HYPERTENSION AND DIET

Pulmonary arterial hypertension

2012-05-02T18:10:00.006-07:00

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is an uncommon but life-threatening disease. It is a subgroup of pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension is defined haemodynamically, as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure of >25 mmHg at rest or >30 mmHg with exercise.

Pulmonary hypertension is a severe, potentially fatal disease that effects lung and heart, it is symptomatically characterized by shortness of breath, fatigue and fainting.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension results from vasoconstriction and structural alterations to the pulmonary vasculature.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension can be secondary to other disorders, including underlying lung disease or it can be idiopathic without a known predisposing condition.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are complex inflammatory airway disease leading to pulmonary arterial hypertension.

It is severely exacerbated through exertion due to an increase in blood pressure in the lung vasculature finally leading to a progressive worsening of hemodynamic function, right ventricular hypertrophy, right heart insufficiency and finally right heart failure.

Irrespective to etiology, the presence of pulmonary arterial hypertension is a major risk factor for mortality. Nearly all deaths were result of progressive heart failure or sudden death.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension

Banana and hypertension

2012-03-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

Bananas combat hunger and leave us satisfied and feeling full, It’s the combination of fiber an fructose that gives bananas their superfood status.

Mild hypertension can be treated without medication. The treatment of hypertension include weight reduction, exercise, a diet containing foods high in potassium and magnesium and avoidance of alcohol, salty foods and cigarettes.

Potassium may help top help vasodilate vasodilatation or open arteries, thereby lowering blood pressure.

Bananas are now believed to be able to help lower blood pressure.

Research has shown that just eating two bananas a day can reduce blood pressure by 10%. This is because the banana is one of the best natural sources of potassium a mineral that plays a very important role in keeping blood pressure at healthy levels.

One medium size banana contain 10 to 13 percent of daily requirement of potassium. Bananas are sodium free and they have no fat or cholesterol.

Because bananas can reduce blood pressure also easy to digest, it is a good for many elderly people.

The United States Food and Drug Administration has given permission to banana producers to claim that eating bananas can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and strokes.
Banana and hypertension

Blood pressure

2012-01-16T01:22:00.000-08:00

The function of blood is to transport materials around the body, mainly to take oxygen and food substances a body cells to keep them alive and well, and remove their waste products such as carbon dioxide.

It is a major component of the cardiovascular system and is important for the performance of all the functions of the cardiovascular system.

Blood pressure is needed to maintain circulation in the body so that oxygen and other nutrients can be transported to the cells. When the blood pressure is too high, it can damage the tissues and cells on the body.

It is one of the most widely recorded physiological functions of the body.

When the heart contracts blood pressure increases. But as the heart relaxes in preparation for the next contraction, blood pressure decreases. The result is that a person’s blood pressure changes in a periodic fashion, each period corresponding to a single heartbeat.

Physicians refer to the maximum of this pressure as the systolic blood pressure and it the minimum pressure as the diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure means that the peak pressure reached in the arterial system.

If the blood were not under the same pressure it could just stay where it is stagnant, neither nourishing nor cleansing the cells of the body, so that within about 7 minutes first they and the people would die.

Blood pressure

Strawberries and blood cholesterol

2011-10-19T05:05:00.000-07:00

Cholesterol is a lipid so it has very low solubility in water and blood. It is commonly associated with cardiovascular disease and its routine measurement is used to measure it potential health risk.

High blood serum cholesterol levels are often correlated with excessive plaque deposits in the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries.

Strawberries have a compelling health story that features emerging evidence of their ability to lower the risk of various disease: high blood cholesterol associated vascular disease, including coronary artery disease; chronic inflammation. Strawberries contain salicylates, the same compounds used to make aspirin.

Researches also believe these compounds may discourage the formation of unwanted blood clots.

At the University of Toronto, studies examining specific dietary effects related to lowering blood cholesterol that people adhere to prescribed diet more faithfully and have reduced cholesterol levels when strawberries are included in daily meals.

