What Are The Risk Factors For Hypertension
While the exact causes of HBP remain a mystery in most cases, risk factors are much easier to identify. Fortunately, most of them are within your power to controlwhich means your hearts destiny may lie largely in your own hands. They include:
If youre overweight or obese, your body requires your heart to pump more blood to supply it with oxygen and other essential nutrients. This extra work adds to the pressure on the walls of your blood vessels.
What Happens If You Have Morning Hypertension
If you have hypertension, specifically morning hypertension, you have a stronger risk of stroke compared to others with hypertension but not in the morning.
is able to cause a stroke, or a sudden loss of brain function because of a lack of supply of blood to the brain. Morning hypertension can also raise your risk of other blood vessel and heart problems. Changes in your heartys size and rhythm have been associated with it, and this can lead to heart failure or a heart attack. Speak with your doctor right away if you go through any symptoms such as chest pain, severe headache or numbness in your arms or face.
Whos At Risk For Labile Hypertension
Labile hypertension tends to be situational. This means the spikes occur in response to stressful events a fender bender, intensive physical exertion or thinking about financial woes, for example. This helps distinguish labile hypertension from true hypertension, in which blood pressure is high all the time.
Although hypertension can develop at any time, it raises a red flag when it occurs in young people or after age 60.
People who develop hypertension in their 40s particularly if they have a family history of hypertension are more likely to have essential hypertension than labile hypertension. They tend to be overweight or have underlying dietary issues, such as excessive sodium intake or heavy alcohol consumption.
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Why Your Blood Pressure Matters
Your blood pressure is an important signifier of your overall health. If its too high or too low, it could be a sign that something is off with your health, and it increases your risk of other serious issues, like:
- Kidney disease.
Chronically elevated blood pressure is a serious medical condition, Dr. Laffin states, but the vast majority of people with hypertension dont have any symptoms whatsoever.
There are natural ways to lower your blood pressure, and if you cant seem to get those numbers to budge, medications are an option. But high blood pressure is often slow and cumulative, meaning it creeps higher and higher with time. See your doctor regularly and try to live a healthy lifestyle to help keep that increase at bay.
To hear more from Dr. Laffin on this topic, listen to the Health Essentials Podcast episode Combating High Blood Pressure. New episodes of the Health Essentials Podcast publish every Wednesday.
Blood Pressure Is Linked To Other Medical Issues
High blood pressure can be the first indication of a serious underlying condition. When a patient comes in with high blood pressure, doctors will check their urine and kidney function do an electrocardiogram to check the size of the heart and look for lung changes.
Stress on the blood vessels makes people with hypertension more prone to heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and aneurysms. Correspondingly, chronic conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, sleep apnea and high cholesterol increase the risk for developing high blood pressure.
In some women, pregnancy can contribute to high blood pressure, leading to preeclampsia. Postpartum blood pressure typically goes back to normal levels within six weeks. However, some women who have high blood pressure during more than one pregnancy may be more likely to develop high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases as they age.
Some of these medical issues can also cause spikes in high blood pressure .
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Best Time Of Day To Take Blood Pressure
If you are taking your blood pressure at home, the American Heart Association does not recommend any best time to take your blood pressure, but they do say you should take it at about the same time each day. If you take it in the morning, take it before you eat, drink coffee, take any medication, or do any exercise.
Review our instructions on how to accurately take your blood pressure at home and keep track of readings with a blood pressure chart.
If your doctor wants you to check your blood pressure at home, you will probably be asked to take your blood pressure twice each day and record the readings in a blood pressure journal. Let your doctor know if you have a morning blood pressure that is 10 points above your daytime blood pressure. Let your doctor know right away if you have any blood pressure of more than 180/120. This is a dangerous level of hypertension.
Why Is Blood Pressure Higher In The Morning: Clinically Explained
It is unclear why the blood pressure rises in the morning. However, one hypothesis is that stress causes your sympathetic system to generate the stress chemicals cortisol and adrenaline, which raise both your blood pressure and heart rate.
Because blood pressure is particularly higher in the morning, experts believe work stress could be a factor. High blood pressure can be caused by stress in the long run too.
One other idea claims that not using the proper blood pressure medication at the right time can cause morning high blood pressure.
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Excessive Salt Raises Blood Pressure
Too much sodium can cause water retention that puts increased pressure on your heart and blood vessels. People with high blood pressure and those at a high risk for developing hypertension, including adults over 50 and black men and women, should have no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily of salt.
Even people with normal levels should eat salt in moderation. Stick to no more than 2,300 mg of sodium , per day.
Most dietary sodium comes from processed foods. Rules of thumb are to choose foods with 5% or less of the daily value of sodium per serving and opt for fresh poultry, fish and lean meats, rather than canned, smoked or processed. Similarly, fresh or frozen vegetables are better than canned.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that if people cut just 1/2 teaspoon of salt per day, it could help lower the number of new cases of heart disease per year by up to 120,000.
Further, potassium found in foods like sweet potatoes, spinach, bananas, oranges, low-fat milk and halibut can counterbalance the pressure-increasing effects of sodium by helping to rid the body of excess sodium.
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Understanding Your Blood Pressure Reading
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury and is given as 2 figures:
- systolic pressure the pressure when your heart pushes blood out
- diastolic pressure the pressure when your heart rests between beats
For example, if your blood pressure is “140 over 90”, or 140/90mmHg, it means you have a systolic pressure of 140mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 90mmHg.
As a general guide:
- high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher or 150/90mmHg or higher if you’re over the age of 80
- ideal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, while the target for over-80s is below 150/90mmHg
Blood pressure readings between 120/80mmHg and 140/90mmHg could mean you’re at risk of developing high blood pressure if you do not take steps to keep your blood pressure under control.
Page last reviewed: 23 October 2019 Next review due: 23 October 2022
How Do You Measure Your Morning High Blood Pressure
You can do this all by yourself but you need to have a home blood pressure monitor to do this check up. The proper guidelines to measuring blood pressure at home includes
- Before you measure your blood pressure, you need to empty your bladder.
- Rest calmly for about 5 minutes before you begin measuring your blood pressure.
Note you must avoid drinking of alcohol, tobacco, smoking and exercise 30 minutes to the time you need to measure your blood pressure.
1. When you are measuring your blood pressure, take readings early in the morning at about 6:00am.
2. Remember to take your readings same time everyday.
3. Sit with your back straight and your leg crossed with feet flat on the ground.
4. Rest your arm on a flat surface to enable your upper arm be around your heart level.
5. Place the cuff on the arm so that the bottom of the cuff will be directly above your elbow.
6. Take your readings two to three times with the timing of 1 minute apart and calculate the average reading value.
7. Keep a record of all your readings cause this will help the Doctor to know how better or worse you are getting and the right treatment to administer to you.
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Reasons Your Blood Pressure Fluctuates
If you are seeing regular fluctuations in your blood pressure readings, youre not alone. Some variation in your blood pressure throughout the day is normal. In fact, there are a number of reasons for this including small changes in daily life, such as stress, exercise or even how well you slept the night before.
According to the American Heart Association , there are more than 116 million adults in the U.S. with high blood pressure. Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General, VADM Jerome Adams, released a for hypertension control to make it a national public health priority. Experts have called for monitoring your blood pressure at home because it is a great way to gain a better understanding of your numbers.
Knowing and regularly measuring your can help you see irregularities that you want to call to your doctors attention. Keeping track of your numbers may help your doctor determine a course of action or treatment. If variances in your blood pressure readings exist, it is important to know that there are some factors you can controlbut some you cant. Lets look at some of the reasons that may cause your blood pressure to fluctuate.
Home Blood Pressure Testing
Blood pressure tests can also be carried out at home using your own blood pressure monitor.
Like 24-hour or ambulatory monitoring, this can give a better reflection of your blood pressure.
It can also allow you to monitor your condition more easily in the long term.
You can buy a variety of low-cost monitors so you can test your blood pressure at home or while you’re out and about.
Measure your blood pressure twice a day, ideally in the morning and the evening, while you’re sitting down.
Each time take 2 readings, 1 minute apart. Continue to measure your blood pressure twice a day for 7 days.
Your doctor or nurse will use this information to work out your average blood pressure.
It’s important to make sure you use equipment that’s been properly tested.
The British Hypertension Society has information about validated blood pressure monitors that are available to buy.
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The Timing Of Coronary Events
Coronary events often occur during the morning hours. This makes BP surges in the morning especially important. A study of 1,273 patients found more strokes occurred in patients were awake during the morning hours from 10:00 AM to noon. This was more than any other 2-hour period and incidence of strokes declined during the remainder of the day 24.
