Lowering High Blood Pressure Is Vital
Posted on 24. Nov, 2009 by Kathy Forcey in Losing Weight
There are many different options available when looking at lowering high blood pressure. Normal high blood pressure is less than 120/80 and if you have high blood pressure then your arteries are experiencing more pressure then is good for your body.
The top number in your blood pressure is associated with the pressure of the blood inside of your arteries when your heart is beating or contracting and is called systolic pressure. The pressure of the blood in your arteries during the period your heart rests in between beats is called the diastolic pressure.
High blood pressure is an issue because it can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, hardening of the arteries, stroke, brain damage and eye damage. Organ damage is considered the end result of high blood pressure as you can go for years with high blood pressure before damaging your organs.
Once diagnosed, there are several options available to for lowering high blood pressure. As a first step you can make some lifestyle changes which include eating a healthy diet. The types of food you eat will affect your blood pressure and switching your diet to high in fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and low in fatty foods, red meat and dairy products is recommended. Consuming too much salt can lead to high blood pressure so cutting out sodium can also help.
If you are overweight then you have a greater chance of developing high blood pressure. For this reason, getting back to a healthy weight is very important. Other factors that can increase your blood pressure and which should be avoided include smoking and drinking alcohol excessively.
There are several types of medication that can be used in lowering high blood pressure. These include diuretics as these pills help to flush excess water and sodium out of the body from the kidneys. Beta blockers will cause the heart to beat slower and less forcefully so that your heart is not working as hard and your blood pressure lowers. ACE or Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors stop the production of a hormone, angiotensin II. This hormone makes blood vessels become narrower which can increase blood pressure.
Having too much calcium in the heart can cause the heart to become tense. A calcium channel blocker can be used to relax blood vessels and the heart. Alpha blockers will affect your nervous system so that it allows for better blood flow by stopping some nerve messages. Alpha-beta-blockers are a combination of alpha blockers and beta blockers so this medication slows downs the heart and causes blood flow to be smoother.
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