expanding and contracting, making it easier for the left ventricle of the heart to pump blood .

Bottom line: Losing weight can significantly lower high blood pressure. This effect is even more pronounced when you exercise.

How Do Kidneys Help Regulate Blood Pressure

The kidneys ensure that the make-up and volume of the fluids in the body is correct. They help control the chemical balance of the blood and regulate the bodys level of sodium, potassium and calcium. The kidneys remove waste products and excess water from the body and so help to regulate blood pressure.

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Tomatoes And Tomato Products

Tomatoes and tomato products are rich in many nutrients, including potassium and the carotenoid pigment lycopene.

Lycopene has been significantly associated with beneficial effects on heart health, and eating foods high in this nutrient, such as tomato products, may help reduce heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure .

A review of 21 studies concluded that consuming tomato and tomato products improves blood pressure and may help reduce your risk of heart disease and heart-disease-related death 30010-2/fulltext” rel=”nofollow”> 26).

Everyday Connections: Stem Cells And Repair Of Kidney Damage

Stem cells are unspecialized cells that can reproduce themselves via cell division, sometimes after years of inactivity. Under certain conditions, they may differentiate into tissue-specific or organ-specific cells with special functions. In some cases, stem cells may continually divide to produce a mature cell and to replace themselves. Stem cell therapy has an enormous potential to improve the quality of life or save the lives of people suffering from debilitating or life-threatening diseases. There have been several studies in animals, but since stem cell therapy is still in its infancy, there have been limited experiments in humans.

Acute kidney injury can be caused by a number of factors, including transplants and other surgeries. It affects 710 percent of all hospitalized patients, resulting in the deaths of 3540 percent of inpatients. In limited studies using mesenchymal stem cells, there have been fewer instances of kidney damage after surgery, the length of hospital stays has been reduced, and there have been fewer readmissions after release.

How do these stem cells work to protect or repair the kidney? Scientists are unsure at this point, but some evidence has shown that these stem cells release several growth factors in endocrine and paracrine ways. As further studies are conducted to assess the safety and effectiveness of stem cell therapy, we will move closer to a day when kidney injury is rare, and curative treatments are routine.

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Eat Some Dark Chocolate

Yes, chocolate lovers: Dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure.

But the dark chocolate should be 60 to 70 percent cacao. A review of studies on dark chocolate has found that eating one to two squares of dark chocolate per day may help lower the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and inflammation.

The benefits are thought to come from the flavonoids present in chocolate with more cocoa solids. The flavonoids help dilate, or widen, your blood vessels .

What Should I Avoid Eating If I Have High Blood Pressure Or Kidney Disease

If you have kidney disease, avoid foods and beverages that are high in sodium.

Additional steps you can take to meet your blood pressure goals may include eating heart-healthy and low-sodium meals, quitting smoking, being active, getting enough sleep, and taking your medicines as prescribed. You should also limit alcoholic drinksno more than two per day for men and one per day for womenbecause consuming too many alcoholic beverages raises blood pressure.

In addition, a health care professional may recommend that you eat moderate or reduced amounts of protein.

Proteins break down into waste products that the kidneys filter from the blood. Eating more protein than your body needs may burden your kidneys and cause kidney function to decline faster. However, eating too little protein may lead to malnutrition, a condition that occurs when the body does not get enough nutrients.

If you have kidney disease and are on a restricted protein diet, a health care professional will use blood tests to monitor your nutrient levels.

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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.

People Who Should Avoid High Amounts Of Potassium

Dr. Makam notes that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, Angiotensin receptor blockers and Aldosterone antagonists, which are some of the common medications designed to lower blood pressure, already help your body retain potassium. If youre taking one of these medications and include extra potassium on top of that, there are risks of complications.

He also points out that people with kidney disease should also avoid excess potassium. Damaged kidneys cant remove excess potassium from your blood, so the amount can build to dangerous levels, if not monitored correctly.

The key is balance, says Dr. Makam. Your healthcare provider will know your specific health conditions, your current medications and latest blood levels, which will help come up with the right approach for you.

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Try Meditation Or Yoga

Mindfulness and meditation, including transcendental meditation, have long been used and studied as methods to reduce stress.

Yoga, which commonly involves breathing control, posture, and meditation techniques, can also be effective in reducing stress and blood pressure.

A 2013 review on yoga and blood pressure found an average blood pressure decrease of 3.62 mm Hg diastolic and 4.17 mm Hg systolic when compared with those who didnt exercise.

Studies of yoga practices that included breath control, postures, and meditation were nearly twice as effective as yoga practices that didnt include all three of these elements .