Omega fatty acids, the only fat group which have been claimed as having beneficial medicinal effects on metabolism. Strawberry is one of the richest omega 3 sources among the fruits. Omega 3 fatty acids in strawberry dilate the blood vessels, decrease the cholesterol and bad cholesterol, protect from arteriosclerosis and hypertension.

Strawberries also contain vitamin P, also known as rutin. It is a valuable blood thinner and it increases the strength of blood vessel, plus promotes circulation. Fresh strawberries will promote reduced blood pressure. Strawberries and blood cholesterol

Cardiovascular heart disease

2011-09-18T22:10:00.001-07:00

Cardiovascular diseases actually comprise a host of disorders that may involve numerous structures within the heart.

Cardiovascular diseases can affect any or all the parts of the heart as a sequence impair the function of the heart.

The WHO defines coronary heart disease as an acute or chronically impaired performance of the heart caused by a reduction or complete interruption of myocardial blood supply resulting from arthrosclerosis of the cardiac arteries.

Healthy living constitutes an integral part of preventing coronary heart disease. It lowers the risk of coronary heart disease both in free-living, high risk patients and in cardiac patients.

While the evidence clearly shows that modifying one’s lifestyle is often beneficial, most people find it difficult to discard lifelong habits and to adopt and maintain unfamiliar practices.

Rick factors in include inappropriate diet, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, sedentary lifestyle and family history.

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death, premature death and disability in Australia and New Zealand. In 2002, more than 26,000 people died of coronary heart disease in Australia and more than 5000 in New Zealand.
Cardiovascular heart disease

Blood Pressure Lowering Drug

2011-07-30T19:51:00.001-07:00

The reason taking of taking blood pressure reducing medications is to reduce the blood pressure to a level as low as can be tolerated.

Any hydraulic system will last longer, and be less likely to spring a leak, if it is run at a lower pressure.

Therefore purpose of taking blood pressure lowering drug it is hoping that:
*Decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke, which can raise blood pressure.

*Decrease any risk of coexisting cardiovascular risk factor such as raised cholesterol, diabetes, left ventricular hypertrophy and other conditions that raise the risk of having a cardiovascular problem.

*Improve quality of life and encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Some classes of blood pressure lowering drugs:
-ACE inhibitors
-Alpha blocking agents
-Angiotensin receptor blockers
-Beta blockers
-Calcium-channel blockers
-Centrally acting agents
-Diuretics
-Vasodilators

The risk factors, treatment preferences and social circumstances can be taken into account to match the drugs to ‘risk profile’.

Depending on the risk, BP lowering drugs can be chosen to reduce blood pressure and minimize side effects – so called ‘tailoring’ of blood pressure lowering medication.

In one clinical trial performed on people 60 to 80 years old with well controlled blood pressure, who had been taking a high blood pressure lowering drug for years, found that keeping salt intake to 1,800 milligrams per day or less and losing a moderate amount of weight were responsible for further significant decreases in blood pressure while continuing drug treatment.

The full benefit to be gained from any BP lowering medication will take about 4 weeks to achieve. If after 4 weeks BP control is still suboptimal, the dose of the medication should be titrated up. After this, it is reasonable either to change to an alternative treatment.

Consuming a diet rich in plant foods is one of the best way to reduce blood pressure. There are a few reasons for this. First, plant foods are generally richer in blood pressure lowering potassium than animal products. Second, they are not loaded with sodium, as many packaged foods are.
Blood Pressure Lowering Drug

Functions of Potassium

2011-06-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

Potassium is an dietary mineral that is also known as an electrolyte, essential to both cellular and electrical function.

Intracellular fluid contains about 95 percent of the body’s potassium, with the highest amount in skeletal muscle cells.

The flow of sodium and potassium in and out of cells is an important component of muscle contractions and the transmission of nerve impulses.

The central nervous system (CNS) zealously protects it potassium – CNS potassium levels remain constant even in the face of falling levels in the muscle and blood.

Potassium also helps regulate blood pressure.

Potassium influences the contractility of smooth, skeletal, and cardiac muscle and profoundly affects the excitability of nerve tissue.

