4_Hypokinetic Diseases_Hypertension.docx

Physical Fitness and Wellness Hypokinetic Diseases Hypertension Introduction Your blood pressure measurement takes into account: how much blood is passing through your blood vessels and the amount of resistance the blood meets while the heart is pumping. High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs...

Physical Fitness and Wellness Hypokinetic Diseases Hypertension Introduction Your blood pressure measurement takes into account: how much blood is passing through your blood vessels and the amount of resistance the blood meets while the heart is pumping. High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the force of blood pushing through your vessels is consistently too high. What is high blood pressure? Narrow blood vessels, also known as arteries, create more resistance for blood flow. The narrower your arteries are, the more resistance there is, and the higher your blood pressure will be. Over the long term, the increased pressure can cause health issues, including heart disease. Hypertension is quite common. In fact, since the guidelines changed in 2017, nearly half of American adults could now be diagnosed with this condition. Hypertension typically develops over the course of several years. Usually, you don’t notice any symptoms. But even without symptoms, high blood pressure can cause damage to your blood vessels and organs, especially the brain, heart, eyes, and kidneys. Early detection is important. Regular blood pressure readings can help you and your doctor notice any changes. If your blood pressure is elevated, your doctor may have you check your blood pressure over a few weeks to see if the number stays elevated or falls back to normal levels. Treatment for hypertension includes both and healthy lifestyle changes. prescription medication If the condition isn’t treated, it could lead to health issues, including heart attack and stroke. How to understand high blood pressure readings Two numbers create a blood pressure reading. Systolic pressure (top number) indicates the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats and pumps out blood. Diastolic pressure (bottom number) is the reading of the pressure in your arteries between beats of your heart. Five categories define blood pressure readings for adults: Hypotension: When someone’s blood pressure is too low Usually it is under 90/60 mmHg Most of the people has no symptoms Symptoms can be: They are usually disruptive Dizziness fainting Healthy: A healthy blood pressure reading is (less than 120)/(less than 80) millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Elevated: The systolic number is between 120 and 129 mm Hg, and the diastolic number is less than 80 mm Hg. Doctors usually don’t treat elevated blood pressure with medication. Instead, your doctor may encourage lifestyle changes to help lower your numbers. Stage 1 hypertension: The systolic number is between 130 and 139 mm Hg, or the diastolic number is between 80 and 89 mm Hg. Stage 2 hypertension: The systolic number is 140 mm Hg or higher, or the diastolic number is 90 mm Hg or higher. Hypertensive crisis: The systolic number is over 180 mm Hg, or the diastolic number is over 120 mm Hg. Blood pressure in this range requires urgent medical attention. If any symptoms like chest pain, headache, shortness of breath, or visual changes occur when blood pressure is this high, medical care in the emergency room is needed. A blood pressure reading is taken with a pressure cuff. For an accurate reading, it’s important you have a cuff that fits. An ill-fitting cuff may deliver inaccurate readings. Blood pressure readings are different for children and teenagers. What are the symptoms of hypertension? Hypertension is generally a silent condition. Many people won’t experience any symptoms. It may take years or even decades for the condition to reach levels severe enough that symptoms become obvious. Symptoms of severe hypertension can include: Flushing blood spots in the eyes (subconjunctival hemorrhage) dizziness According to the American Heart Association, contrary to popular thought, severe hypertension doesn’t typically cause nosebleeds or headaches — except when someone is in hypertensive crisis. The best way to know if you have hypertension is to get regular blood pressure readings. If you only have a yearly physical, talk with your doctor about your risks for hypertension and other readings you may need to help you watch your blood pressure. For example, if you have a family history of heart disease or have risk factors for developing the condition, your doctor may recommend that you have your blood pressure checked twice a year. This helps you and your doctor stay on top of any possible issues before they become problematic. What causes high blood pressure? There are two types of hypertension. Each type has a different cause. Essential (primary) hypertension Essential hypertension is also called primary hypertension. This kind of hypertension develops over time. Most people have this type of high blood pressure. A combination of factors typically play a role in the development of essential hypertension: Genes: Some people are genetically predisposed to hypertension. This may be from gene mutations or genetic abnormalities inherited from your parents. Age: Individuals over 65 years old are more at risk for hypertension. Race: Black non-Hispanic indiviuals have a higher incidence of hypertension. Living with obesity: Living with obesity can lead to a few cardiac issues, including hypertension. High alcohol consumption: Women who habitially have more than one drink per day, and men who have more than two drinks per day, may be at an increased risk for hypertension. Living a very sedentary lifestlye: lowered levels of fitness have been connected to hypertension. Living with diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome: Individuals diagnosed with either diabetes or metabolic syndrome are at a higher risk of developing hypertension. high sodium intake: There’s a small association between daily high sodium intake (more than 1.5g a day) and hypertension. Secondary hypertension Secondary hypertension often occurs quickly and can become more severe than primary hypertension. Several conditions that may cause secondary hypertension include: kidney disease obstructive sleep apnea congenital heart defects problems with your thyroid side effects of medications use of illegal drugs chronic consumption of alcohol adrenal gland problems certain endocrine tumors Diagnosing high blood pressure Diagnosing hypertension is as simple as taking a blood pressure reading. Most doctors’ offices check blood pressure as part of a routine visit. If your blood pressure is