High Blood Pressure

At Home Tips for Dealing with High Blood Pressure

Has your family medicine provider told that your blood pressure is too high? Maybe you’re already taking blood pressure medication. You’re not alone. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is one of the most common chronic illnesses in the world. Uncontrolled blood pressure can cause a number of additional health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, circulation problems, vision problems, and stroke. Unfortunately, high blood pressure often goes unnoticed because there usually are no symptoms, so it’s important that you know what you can do to keep your blood pressure normal. Here are some important tips on how you can deal with high blood pressure at home.

What is High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is actually the amount of pressure inside of your arteries, which are the blood vessels that carry blood filled with oxygen to the rest of your body. The top number, or systolic pressure, is the pressure produced when the heart contracts. The bottom number, or diastolic pressure, is the pressure in your arteries in between contractions. Both numbers are important. The goal is to keep the systolic pressure below 140, and the diastolic pressure below 90. Pressures higher than this that go untreated cause damage to the heart, arteries and organs, such as the kidney, eyes, or brain.

What are the Risk Factors of High Blood Pressure?

Some causes of high blood pressure are genetic. Men have a higher incidence than women. African Americans are also at a higher risk. However, while family history increases your chances of having high blood pressure, lifestyle plays a big role. People that are overweight have poor dietary habits including a high sodium intake and those who don’t exercise regularly are more likely to develop high blood pressure.

How is High Blood Pressure Treated?

If you have hypertension, it is important that you work closely with your health care provider to keep your blood pressure controlled. You may be prescribed one or more medications to help lower your blood pressure. It is very important to take the medications as directed, near the same time every day. Get into a routine and stick to it. You should also buy a home monitor, check you blood pressure and even keep a log that you can bring to your next appointment. However, just as important as taking your medications, there are changes that you can make to your lifestyle that can help control your blood pressure:

Low Sodium Diets

Sodium is found in most foods, and it plays an important role in controlling the fluid balance in your body. It is also the main ingredient of table salt. If you eat too much sodium, you will start retaining fluid. The extra fluid increases the pressure within your arteries, resulting in an increase in blood pressure. There are a number of things you can do to lower the amount of sodium you take in every day.

  • Don’t use a saltshaker and don’t add salt when you’re cooking.
  • Try experimenting with other spices, but check the ingredients because they may have added salt.
  • Use lemon instead of salt.
  • Use fresh foods; canned, boxed, frozen and processed foods have more sodium.
  • Avoid foods high in sodium such as olives, soy sauce, Chinese food, bacon and bottled condiments.
  • Beware of chips and pretzels, cold cuts, pizza, poultry injected with sodium solutions, soups and sandwiches
  • Read food labels. Low sodium is 140 mg or less and no sodium is 5 mg or less per serving.
  • When dining out, ask for no salt, no spices and no sauces.

Healthy Diet/Healthy Weight

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight. The ideal BMI for both men and women is between 20 and 25. By following a healthy diet you will not only maintain your ideal BMI; you will also have a positive effect on your blood pressure and decrease your consumption of the high fat foods that are bad for your heart and cardiovascular system. Here are some basic dietary guidelines to keep you on the road to good health.

  • Reduce your alcohol intake to two or fewer drinks per day.
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables.
  • Eat more fish and more low fat animal proteins (but watch the sodium content).
  • Consume the recommended daily amount of fiber, which is 20 to 35 grams per day.
  • Reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. Limit coffee to less than 2 cups per day.

Exercise

Daily exercise will help to lower your blood pressure. It is recommended that you exercise 30 minutes per day, most days per week. Walking is an ideal form of exercise, but you must continue a regular routine. Stopping routine exercise will cause your blood pressure to rise again. If you are not exercising regularly now, you should follow the rule of “start low and go slow.” Start with 15, or even 10 minutes per day. Increase just a little every day, until you reach 30 minutes.

Avoid some Medications

Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can increase your blood pressure. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, are readily available at your local store, yet they can cause an increase in blood pressure. Other medications to avoid are nasal decongestants, weight loss products, and illicit drugs. Some women will experience an increase in blood pressure while taking oral contraceptives. It is advised to talk to your family medicine provider before taking any of these medications if you have high blood pressure.

Signs that You Should Seek Emergency Care 

Even with careful adherence to your medication and lifestyle plan, there are times when you blood pressure may be high enough for you to go to the emergency room, or to call 911. If you experience any of the following symptoms with a blood pressure of 180/110 or higher, please seek immediate help:

  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Numbness or weakness
  • Change in vision
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Severe headache

Remember that high blood pressure often occurs with no symptoms. That is why it is important to have regular checkups with your healthcare provider. Once you know that you have hypertension, it is important to talk to your family medicine provider about your plan, and follow the recommendations. High blood pressure is a chronic illness, and chances are that you will have to continue to take your medication and adjust your lifestyle for the rest of your life, so don’t ever stop taking your medications without consulting your family medicine provider. But remember, there are a lot of things that you can do at home to keep your blood pressure under control.

