High Blood Pressure What you can do to Lower yours

What is High Blood Pressure?

What Causes it?

What are the Risks?

How can it be lowered?

Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure put on the walls of the blood vessels by the blood which is pumped around by the heart.  It is normally measured via the brachial artery in the upper arm, but can be measured at other points on the body.

Blood pressure values are reported in millimetres of mercury (Hg) given by 2 numbers e.g. 130/90

The first number is Systolic pressure, which is the blood pressure exerted when the heart beats and forces blood around the body.

The second number is Diastolic pressure, which is the pressure exerted when the heart rests between beats.

So a BP of 130/90 (130 over 90) means a systolic pressure of 130mm of mercury and a diastolic pressure of 90 mm of mercury.  A Sphygmanometer is normally used which involves a cuff placed snugly around the arm, a measuring unit (a mercury manometer or aneroid gauge), and an inflation bulb for manual instruments. Electronic units inflate themselves and give a digital readout.

What is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure or Hypertension is classed as 140-159/90-99 in adults. The ranges are[1]:

Category                                              Systolic mm Hg                 Diastolic mm Hg

Hypotension (low)                                 < 90                                        < 60

Normal                                                   90 – 199                                60 – 79

Prehypertension                                    120 – 139                             80 – 89

Stage 1 Hypertension (High)                 140 – 159                             90 – 99

Stage 2 Hypertension (V. High)             > 160                                     > 100

These values are for sustained pressure i.e. readings taken more than once.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

There are many physical and psychological factors that can contribute.  High blood pressure that is caused by a non-medical condition is called Essential or Primary Hypertension. 90-95% of cases are Essential. Secondary Hypertension is high blood pressure caused by (secondary to) a medical condition such as kidney disease. There are usually no symptoms for high blood pressure, so you will not know you have it. It should be checked every 3 years, or more regularly if you are getting older.

As essential hypertension by definition has no identifiable cause, it is has many risk factors that that can contribute:

Stress and anxiety

Being overweight

Poor diets with high sodium intake

Alcohol consumption

Vitamin D deficiency

Lack of exercise

Family history or genetic makeup.

Secondary hypertension is from an identifiable cause, and is treated by treating the cause of the hypertension.  It can be caused by:

Kidney disease

Endocrine disease

Steroid medication

Contraceptive pill (blood pressure is checked regularly)

Pregnancy (blood pressure is also checked)

hat are the Risks of High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure will increase the risk of:

Cardiovascular disease

Heart attacks

Kidney disease (which actually causes high blood pressure)

Strokes

Eyesight damage

You may also experience visual problems, headaches, and blackouts.

How can it be lowered?

For people who have a BP of 160/100 or higher, medication is usually offered to treat it. A BP of 140/90 to 160/100 drug treatment is not usually given.  People with a risk of developing a disease (or already have it) such as cardiovascular, diabetes, kidney disease, will be advised to take medication.

What everyone can do (not just people with a high BP) is to:

Reduce their stress levels

Stop smoking

Exercise

Lose weight

Reduce their sodium intake

Eat a healthy diet

If you want to learn more about getting the right diet and losing weight to help lower your blood pressure, go to: www.toploseweight.org.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/high-blood-pressure-what-you-can-do-to-lower-yours-1292272.html