HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE; prevention and control
What about your blood pressure? Could your current life-style cause high blood pressure in the future? What can you do to keep your blood pressure under control?
Blood pressure is the force blood exerts against blood vessel walls. It can be measured using an inflatable rubber cuff, which is wrapped around the upper arm and connected to an apparatus that records pressure two readings are obtained. For example; 120/80. The first number is called systolic blood pressure because it indicates blood pressure during the heartbeat (systole), and the second number is called diastolic blood pressure because it indicates blood pressure while the heart is relaxed (diastole). Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, and physicians classify patients as hypertensive when their blood pressure is above 140/90.
What makes a blood pressure increase? Imagine that you are watering your garden. By opening the faucet or by reducing the caliber, or diameter, of the jet of water, you increase the pressure of the water. The same occurs with blood pressure: increasing the rate of flow of blood or decreasing the caliber of blood vessel elevates the blood pressure. How does high blood pressure occur? Many factors are involved.
Factors you cannot control:
Researchers have discovered that if a person has relatives with high blood pressure, his chances of suffering from the disease are greater. Statistics indicate a higher incidence of hypertension in identical twins than in fraternal twins. One study refers to the “mapping of the genes responsible for arterial hypertension,” all of which would confirm the existence of a hereditary component responsible for high blood pressure. The risk of abnormally high blood pressure is also known to increase with age and to be greater among black males.
Factors you can control:
Watch your diet! Salt (sodium) can boast blood pressure in some people, especially people with diabetes, those with severe hypertension, older people, and some blacks. Excess fat in the bloodstream can create deposits of cholesterol on the internal walls of blood vessels (atherosclerosis), thus reducing their caliber and increasing blood pressure. People who are more than 30 percent above their ideal body weight are liable to have high blood pressure. Studies suggest that increasing the intake of potassium and calcium may lower blood pressure.
Smoking is related to a greater risk of atherosclerosis, diabeties, heart attack, and stroke. That being so, smoking and high blood pressure are a dangerous combination that can lead to cardiovascular disease. Although the evidence is contradictory, caffeine-contained in coffee, tea, and cola drinks-and emotional and physical stress may also aggravate high blood pressure. In addition, scientists know that intensive or chronic consumption of alcoholic drinks and lack of physical activity can increase blood pressure.
Fighting high blood pressure:
1. Measures that can help control high blood pressure.
– Reduce body weight
-Cut salt intake
-Increase intake of potassium rich foods
-Reduce consumption of alcoholic drinks
2. Other measures that may help control blood pressure
-Calcium and magnesium supplements
-High fiber vegetarian diet
3. Related measures
-Control cholesterol level
-Avoid drugs that can boost blood pressure.
It would be a mistake to wait for high blood pressure to develop before taking positive steps. A healthy life-style should be a concern from an early age. Taking care now will result in a better quality of life in future.