The exerted force applies to arterial walls creates pressure termed blood pressure. In instances where the blood vessels are too narrowed, the pressure becomes very high, resulting in hypertension.
On the other hand, very low blood pressure or hypotension is not any better. It signifies a weak heart pumping too little blood around with the vital organs like the brain, heart and kidneys not receiving enough oxygen and nutrients. This can result in the organs not functioning normally and may end up permanently damaged.
Checking Your Blood Pressure
A heartbeat is a contraction of the heart muscle, forcing blood to move through arteries. It averages 60-80 per minute for adults. Highest number is registered when exercising. However, lower rate under normal circumstances indicates a stronger heart muscle, as the organ is more efficient in its performance.
The blood pressure is measured with an instrument called sphygmomanometer in millimeters of mercury. The highest pressure is attained during each heart beat which is called systolic pressure (contraction) and lowest between two beats is known as diastolic pressure (relaxation). A raised diastolic pressure is considered more serious than raised systolic pressure as it indicates the heart is not coping well even in a resting mode.
The blood pressure is measured with an instrument called sphygmomanometer in millimeters of mercury. The highest pressure is attained during each heart beat which is called systolic pressure (contraction) and lowest between two beats is known as diastolic pressure (relaxation). A raised diastolic pressure is considered more serious than raised systolic pressure as it indicates the heart is not coping well even in a resting mode.
Studies conducted by scientists showed that blood pressure measurements
taken at home were more accurate than those taken in a clinic or at other time
of the day. This is because morning blood pressure is unbiased by stress or
diet, so it provides a clear picture of what is going on inside the
arteries.
+ It is usually higher when you are at work
+ It drops slightly when you are at rest (if remains high is unhealthy)
+ It is usually lowest when you are sleeping
+ It is normal for your blood pressure to increase suddenly when you wake up. For people with hypertension, this is the moment most at risk for heart attack and stroke. During this time, rushing adrenaline can cause plaque to rupture easily.
Range
For accurate assessment, take both readings of the left and right arm.
+ 120/80 or lower is normal blood pressure
+ 140/90 or higher is high blood pressure
+ 120 - 159/ 80 - 89 is pre-hypertension
+ 160 - 180/96 - 114, is moderate hypertension
+ 180/115 and upwards is considered severe
-- Having big variance of systolic and diastolic pressure is an indicator the heart is not functioning well.
Symptoms
Mild and moderate hypertension may not produce any symptoms for years until complications develop and is well-regarded as a silent killer.
The first symptoms may appear in the form of pain towards the back of the head and neck on waking in the morning, but soon disappears.
Other symptoms includes lack of concentration, dizziness, aches and pains in the arms, shoulder region, back, leg etc. Heart palpitation and pain, breathlessness, frequent urination, nervous tension and fatigue, emotional upset and wakefulness are other possible signs.
In serious cases, heart attacks or strokes and other disability conditions such as detachment of the retina.
Causes
+ Stress, worry and mental tension increase the adrenaline in the bloodstream and cause the pressure of the blood to rise. It is observed that people who are easily tense suffer high blood pressure, especially when under stress. If the stress continued for a prolonged period, the pressure may become permanently raised even after the removal of stress.
+ Impatient, aggressive and hot-tempered people are found to be 6-8 times more vulnerable to the disease.
+ An irregular lifestyle - smoking and excessive intake of stimulants such as tea, coffee, cola drinks, refined foods destroy the natural pace of life. The passage of arteries and veins are easily blocked by toxins and can become hardened.
+ Obesity, diabetes and severe constipation also lead to hypertension.
+ Excessive intake of pain killers, common table salt (no more than 1,500 mg per day) and food additives.
+ Eating a high fat and low fibre diet, and processed foods deficient in essential nutrients.
+ Excessive drinking. Try to limit alcohol intake to a drink per day for women and 2 for men.
+ Family history of hypertension
+ The kidneys play an important role in controlling blood pressure through secretion of renin, a natural chemical. If the increased renin is secreted by the kidneys, more salts are retained in the body, which leads to an increase in the volume of circulating blood and thus higher blood pressure. Frequent infections and inflammation in the kidneys can also give rise to higher blood pressure.
Cures
All drugs against high blood pressure are toxic in nature and have distressing side effects. A person suffering from high blood pressure should always follow a well balanced routine of proper diet, exercise and rest.
+ Diet containing higher content of fruits and vegetables is preferred. Pointers to note:
- Garlic is able to relieve the pressure and tension within the small arteries, along with symptoms of dizziness, numbness, shortness of breath and formation of gas within the digestive tract.
- Apple pectin aids in reducing blood pressure.
- Lemon juice and its peel contains vitamin P which is essential for preventing capillary fragility.
- Like lemon, watermelon is highly alkaline and has a definite action in dilating the blood vessels.
- Raw vegetable juices, especially carrot, celery and spinach, taken separately or in combination, can help to treat the problem.
- Cut down on salt, fat, caffeinated beverages and alcohol intake.
- An amino acid, L-arginine found in plants like soy and beetroot, can boost the production of nitric oxide which helps to keep the blood vessels wide open. Lacking which, the blood vessels are constricted, thus increasing the resistance to blood flow and thus causing the blood pressure to rise.
- Some minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium can help to lower blood pressure by throwing out excess sodium out of the body. They can be found abundantly in dairy products, dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, whole grains, avocados, yogurt, bananas, dried fruits and dark chocolate.
+ Exercise plays an important role in fighting high blood pressure. Walking, jogging, swimming and cycling can help to de-stress, build up muscles and useful in circulation of blood. Stick to at least 30 minutes a day of moderate aerobic exercise.
+ Positive thinking is important for well-being. Avoid overstraining, worries, tension, anger and haste.
+ Having eight hours of restful sleep is crucial for those highly-stressed individuals.
Side effects of diuretic drugs
+ The use of diuretic drugs causes increased urinary excretion of magnesium especially in elderly people. Magnesium works together with calcium to prevent bone deterioration and maintain a normal heart rhythm and muscular contraction. This is confirmed by research that showed that lower level of magnesium is associated with higher blood pressure.
+ Losses of potassium due to diuretics can cause muscle weakness and heart problem. Worse are patients who are consuming too much sodium but not increasing the intake of potassium correspondingly as a balance is required to achieve good health.
+ Those who take diuretics for high blood pressure and controlling sodium intake at the same time are more at risk when sodium runs low in the blood to cause excessive water retention, heart failure or kidney failure.
+ Note that taking medication to reduce high blood pressure can also result in hypotension (low blood pressure) with symptoms like fainting, fatigue, general weakness, nausea, sweating and restlessness preceding a loss of consciousness. It occurs when the patient stands up too suddenly.
+ To compensate for the loss of minerals, go for sea salt with slightly highly magnesium and calcium content whilst table salt has little due to heavy processing. Salt substitutes are not preferred because they tend to contain high potassium and low sodium, which can be a burden to the kidneys in removing the excessive potassium, especially for renal failure patients.
Patients have to weigh the benefits and risk of side effects to determine if taking the prescribed drug should be an on-going affair. Natural therapy and change of lifestyle should be the long-term solution as advocated in the above text.
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