elevated, your doctor may request you have more readings over the course of a few days or weeks. A hypertension diagnosis is rarely given after just one reading. Your doctor needs to see evidence of a sustained problem. That’s because your environment can contribute to increased blood pressure, like the stress you may feel by being at the doctor’s office. Also, blood pressure levels change throughout the day. If your blood pressure remains high, your doctor will likely conduct more tests to rule out underlying conditions. These tests can include: cholesterol screening and other blood tests test of your heart’s electrical activity with an electrocardiogram (EKG, sometimes referred to as an ECG) ultrasound of your heart or kidneys home blood pressure monitor to monitor your blood pressure over a 24-hour period at home These tests can help your doctor identify any secondary issues causing your elevated blood pressure. They can also look at the effects high blood pressure may have had on your organs. During this time, your doctor may begin treating your hypertension. Early treatment may reduce your risk of lasting damage. Treatment options for high blood pressure A number of factors help to determine the best treatment option for you. These factors include which type of hypertension you have and what causes have been identified. Primary hypertension treatment options If your doctor diagnoses you with primary hypertension, lifestyle changes may help reduce your high blood pressure. If lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough, or if they stop being effective, your doctor may prescribe medication. Secondary hypertension treatment options If your doctor discovers an underlying issue causing your hypertension, treatment will focus on that other condition. For example, if a medication you’ve started taking is causing increased blood pressure, your doctor will try other medications that don’t have this side effect. Treatment plans for hypertension often evolve. What worked at first may become less useful over time. Medications Many people go through a trial-and-error phase with blood pressure medications. Doctors may need to try different medications until they find one or a combination that works for you. Some of the medications used to treat hypertension include: Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers make your heart beat slower and with less force. This reduces the amount of blood pumped through your arteries with each beat, which lowers blood pressure. It also blocks certain hormones in your body that can raise your blood pressure. Diuretics: High sodium levels and excess fluid in your body can increase blood pressure. Diuretics, also called water pills, help your kidneys remove excess sodium from your body. As the sodium leaves, extra fluid in your bloodstream moves into your urine, which helps lower your blood pressure. ACE inhibitors: Angiotensin is a chemical that causes blood vessels and artery walls to tighten and narrow. ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors prevent the body from producing as much of this chemical. This helps blood vessels relax and reduces blood pressure. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs): ARBs block angiotensin from binding with receptors. Without the chemical, blood vessels won’t tighten. That helps relax vessels and lower blood pressure. Calcium channel blockers: These medications block some of the calcium from entering the cardiac muscles of your heart. This leads to less forceful heartbeats and a lower blood pressure. These medications also work in the blood vessels, causing them to relax and further lowering blood pressure. Alpha-2 agonists: This type of medication changes the nerve impulses that cause blood vessels to tighten. This helps blood vessels to relax, which reduces blood pressure. Home remedies for high blood pressure Healthy lifestyle changes can help you control the factors that cause hypertension. Some of the most common: 10 lifestyle changes which can make to lower blood pressure and keep it down. 1. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Being overweight also can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep (sleep apnea), which further raises your blood pressure. Weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyle changes for controlling blood pressure. Losing even a small amount of weight if you're overweight or obese can help reduce your blood pressure. In general, you may reduce your blood pressure by about 1 millimeter of mercury (mm Hg) with each kilogram of weight you lose. Besides shedding pounds, you generally should also keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure. In general: Men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (102 centimeters). Women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (89 centimeters). These numbers vary among ethnic groups. 2. Exercise regularly Regular physical activity such as 150 minutes a week, or about 30 minutes most days of the week can lower your blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. It's important to be consistent because if you stop exercising, your blood pressure can rise again. If you have elevated blood pressure, exercise can help you avoid developing hypertension. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring your blood pressure down to safer levels. Some examples of aerobic exercise to lower blood pressure include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or dancing. You can also try high-intensity interval training, which involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with subsequent recovery periods of lighter activity. Strength training also can help reduce blood pressure. Aim to include strength training exercises at least two days a week. 3. Eat a healthy diet Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and low on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 11 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. It isn't easy to change your eating habits. Some tips to adopt a healthy diet: Keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat. Monitor what you eat, how much, when and why. Consider boosting potassium. Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. - Be a smart shopper. Read food labels when you shop and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you're dining out, too. 4. Reduce sodium in your diet Even a small reduction in the sodium in your diet can improve your heart health and reduce blood pressure by about 5 to 6 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. The effect of sodium intake on blood pressure varies among groups of people. In general, limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day or less. a lower sodium intake — 1,500 mg a day or less — is ideal for most adults. To decrease sodium in your diet, consider these tips: Read food labels. If possible, choose low-sodium alternatives of the foods and beverages you normally buy. Eat fewer processed foods. Only a small amount of sodium occurs naturally in foods. Most sodium is added during processing. Don't add salt. Just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices to add flavor to your food. If you don't feel you can drastically reduce the sodium in your diet suddenly, cut back gradually. 5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. By drinking alcohol only in moderation generally one drink a day for women, or two a day for men you can potentially lower your blood pressure by about 4 mm Hg. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol. Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications. 6. Quit smoking Each cigarette you smoke increases your blood pressure for many minutes after you finish. Stopping smoking helps your blood pressure return to normal. Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health. People who quit smoking may live longer than people who never quit smoking. 7. Cut back on caffeine Caffeine can raise blood pressure up to 10 mm Hg in people who rarely consume it. But people who drink coffee regularly may experience little or no effect on their blood pressure. The long-term effects of caffeine on blood pressure aren't clear, it's possible blood pressure may slightly increase. To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a caffeinated beverage. If your blood pressure increases by 5 to 10 mm Hg, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine. 8. Reduce your stress Chronic stress may contribute to high blood pressure. More research is needed to determine the effects of chronic stress on blood pressure. Occasional stress also can contribute to high blood pressure if you react to stress by eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol or smoking. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Once you know what's causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress. Try to: Change your expectations. For example, plan your day and focus on your priorities. Avoid trying to do too much and learn to say no. Understand there are some things you can't change or control, but you can focus on how you react to them. Focus on issues you can control and make plans to solve them. If you are having an issue at work, try talking to your manager. Avoid stress triggers. Try to avoid triggers when you can. For example, if rush-hour traffic on the way to work causes stress, try leaving earlier in the morning, or take public transportation. Avoid people who cause you stress if possible. Make time to relax and to do activities you enjoy. Make time for enjoyable activities or hobbies in your schedule, such as physical activity outdoor. 9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and see your doctor regularly Home monitoring can help you keep tabs on your blood pressure, make certain your lifestyle changes are working, and alert you and your doctor to potential health complications. Regular visits with your doctor are also key to controlling your blood pressure. 10. Get support Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself. What are the effects of high blood pressure on the body? Because hypertension is often a silent condition, it can cause damage to your body for years before symptoms become obvious. If hypertension isn’t treated, you may face serious, even fatal, complications. Complications of hypertension include the following. Damaged arteries Healthy arteries are flexible and strong. Blood flows freely and unobstructed through healthy arteries and vessels. Hypertension makes arteries tougher, tighter, and less elastic. This damage makes it easier for dietary fats to deposit in your arteries and restrict blood flow. This damage can lead to increased blood pressure, blockages, heart attack and stroke. Damaged heart Hypertension makes your heart work too hard. The increased pressure in your blood vessels forces your heart’s muscles to pump more frequently and with more force than a healthy heart should have to. This may cause an enlarged heart. An enlarged heart increases your risk for the following: heart failure arrhythmias sudden cardiac death heart attack Damaged brain Your brain relies on a healthy supply of oxygen-rich blood to work properly. Untreated high blood pressure can reduce your brain’s supply of blood: Temporary blockages of blood flow to the brain are called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Significant blockages of blood flow cause brain cells to die. This is known as a stroke. Uncontrolled hypertension may also affect your memory and ability to learn, recall, speak, and reason. Treating hypertension often doesn’t erase or reverse the effects of uncontrolled hypertension. But it does lower the risks for future problems. High blood pressure during pregnancy People with hypertension can deliver healthy babies despite having the condition. But it can be dangerous to both the birthing parent and baby if it’s not monitored closely and managed during the pregnancy. People with high blood pressure who become pregnant are more likely to develop complications. For example, pregnant women with hypertension may experience decreased kidney function. Babies born to birthing parents with hypertension may have a low birth weight or be born prematurely. Some people may develop hypertension during their pregnancies. Several types of high blood pressure problems can develop. The condition often reverses itself once the baby is born. Developing hypertension during pregnancy may increase your risk for developing hypertension later in life. Summary High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a very common health issue in the United States. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your treatment plan will vary depending on factors. These include the severity of your high blood pressure, and what medication your doctor thinks will work best for you. The good news is that in many cases of hypertension, lifestyle changes can be powerful tools for managing, or even reversing, your diagnosis. These changes include incorporating more nutritious fruits and vegetables into your diet, getting more physical activity, limiting your sodium intake, and limiting your alcohol consumption. Because hypertension often presents with no symptoms, it’s important to get your blood pressure checked during your yearly physicals. Severe hypertension can cause serious health issues, so the sooner you have it diagnosed, the sooner it can be managed — and possibly even reversed!