To learn more about high blood pressure, its treatment, and what you can do to keep yours controlled, call Advanced Medical PA at (561) 434-1935 to request an appointment, or request one online.

Hypertension. What You Don’t Know Could Kill You!

Known as the “silent killer,” hypertension does not necessarily present with symptoms; it often goes undetected, and therefore, untreated. The only way to determine if you have high blood pressure is to have it tested. Testing is both simple and painless and takes only a few minutes in a family medicine provider’s office.

Why is Hypertension Dangerous?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, high blood pressure increases your risk for a stroke or heart attack, the leading causes of death in the United States.  About one in every three adults will suffer at some time from high blood pressure.

That number breaks down to around 75 million people living with high blood pressure in the United States. Of those, approximately half have gotten their hypertension under control. Roughly 1,000 people die in the US each day with hypertension listed as a primary cause. Not only can high blood pressure lead to a heart attack, chronic heart failure or stroke, it can also damage other organs–including the kidneys, eyes, and brain.

When is Blood Pressure Considered High?

Blood pressure is considered high if the systolic number, which measures the heart at work, is 140 mmHg or higher and the diastolic, which measures the heart at rest, is 90 mmHg or higher. Although high blood pressure does not always present symptoms, it can cause symptoms such as dizziness, facial flushing or blood spots in the white of the eye from broken blood vessels. Some patients with extremely high blood pressure may also notice the sound of their heart beating in their ears. You should never wait for symptoms to arise to act on high blood pressure. Get your blood pressure checked regularly by a family medicine provider instead.

Both men and women are equally likely to develop high blood pressure at some point in their lives. For those under the age of 45, the risk is greater for men than woman. Over the age of 65, women are more likely to have high blood pressure than men. Race and ethnicity also play a role in who is at risk for hypertension. African Americans, for instance, are more likely to develop high blood pressure at an earlier age than their Caucasian counterparts.

How is High Blood Pressure Treated?

High blood pressure can usually be managed by a combination of medication, diet and exercise. Reducing your intake of salt, walking on a regular basis and eating a healthy diet have all been shown to reduce the risks of having high blood pressure. Additionally, your family medicine provider may prescribe any number of different medications to lower your blood pressure. The kind of medication and dose will depend on the severity of your symptoms as well as how well you respond to, or tolerate, a given medication.

If you are concerned about how hypertension is affecting your heart and other organs, board-certified internal medicine specialist Dr. Ishan Gunawardene of Advanced Medical Clinic can help. He will take the time to talk to you, answer your questions and prescribe the necessary medications or lifestyle changes necessary to lower your high blood pressure. To make an appointment with us in Wellington or Royal Palm Beach, request an appointment online or call (561) 434-1935 today.

HBP Meds Essential for Preventing Early Death, But Many Not Taking Them Properly

High blood pressure is called the silent killer for good reason. Many people live with it for years, unaware of their condition and its dangerous consequences. High blood pressure, or hypertension, can cause kidney damage as well as increase your risk of blindness and dementia. Left untreated, hypertension also increases your risk for heart disease, the #1 cause of death in America. Without proper screening, you may not even be aware of a problem until you have a heart attack or stroke.

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that people who have been given prescriptions to control hypertension are not complying with family medicine provider’s orders. The CDC found that only about half of patients over 65 with hypertension are properly taking prescribed medications to treat their blood pressure.

So why aren’t people taking their necessary blood pressure medications? That is a complex question with many different answers. Some feel that since they aren’t experiencing symptoms, they don’t need to take it. Some drugs cause unwanted side effects, either on their own or when combined with other prescriptions. Patients will often skip doses or quit taking them altogether without asking their family medicine provider for a new prescription. Cost is another factor, and for many hypertension patients, there may be a combination of reason.

Regardless of the reason, “patients aren’t taking their medications,” CDC Director Tom Frieden said. “Health care providers can make treatment easier to help people keep their blood pressure controlled.” The report calls on the health care system to work together to control costs for patients while checking blood pressure regularly, even at the pharmacy. Hopefully this will help to prevent many premature deaths related to untreated hypertension.

If you suspect you have high blood pressure, or have been diagnosed with it and are still having symptoms, talk to your family medicine provider about how to better control your condition. Your medication, including dosage, can be changed if you are experiencing unwanted side effects from your meds or if you feel like you’re taking too many pills. Without the proper medication, hypertension can turn deadly, but there’s no reason it has to.

Dr. Ishan Gunawardene offers state-of-the-art cardiovascular care to help protect his patients against hypertension, coronary artery disease, and other heart disease. As his patient, you will be treated for high blood pressure based on your individual needs, not a one-size-fits-all plan.

Would you like to talk to Dr. Gunawardene about your blood pressure medications to make sure you’re taking the proper dosage for maximum heart protection? Call Advanced Medical at our Wellington, Florida office today, at (561) 434-1935, or request an appointment online.