It is also plays a critical role in the transmission of electrical impulses in the heart.

It is also important in maintaining electrolyte and pH balance.

Potassium deficiency, also called hypokalemia, established the importance of potassium maintenance in cardiovascular disease.

There is also suggestion that increasing potassium intake may be key in lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke, congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias.
Functions of Potassium

Sodium lead to hypertension

2011-06-01T00:09:00.001-07:00

The consumption of salt and other sodium sources should be limited. Sodium has been shown to lead to hypertension (high blood pressure) and it is recommended to keep daily consumption level between 110 and 3300 mg.

40% of salt is sodium, which seems to be major precipitant of hypertension. The human body needs only about 1/5 teaspoon (220 mg) of salt a day, but most adult consume up to 30 times as much as their bodies actually need.

Diets high in salt can raise blood pressure in at least two ways. First, sodium can cause the body to retain water increasing volume of blood in the arteries and thus increasing blood pressure.

Second, sodium causes small arteries to constrict, which produces a greater resistant to blood flow.

The majority of sodium in the United States diet is from sodium added during food processing and by restaurant and other food service such as cafeterias and catering services.

Most people with hypertension are sodium sensitive, that is, increasing or reducing intake of sodium alters blood pressure.

Some hypertensive people are sodium resistant; that is, changes in sodium intake do not affect blood pressure.

There is hypothesis that aerobic exercise training in older people with hypertension changes sensitivity with individuals switching from being sodium sensitive to sodium resistant.

Among those with hypertension, approximately 30 to 50 percent are sensitive to salt and can improve blood pressure by reducing salt consumption.
Sodium lead to hypertension

Caffeine can increase blood pressure?

2011-04-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

It seems the entire world is addicted to the caffeine in coffee and tea, and this may be the most popular drug of all.

The use of caffeine expanded with explosion of energy drinks in the last few years, especially with the younger people who did not drink coffee.

Caffeine consumption comparable to the most in 2 to 3 cups of coffee may raise blood pressure, particularly in people with hypertension or borderline high blood pressure.

The Okayama University researchers found that caffeine is an angiotensin blocker and increases blood pressure 5 to 10 mmHg.

Caffeine also the important contributor to the extreme incidence of hypertension. It raises blood pressure by elevating vascular resistance.

Excessive caffeine can elevate blood pressure significantly and produce nervous anxiety. This is particularly true when caffeine is combined with phenyl-propanolamine, the appetite suppression in commercial diet pill.

While caffeine produces a sharp spike in blood pressure in people using it for the first time, several studies show that in people with normal blood pressure, the rise is temporary, and blood pressure soon returns to normal.
Caffeine can increase blood pressure?

Hypernatremia

2011-04-15T04:13:00.000-07:00

Rapid intake of large amounts of sodium (e.g., drinking seawater) can cause the retention of sodium and water in the blood.

Hypernatremia usually results from dehydration. If the thirst mechanism is defective, whether through natural causes or because the patient cannot get on water even though he or she is thirsty, homeostasis is altered.

This cause hypernatremia, abnormally high concentration of sodium in the blood and hypervolemia, an abnormal increase in blood volume.

This leads to edema (swelling) and a rise in blood pressure.

A healthy person with normal kidneys and ample water intake rapidly excretes sodium, so hypernatremia usually is seen only in patients with congestive heart failure or kidney disease.

Patient with hypernatremia may be asymptomatic, or they may present with seizures, altered mental status or coma.

Eating too much sodium over a long period of time can contribute to high pressure (hypertension) in some people.

For those with high blood reassure, lowering sodium intake is a useful dietary change that may lower blood pressure.

Excess dietary sodium can also contribute to osteoporosis by increasing calcium loss in the urine.

Other situations associated with or causing hypernatremia include nephrogenic diabetes insipidus when the kidney fails to respond to vasopressin, in diuretic therapy, or by salt poisoning.

