If you suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure then you will need to see about lowering high blood pressure. A normal blood pressure is considered to be at lower than 120/80 and anything above–0/90 is considered to be high and your heart is putting too much pressure on your arteries.
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.
It is important to lower your blood pressure because it can cause an increase in the chances of developing or having a stroke, eye damage, brain damage, heart disease, kidney disease and/or a hardening of arteries. You need to keep track of your blood pressure because many people do not experience symptoms and organ failure is a very real possibility which occurs as a result of prolonged and untreated high blood pressure.
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.
Losing weight can help you lower your blood pressure as being overweight does increase your blood pressure. Smoking and excessively drinking alcohol are also factors that will increase your blood pressure. If you must drink alcohol, do so in moderation. If you can stop smoking, you will be way ahead of the game as well.
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.
Calcium channel blockers stop calcium from entering muscle cells in the heart which causes the heart and blood vessels to relax. Alpha blockers reduce nerve control of the blood vessels so blood can easily flow through the vessels. Alpha-beta-blockers work just like alpha blockers but they also slow down your heart so less blood is pumped through the blood vessels.
Amongst the easiest ways to help your high blood pressure is to lose weight. Doing some of the south beach diet exercise routines may be the easiest way to lose those surplus pounds.
Tags: Diabetes, health, heart, high blood pressure, lose weight, Weight Loss
