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[T1075]Too High Blood Pressure

by Mitamins Team, Mit

Recent estimates have indicated that one in three adults in the USA has high blood pressure and that a third of these people are unaware of their condition. Your blood pressure is quite simply the force of the blood on the artery walls when the heart beats (systolic pressure) and when it rests between beats (diastolic pressure). The normal values are less 120 mm Hg systolic and less 80 mm Hg diastolic. If your blood pressure is 140-159 mm Hg Systolic over 90-99 mm Hg Diastolic then this is classified as High blood pressure or Hypertension.
There are many causes of high blood pressure; in 90-95% of cases the actual cause cannot be discerned. Nerve impulses cause your arteries to dilate (become larger) or contract (become smaller). If these vessels are wide open, blood can flow through easily. If they're narrow, it's harder for the blood to flow through them, and the pressure inside them increases. High blood pressure may occur at this point. The remaining cases high blood pressure may be caused by kidney abnormalities, an abnormality of the aorta, the narrowing of certain arteries.
Blood volume also affects blood pressure - the more blood in the body, the higher the amount of blood returning to the heart and the resulting cardiac output and higher the blood pressure. Arteries thickened by fatty tissue increase the resistance of the blood as it flows and this increased the resistance will contribute to higher the blood pressure. Other factors could also affect blood pressure like blood viscosity or stickiness. This is called your triglyceride levels. A raised triglyceride can be caused by a high alcohol or carbohydrate diet, being over weight or having poorly controlled blood sugars.
Keeping fit through a balanced diet and exercise is an important way to decrease high blood pressure. There is a direct link between rising blood pressure or hypertension and being overweight. Exercise improves the condition of the thickened arteries which helps in the treatment of high blood pressure by making the heart stronger. A stronger heart pumps more blood efficiently, which means that the heart doesn't have to work as hard. However anyone with high blood pressure should consult a doctor before any exercise plan.
Research has also shown some evidence that exercise reduces the release of nor epinephrine, which is a hormone that raises blood pressure by constricting arteries and increasing the heart rate.
Aiming for and maintaining an ideal body weight is really important in the treatment of high blood pressure. If you are overweight or obese, ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian who can help you make permanent, achievable changes to the way you eat to assist with weight loss.
Cutting down on your alcohol intake, is very important - as this has a significant role in boosting blood pressure. Women should limit their intake to one drink per day and men two. Smoking injures blood vessel walls and accelerates the hardening of the arteries. Although it does not directly cause even though it does not cause high blood pressure, smoking is bad for anyone, especially those with high blood pressure
Dietary changes can really contribute to the treatment of high blood pressure. In studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan has been shown to be effective. Essentially this plan involves consuming increased amounts of fruit and vegetables and choosing low-fat or non-fat dairy products. Studies have shown that eating fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy food and proteins as well as foods with lower saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, lower blood pressure and promote overall fitness. Whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts with lower fat content are good choices for the heart. Details of the DASH diet can be found at:
Foods with large amounts of saturated and trans fats such a fatty cuts of meat, fast food, fries, cakes and cookies should be kept to a minimum. This will also help with limiting the amount of sodium or salt in the diet. You should also try to avoid adding salt in your cooking and at the table, to limit gravy powders, salty soups and seasoning as well as salted crisps and nuts.
So why not have a go at these small changes - they really can make a difference in the treatment of high blood pressure!

Hypertension rarely has any symptoms, but it can create serious problems such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack and kidney failure.

It makes the heart work much harder and can impair the arteries, causing them to narrow faster. It can also damage many parts of the body and is a major health problem in the USA affecting one out of every three Americans or 65,000,000 people, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

HYPERTENSION: Frequently referred to as "high blood pressure", HTN or HPN, is a medical condition that is caused by the blood pressure being chronically elevated and is considered to be present when a person's systolic blood pressure is continously 140 mmHg or greater, and/or their diastolic blood pressure is consistently 90 mmHg or higher.

It is classified as either essential (primary) or secondary and is among the most common complex disorders, with genetic implication averaging 30%. High blood pressure can be a temporary or lifelong disease, depending on what causes it and is dangerous because it causes the heart to work harder than normal.

Pre-hypertension is blood pressure between 120 and 139 for the high number, or between 80 and 89 for the low number. For example, blood pressure readings of 138/82, 128/89, or 130/86 are all in the pre-hypertension area. If your blood pressure is in the pre-hypertension area, it is more likely that you will develop high blood pressure unless you take preventative action. If you have this kind of hypertension, it may not be necessary to take medication.

HEART: Some people may not find out they have high blood pressure until they have problems with their heart, brain, or kidneys. If it is not found and treated, it can cause the heart to grow larger, which can lead to heart failure. With high blood pressure, the heart works much harder, your arteries take a beating, and your odds of a stroke, heart attack, and kidney problems are increased.

If you don't have elevated blood pressure by age 55, you have a 90 percent risk of developing it at sometime during your lifetime, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Left uncared for, it will cause the heart to eventually overwork itself to the point at which serious damage can take place. About half of persons having first-time heart attacks and 2/3 of people having first-time strokes suffer from elevated blood pressure.

It has been shown that laughing heartily 100 times each day gives the same heart benefits as working out for 20 minutes?

TREATMENT: Treatment is focused on lowering water retention and reducing blood pressure to normal levels. When you first start treatment, your doctor may want you to come to the office regularly. He/she will review the information with you and decide if your treatment program is effective or if you need to make changes to it.

Among the 61 percent who are under treatment, only 35 percent have their blood pressure adequately controlled. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

CONCLUSION: Hypertension is called the silent killer because it usually has no symptoms and is a risk factor for heart and kidney disease and stroke. HBP is not evenly distributed throughout the population and occurs disproportionately more often in minority communities.

High blood pressure rates are also growing among American children, paralleling an epidemic of obesity. Hypertension in grownups will usually be measured on at least two different trips to the doctor before a diagnosis is made. It can be treated by both modifying lifestyles, usually as the first step, and, if necessary, with medications. Diuretics work in the kidney and flush out excess water and sodium from the body.

Nearly 1/3 American adults have high blood pressure. Once It develops, it usually lasts a lifetime. Fortunately, it can be easily diagnosed, and once you are aware you have it, you can work with your doctor to control it.

Article Source : Blood Pressure Cuff

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Mitamins Team has sinced written about articles on various topics from Stress Management, Soccer and Stress Management. Author Bio: Mitamins teamMitamins' aim is to custom-made the best natural remedies to complement the treatment of your concerns.. Mitamins Team's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.

Richardhealom has sinced written about articles on various topics from Blood Pressure. About the author: Richard H. Ealom is an ezinearticles.com writer with more than 50 articles on diseases,causes,cures. For more on High Blood Pressure visit