Central diabetes insipidus due to failure of the hypothalamus to make vasopressin may occur as a consequence or cerebrovascular disease ischemia and head trauma, resulting in hypernatremia.

Hypernatremia is a serum sodium level greater than 145 mEq/L. It is classified into hypovolemic hypernatremia, isovolemic hypernatremia, and hypervolemic hypernatremia.

Hypernatremia occurs in about one to three percent of elderly persons and in 0.3 to 1 percent of hospitalized patients.
Hypernatremia

Soft Drinks and Hypertension

2011-03-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

Hypertension is one of the top five chronic health disorders suffered by American adults.

In one study a woman’s risk of developing hypertension increased steeply when caffeine was consumed in soft rinks – even with sugar free diet colas.

There are strong positive association between cola beverage intake and hypertension risk.

Fructose consumption has been on explosive rise and has paralleled the epidemics of hypertension. The yearly intake of high fructose corn syrup as an added sugar to be as high as 62.4 pounds per person.

Soft drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup such as colas and fruit drinks are the primary source of sugar in the American’s diet.

One the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease is high blood pressure. High blood pressure have also have been linked to high amount of sodium in diet. Incidentally, diet drinks generally contain more sodium than regular soft drinks.

In populations with low sodium intakes, hypertension is rare. Sodium is present in many beverages including soft drinks. Americans consume about two teaspoons of salt per day, most of which is hidden in prepared foods, preservatives and flavorings.

Soft drinks also contain caffeine. Caffeine induces hypercalciuria, affects hydration and may aggravate hypertension.

Apart from hypertension caffeinated soft drinks also linked to depression, bone fracture, and neurological damage.
Soft Drinks and Hypertension

Protective Effects of Alcohol to Blood Pressure and Stroke

2010-12-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

Protective Effects of Alcohol to Blood Pressure and Stroke
A relatively high alcohol intake (>4 drinks/d) is associated with elevated blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke.

Recent evidence from cohort studies suggest that the association between alcohol and hypertension may be J-shaped, such that light and moderate drinkers have a modestly reduced risk of developing hypertension, although the exact mechanism for this effect is unknown.

Studies on the association between moderate alcohol consumption and stroke have been mixed.

Several case control and cohort studies have seen a reduced risk of stroke among moderate drinkers.

In that studies that found benefit, the reduction is usually limited to ischemic rather than hemorrhagic stroke.

Clearly the data support no increase in ischemic risk at moderate levels, but more work is needed to determine if drinking patterns if influence risk of stroke.
Protective Effects of Alcohol to Blood Pressure and Stroke

Tests needed if Suffer from High Blood Pressure

2010-09-26T08:41:00.000-07:00

The classical causes of secondary high blood pressure are all rare, accounting for less than 1% of all cases of treated high blood pressure.

In practice this means that detailed tests are not usually necessary when high blood pressure is first diagnosed.

Raised blood pressure may be result of a number of conditions apart from essential hypertension. Many kidney diseases cause high blood pressure.

Therefore people are suspected of having this problem, their kidneys are usually checked. In most cases with a single blood and urine test.

Urine test
Urine test to check for protein and sugar in the urine. Leakage of protein may indicate that the kidneys have been damaged from high blood pressure, chronic kidney infection or disease and will need more detail assessment of kidney function.

Testing for sugar is a relatively straight forward way of checking for diabetes.

Similarly, of sugar is present, then blood tests will be needed to confirmed or rule out diabetes.

High blood pressure and diabetes are associated with serious complications and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, eye problems, kidney problems, nerve disease and premature death.

Blood tests
Blood tests for urea, electrolytes and creatinine levels total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol.

Creatinine is a waste product of muscle and usually your kidneys lose their filtering ability, creatinine excretion falls, and blood levels rise from a normal range of 0.5 to 1.5 mg/dL to as high as 10 to 15 mg/dL.

For this reason, the blood creatinine level is a useful gauge of kidney health.
Tests needed if Suffer from High Blood Pressure

Measuring blood pressure

2010-08-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

Measuring blood pressure
Accurate blood pressure measurement is important for diagnosis.