Here’s How To Maintain A Healthy Blood Pressure Going Forward

The research team acknowledged several limitations of the study, and note that their work is only the beginning. More research is needed to fully understand the causal relationship between diastolic blood pressure and mental states, they say.

However, since there’s no shortage of health benefits associated with managing your blood pressure, experts agree that everyone should strive to keep their levels under 120/80 mm Hg. If you notice that your numbers are high, you may be able to bring them down with the help of daily monitoring, lifestyle changes, and in some cases medication. Speak with your doctor to learn more about maintaining a healthy blood pressure for the sake of your physical and mental health.

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Can Hbp Cause Kidney Failure

Your kidneys and your circulatory system depend on each other for good health. The kidneys help filter wastes and extra fluids from blood, and they use a lot of blood vessels to do so. When the blood vessels become damaged, the nephrons that filter your blood dont receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to function well. This is why high blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure. Over time, uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause arteries around the kidneys to narrow, weaken or harden. These damaged arteries are not able to deliver enough blood to the kidney tissue.

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What This Blood Pressure Study Found

The scientists on this research team looked at data from four different components of blood pressure:

• Systolic blood pressure the top number in a blood pressure reading, which is a measure of pressure exerted against artery walls as your heart beats

• Diastolic blood pressure the bottom number in a blood pressure reading, which is a measure of pressure in your arteries between beats

• Pulse pressure the difference between systolic and diastolic

• Hypertension in general

The goal of their study was to determine if they could find a causal relationship between any or all of these four different data points and four different psychological states:

• Subjective well-being

Using a technique called Mendelian randomization, which involves looking at gene variants to try to spot if any one factor is causing a specific outcome, and genome-wide association studies, the scientists found that most of the connections they saw were not significant enough to deem conclusion-worthy. The exception: The link between diastolic blood pressure and neuroticism. An elevated diastolic blood pressure appears to have a significant genetic causal effect on neuroticism rates.

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How Often Should I See My Doctor

• Your CKD team will outline a treatment plan for you after you are diagnosed. Most patients come to the clinic 1 or 2 times per year. Well ask you to come in more often if:

• You start a new medicine or we change your medicine dose.

• Your kidney function is getting worse.

• Your blood pressure is not controlled.

At each visit, we will test your blood and urine and measure your blood pressure.

DONT be afraid to ask questions. We are here to help you.

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Best Exercises To Lower Blood Pressure

As you perform cardio and strength training, it helps strengthen your heart, which means your heart can pump more blood with less effort.

Here are some forms of exercise that are great for helping lower your blood pressure:

When you reduce your weight, you can actually reduce your blood pressure by 5 to 7 millimeters of mercury, which is how blood pressure is measured, explains Gray.

After working out, you can also focus on a few breathing methods that help lower your blood pressure. Gray recommends the pursed-lip breathing method.

You just breathe in through your nose for 2 seconds and then out through your mouth, kind of like youre blowing a whistle, for 4 seconds, says Gray. Doing that can help reset the body.

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Research Shows Losing Weight Leads To Heart Health

A diet thats low in fat and carbohydrates can improve artery function, according to a 2012 study by Johns Hopkins researchers. After six months, those on the low-carb diet had lost more weight, and at a faster pace. But in both groups, when weight was lostand especially when belly fat shrankthe arteries were able to expand better, allowing blood to travel more freely. The study shows that you dont have to cut out all dietary fat to shrink belly fat. For heart health, simply losing weight and exercising seems to be key.

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.

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Healthy Eating For A Healthy Heart

What you eat, how much you exercise and how much stress you have in your life all combine to determine whether your blood pressure levels fall or rise. And while you cant munch on certain foods and expect your blood pressure to drop , you can follow specific eating patterns that are proven to help stop hypertension.

Most nutrition research today points toward specific eating patterns that lower blood pressure rather than individual foods, says Zimmerman, who cites the DASH diet as an example.

In fact, her six recommendations for a blood pressure-friendly diet are all key players in the DASH diet:

Load up on fruits and vegetables. Countless studies show that loading up on fruits and veggies protects against the nations top killers: cancer, heart disease, diabetes and stroke. These nutrient-rich gems are loaded with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, which help boost the bodys natural defense system and protect cells from damage. To get the most nutrient bang out of your produce, be sure to choose a rainbow of colors, suggests Zimmerman, since each color represents a different mix of beneficial plant nutrients.

Eat heart-healthy fats. Instead of butter, lard or bacon grease, use olive oil, canola oil, corn oil or vegetable oil when youre cooking. These oils have heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which can help lower cholesterol levels and your risk of heart disease and stroke.