Another study of almost 3,000 people admitted with heart attacks, found the frequency of onset occurred from 6:00 AM to noon 25.
How To Take Your Own Blood Pressure Effectively
When taking your own blood pressure, its important to take it the right way to get accurate results. When and how you take your own BP can affect your results. Blood-pressure monitoring tips include:
- Take it easy before taking your BP. Rest for at least five minutes before your first measurement. Dont smoke, drink caffeinated beverages or exercise for 30 minutes before taking your BP. Dont talk while taking your BP.
- Take your BP with an empty bladder.
- Sit correctly. Sit with your back straight and well-supported make sure not to cross your legs and keep your feet flat on the floor.
- Position your arm correctly. Keep your upper arm at heart level. The way to do this will be a little different depending on whether youre using a wrist or upper-arm monitor, so follow the instructions for your device. Dont place blood pressure cuffs over your sleeves
- Measure at the same time every day. Many doctors will recommend taking your BP in the morning and evening. Dont take your BP right after you wake up.
- Take more than one reading and track your results. Take two or three readings about one minute apart. Some OMRON devices do this automatically and then give you an average of your readings. Take your monitor with you to doctor appointments. Some monitors called, wireless or connected, will allow you to store, track and share your results with your doctor from your mobile device.
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Why Is Knowing Your Blood Pressure Important
An awareness of your blood pressure is essential in managing your overall health. Checking it regularly can help diagnose any issues with your health as soon as possible. Blood pressure management is crucial if you are at higher risk of heart disease and other conditions.
Risk factors include certain lifestyle factors, medical conditions, and family history. Taking a blood pressure reading informs you of whether you have high or low blood pressure. High blood pressure doesnt tend to have noticeable symptoms. Therefore, measuring your blood pressure is the only means to determine for sure if yours is high or normal.
If you can identify hypertension, you can take steps to return to normal blood pressure. In doing so, you reduce your risk of heart attack and other health issues. A healthy diet, stress management, and increased physical activity might help you lower your BP significantly.
Does Blood Pressure Fluctuate Throughout The Day
It’s normal for your blood pressure to fluctuate throughout the day, along with your activity levels. You are unlikely to notice these blood pressure changes unless they are dramatic or trigger cardiac or neurologic events.
Doctors know that blood pressure tends to follow a pattern through studies with continuous monitoring. Usually, blood pressure will go up a few hours before waking up. It then rises throughout the morning before reaching its peak around the middle of the day. Afterward, it starts to decline through the late afternoon and evening. It will then reach its lowest levels at night while you are asleep.
Blood pressure that doesn’t follow this pattern is more likely to be abnormal. For example, blood pressure levels that don’t drop overnight or that remain high throughout the day may indicate you are at increased risk for heart and blood vessel disease and other complications.³
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Monitoring Your Blood Pressure
Medical professionals advise that patients monitor their blood pressure at home to help determine their risk of early morning hypertension using a home blood pressure display that has actually been scientifically shown to be precise. You can acquire a home blood pressure screen without a prescription at your local pharmacy. Several types of monitors are readily available, consisting of automatic and manual models. The only home blood pressure screen currently on the market cleared by the FDA to help identify a patients risk of early morning hypertension is manufactured by Omron Healthcare . Omron automatic high blood pressure monitors are clinically shown accurate and include IntelliSense for appropriate cuff inflation, memory ability, various cuff sizes, and an electronic display that includes the date and time.
When acquiring a home blood pressure display, be sure to pick the proper cuff size that matches the distance around your arm. If an incorrect cuff size is used, this might cause a wrong high blood pressure reading. You also ought to think about whether you want an automated or manual inflation cuff with your display.
How Do You Know You Have Morning High Blood Pressure
It is important to monitor your blood pressure every morning with a home blood pressure monitor. These devices are usually available for purchase at hospitals. You can also find them in your neighboring pharmacy. There are various types of blood pressure monitors which includes the automatic models and the manual models.
Before purchasing a blood pressure monitor to know why is blood pressure higher in the morning, you need to decide which you want to use , endeavor to select the proper cuff size that matches the distance around your arm because if you use an incorrect cuff size, you would get a wrong result of blood pressure that is not yours.
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