Raised blood pressure is a symptomless condition that, if left untreated, contributes to substantial risk of heart disease and stroke.

Clinical trials of blood pressure lowering drugs have shown that reducing blood pressure the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Blood pressure can be measured in several ways: by means of an electronic, mercury or aneroid sphygmomanometer.

Electronic monitors are being increasingly used in GP’s surgeries.

Provided that machine is selected that has been shown to be accurate and reliable, electronic monitoring offers several advantages over the older mercury sphygmomanometers.

Aneroid sphygmomanometers are unreliable and ar not recommended.
Measuring blood pressure

Hypertension as a Cardiovascular Risk Factor

2010-07-25T02:41:00.000-07:00

Hypertension as a Cardiovascular Risk Factor
It has long been recognized that elevated blood pressure is a risk factor for future cardiovascular events and that lowering it may save lives.

The relationship is strong, continuous and graded without any distinct threshold level; it is present, in both men and women, in younger and older adults and in those with and without known coronary heart disease; it is present in different countries and in different ethnic and racial groups.

Hypertension is also a risk marker for other cardiovascular risk factors (dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity etc), which generally tend to cluster with hypertension.

In the presence of these other risk factors, there is a steeper relation between levels of blood pressure elevation and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

There is evidence of the age-related increase in blood pressure throughout adulthood, so that even persons who are normotensive at age 55 have a 90% lifetime risk from developing hypertension.

However, the rate of age-related rise in blood pressure varies greatly between individuals.

Age related tracking of increased blood pressure over time in an individual in relation to his or her peer.

There is evidence of disparate rather than parallel tracking of blood pressure, whereby an individual in the upper percentile of blood pressure will have a much steeper age-related increase in blood pressure than one in the lower percentile of blood pressure.

This is referred to as the “horse racing effect,” there being a close correlation between the speed of the horse and its position on the race.

Labiltiy of blood pressure, defined as large random variations of blood pressure measurements from one visits to the next, is directly related to aging and to the severity of blood pressure, suggesting that labile blood pressure is associated with increased risk.

However, when other risk factors are accounted for by multivariate analysis, risk is largely unaffected by lability of blood pressure.

It is the average blood pressure over the day and night cycle, no lability that determines cardiovascular risk.
Hypertension as a Cardiovascular Risk Factor

Juice Ingredient Recommendation for Stress

2010-06-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Juice Ingredient Recommendation for Stress
Modern life is filled with stressors – job pressures, relationship problems, financial worries.

Actually, a stressor is almost anything that creates a bodily disturbance.

Stressors include environmental or microbial toxins, physical trauma, exposure to heat or cold, and strong emotional reactions.

Physical symptoms can include headache fatigue insomnia, digestives disturbance, neck and back pain and either loss of appetite or overeating.

Celery Juice
Celery juice has a calming effect an support the nervous system

Fennel Juice
Fennel juice helps promote the release of endorphins, the “feel good” brain chemicals.

Garlic Juice
Garlic juice helps prevent infections

Lettuce Juice
Lettuces juice calms digestion

Parsley Juice
Parsley juice is a source of a number or important nutrients, including bioflavonoids, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C.

Intake should be limited to a safe, therapeutic does of ½ to 1 cup per day.

Parsley can be toxic in overdose and should be especially avoided by pregnant women.
Juice Ingredient Recommendation for Stress

Stress Management to Lower High Blood Pressure

2010-05-30T22:06:00.000-07:00

Stress Management to Lower High Blood Pressure
Stress-reduction techniques or the various disciplines of mind/body medicine, such as biofeedback, yoga, meditation, Qigong, relaxation exercises and hypnotherapy, have all proved successful in lowering blood pressure.

Biofeedback has proven particularly in working to lower hypertension. Patients in one study were able to sustain lower blood pressure reading after three years of using biofeedback.

Biofeedback is a technique in which people learn how to gain control internal over body processes that normally occur involuntarily, such as blood pressure heart rate muscle tension and skin temperature.

Combining biofeedback with other stress-reduction techniques can also help patients achieve results.

A study of mildly hypertensive men treated with biofeedback, autogenetic training, or breathing relaxation training showed a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

The higher the pretreatment blood pressure level, the greater the effects types of relaxation training.

Self guided relaxation techniques can be quick and effective way to lower blood pressure according to researcher at the National Taiwan University, in Taiwan.

Hypertension in widespread there with 27% of men and 13% of women having reading of at least 140/90.

Based on a study group of 590 individuals with high blood pressure, researchers found that practicing progressive relaxation techniques (from an audio cassette) coupled with home study of healthful practices led to an average drop of blood pressure to 130/65 after two months.

A study led by professor and registered nurse at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas found that patients could drop blood pressure by as much as 10 pints by simply thinking about it.

Patients with high and normal blood pressure were taught basic relaxation techniques and biofeedback. In a biofeedback session, patents monitor their pulse, blood pressure and temperature as they practice deep breathing.

The findings was that people with high blood pressure, low fingertip temperature and a tendency to react quickly or negatively to stressful situations reaped the most benefits from biofeedback.
Stress Management to Lower High Blood Pressure

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

2010-05-03T07:55:00.000-07:00

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is a much better way of measuring blood pressure in somebody who has one of the following factors:

*White coat hypertension

*Unusual variability in the measurement of blood pressure at the clinic

*Uncontrolled hypertension – this is high blood pressure that has not been reduced to a target blood pressure level after intensive drug treatment has been given

*Very low blood pressure, particularly after suddenly standing up when someone may feel dizzy or light headed (postural hypo-tension): in more severe cases this can cause fainting or a fall.
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

Trace Metals Hypertension

2010-04-05T04:15:00.001-07:00

Trace Metals Hypertension
It has been claim that both cadmium and lead, which are environmental, pollutants, may cause high blood pressure.

Many of these associations have not been confirmed by detailed studies that have taken concurrent alcohol intake into account.

The main source of cadmium to the human body is cigarette smoke.

The evidence for the trace metal hypertension hypothesis must now be regarded as very fragile although a positive correlation between blood lead and blood pressure does appear to be genuine even after correction for possible confounding variables.

Conversely however, there is fairly good evidence that blood pressures are lower in areas where the drinking water is hard (i.e., has a higher calcium content), although the mechanisms for this association unknown.
Trace Metals Hypertension

How to Defined Hypertension?

2010-03-07T02:32:00.000-08:00

How to Defined Hypertension?
Blood pressure is a continuous variable with a skewed normal distribution and without distinct separation between normotensive and hypertensive values.

Therefore an operational definition of hypertension is necessary to identify individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease.

It has been suggested that the best operational definition of hypertension is the level of arterial blood pressure at which the benefits of intervention exceed the risk of no treatment.

More recently, the blood pressure target for treatment has decreased below 140/90 in the presence of other associated cardiovascular risk factors.

There is a growing recognition of the importance of “high normal” blood pressure (systolic blood pressure 130 to 139 and diastolic blood pressure 85 to 89 mm Hg), “prehypertension” (systolic blood pressure 120-139 mm Hg or diastolic of 85-89 mm Hg), and especially, isolated systolic hypertension (isolated systolic hypertension >140 and diastolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg).
How to Defined Hypertension?

Exercise for reducing and controlling hypertension

2010-02-23T22:24:00.000-08:00

Exercise for reducing and controlling hypertension
Regular exercise reduces stress and blood pressure, so it is highly recommended as an integral part of your life.

Consistent aerobic exercise can both present and lower hypertension.

In one study of 902 with hypertension, 45 to 69 years old positive long term effects on blood pressure and cholesterol levels were achieved with increased exercise along with a lower fat diet.

Swimming which is frequently prescribed as a nonimpact exercise to lower high blood pressure can produce a significant decrease in resting heart rate (a sign of cardiovascular health) and systolic blood pressure in previously sedentary people with elevated blood pressure.
Exercise for reducing and controlling hypertension

The meaning of white coat hypertension

2010-02-06T17:52:00.000-08:00

The meaning of white coat hypertension
This is when your blood pressure is high when measured during a surgery or outpatient clinic but is otherwise normal.

It usually occurs in response to the measurement of blood pressure by a doctor or nurse.

In people with normal blood pressure there is generally little or no difference between their blood pressure reading at a clinic or in a surgery compared to their usual blood pressure.

However, in some people, substantial differences between clinic and usual blood pressure are consistently found, with the higher readings occurring in situations where a doctor or nurse has made the blood pressure reading.

This phenomenon of ‘white coat hypertension’ is more commonly seen in women and older people.

As many as 20% of people diagnosed with high blood pressure at clinics or in surgery may have entirely normal blood pressures while it is measures during the rest of the day.

Other blood pressure measuring techniques are recommended in these people so that their usual pressure is accurately recorded.
The meaning of white coat hypertension

The Autonomic Nervous System and High Blood Pressure

2010-01-18T22:54:00.000-08:00

The Autonomic Nervous System and High Blood Pressure
A major way by which the mid and body communication is through the autonomic nervous system (ANS), a group of nerves that regulate many of the body’s physiological processes, such as heart rate, blood pressure, constipation, sweating and incontinence.

Centers in the brain, principally the brain stem and hypothalamus, receive information about the state of the body and in response activate the nerve fibers of the ANS to maintain appropriate physiological balance.

For example, when you exercise, the ANS stimulates the heart’s pacemaker cells to increase your heart rate, thus increasing the amount of blood pumped to moving muscles.

The autonomic nervous system derives its name for the fact that its activities normally operate without conscious control.

Thus, you do not think about how fast your heart should beat or whether you should sweat to cool yourself when jogging.

Even though the ANS functions without conscious control the signal it sends to the body can be affected by thoughts and feelings.

For example, nearly all students are familiar with the nervous stomach and sweaty palms that accompany taking an important exam.

Realizing that it is possible to do poorly in an exam (a thought) leads to anxiety (an emotion), which activates the ANS to produce symptoms.

Panic has an immediate effect on breathing and heart rate, and stress can constrict blood vessels, causing headaches or high blood pressure.

Many students live fast-paced hectic lives that full of time pressures and stress. Besides doing school assignments many students work at jobs and nearly all try to maintain harmonious social relationship with family and friends, and which take time and attention.

More over, the modern environment is filled with cell phones, the Internet, TV video games, iPods, and other stimuli that compete for one’s attention.

Trying to accommodate all of life’s demands produces near continuous physiologic arousal mediated by the sympathetic nerves of the ANS, causing among other things, sleep disturbances, muscle tension, gastrointestinal symptoms and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
The Autonomic Nervous System and High Blood Pressure

Exercise

2010-01-17T03:14:00.001-08:00

Exercise
Dynamic exercise raises blood pressure and isometric exercise raises blood pressure a lot.

Despite this, there is good evidence that people who take regular exercise are healthier and have lower blood pressures than those who take none.

There is evidence that regular exercise decreases coronary heart disease in normotensive and hypertensive people.

This may be partly because they are thinner and tend to have more sensible dietary, drinking and smoking habits.

Recently, a study of the affects of different levels of exercise lowers blood pressure independently from any other dietary manoeuvres.
Exercise

Treating Hypertension

2009-11-20T00:17:00.000-08:00

Treating Hypertension
Hypertension is a problem that clinicians face many of their patients. Its prevalence is increasing because of the obesity epidemic and because of the aging of the population.

Hypertension compounds the risk for cardiovascular events and contributes to negative outcomes of cardiovascular disease.

Thus, it must be treated. Lifestyle modification and pharmacotherapy can be employed to gain control of blood pressure in hypertensive, and pre-hypertensive, patients.

Research is examining new ways to measure blood pressure, new ways to interpret those measurement and new approaches to treatment.

By incorporating available treatment approaches and the latest guideline into treatment of these patients it is possible to lessen and even prevent, many of the sequel of uncontrolled blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Treating Hypertension