A person's blood pressure will waver constantly especially when they are feeling stressed. Stress is likely one of the most common causes of high blood pressure, with white coat syndrome being a known condition. This is where people visiting the physician to have their blood pressure checked will find it rises to a high level due to anxiety connected with the visit.
As it can often reach into the hypertensive range, it is crucial that the person who is monitoring the patient's blood pressure only orders anti-hypertensive medication when they are absolutely convinced the patient is suffering from a true medical condition and a conscientious doctor will only prescribe antihypertensive medication when he has run a battery of further tests on his patient to confirm his diagnosis.
Conventional blood pressure treatment is thought to be a lifelong treatment, and doctors must be convinced that the medication they are prescribing is absolutely necessary before getting patients on their treatment.
This can have the patient's blood pressure being monitored over a period of time every few hours, or can also include the patient wearing an ambulatory blood pressure machine over a 24 hour period so that their blood pressure can be monitored on a regular basis. The results of these tests are carefully examined and the most pertinent form of treatment prescribed.
If you are tense and nervous about seeing your doctor for a check up on your blood pressure, you should consider arriving earlier and giving yourself time to relax, especially if you have rushed to the office. Also explain to him that you're nervous or upset so he is aware of any problems that may be affecting your blood pressure readings.
If you have a very stressful job, it's a good idea to have your blood pressure watched on a regular basis. If you don't have the time or the desire to visit your doctor or a clinic to have your blood pressure checked, consider buying a digital blood pressure machine for use at home. They are very inexpensive nowadays, and very easy to use.
However if you're blood pressure is rising because of stress connected to your work place, it may be time you took a good hard look at your lifestyle, and make specific changes.
These changes could include losing weight, doing more exercise or eating a healthier diet. Also if possible it could also include discussing with your boss the possibility of sharing some of your work load with other people or learning how to delegate.
Stress can be the forerunner to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. It's important it's managed carefully otherwise it can ruin your health and destroy your life.
I paraphrase slightly but the gist of the above comment came from a conversation with a Doctor recently whilst reviewing my Blood Pressure medication.
I'm quite chuffed really in that I have managed to get my blood pressure down to manageable proportions and am in the process of changing the medication.
I have been moved from amlodipine which is a Calcium Channel Blocker to Lisinopril which is described as an ?Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor? ? an ACE Inhibitor but this is an aside, the real purpose of this article is to discuss stress and it's influence on High Blood Pressure
As was mentioned earlier, if you let stress either get to you or stay (for whatever reason) at perpetually high levels the risk of acquiring stress induced High Blood Pressure obviously increases.
Also not to beat around the bush for a minute, the risk of Stress related ?Late Onset? Type 2 Diabetes also increases massively.
Alongside the risk of Type Diabetes there are a whole number of associated conditions that could arise and basically none of them do you any good.
Age is not really a factor here, it used to be but with current stress levels in Society, any sustained levels of stress are not good for you.
Learn to manage your stress and deal with it. Coming to terms and understanding where you are at present is a start and trying to find ways of coping with the stress is important.
Part of the problem with sustained stress and today's Society is that we lack either the wherewithal or the motivation to be able to deal with our stress in sensible ways.
If you follow the stereotypical picture of today's stressed out executive, the usual response to dealing with Stress is either through Alcohol (which induces associated problems of its own) or through severe exercise via a Gym.
Now firstly let me say, that there is nothing wrong with a small drink from time to time. I have been known to participate with the odd drink myself from time to time (in my younger days of course ) but taken to excess this can also add to your High Blood Pressure instead of reducing it.
Also the same can be said for working out in the gym. If all you need to do is to work out some of your frustration from the day then OK but if you happen to be harbouring an increased and unexplained Blood Pressure level then just blundering in and assuming extreme exercise is going to solve it is slightly dangerous.
It might in fact make things worse.
If it does not sound either too trite or too obvious the best way to deal with Stress is to try and not get it in the first place. Learn to take things in your stride and above all learn to relax.
Chill, take it easy ? it might just save your life.
Both James Ellison & Stephenmorgan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
James Ellison has sinced written about articles on various topics from Diamonds, Anger Control and Blood Pressure. Jim's articles are from extensive research on each of his topics. You can learn more of stress and high blood pressure by visiting: