November 28th, 2008
Blood pressure in elderly people is considered an important parameter useful for making an effective clinical investigation. Elderly people often suffer from multiple disorders therefore an estimation of blood pressure in elderly people is an important clinical investigation and should be undertaken on a regular basis. The rise in blood pressure in the elderly can be a symptom of more sinister problems which if caught in the early stages can be controlled, treated or cured.
Medical checks in elderly people often reveal an elevation in their blood pressure because older people are more prone to renal disorders and other illnesses. Blood pressure in elderly people becomes raised particularly, when they have renal diseases coupled with the occurrence of unbalanced glucose levels in their blood.
Additionally, the increased blood pressure in elderly people can lead to compensatory actions by the heart. This type of activation is required as a retaliatory effort from the body, so as to make up for the loss or reduction encountered in their blood pressure levels.
Raised blood pressure in elderly people may be caused by a mixture of a sedentary life style and a lifetime’s fatty diet. Therefore if the elderly person is overweight, losing the excess weight should be one of their first goals. Sometimes just losing weight can be the only treatment anyone needs to reduce their blood pressure and can prevent the person having to commence anti-hypertensive drug therapy.
This doesn’t mean exercise should be hectic; the aged person should perform mild to moderate exercise. This could include walking, some swimming if possible and other forms of milder exercise.
A lowered blood pressure in elderly people may lead to transient unconsciousness, especially if this condition is present, along with any other clinical problem such as hypoglycemia like conditions. High blood pressure in elderly people should be immediately treated with anti-hypertensive drugs given appropriately and their blood pressure should then be checked on a regular basis.
It’s important to note however that due to their age and other illnesses, some hypertensive drugs may have adverse effects on prescription medications already being given. This should be monitored carefully to ensure optimum drug therapy is being given for all illnesses the elderly person may be suffering from.
Further, treatment of high blood pressure in elderly people needs to be undertaken in a very careful manner because the elevated blood pressure in elderly people may have limited the functions of other organs. Some organs in elderly people become weakened anyway due to age related changes and should be monitored carefully.
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November 27th, 2008
The abnormal rise in blood pressure in children is causing worldwide concern as this is a problem which is endemic to the 21st century. It is important that the rise if blood pressure in children needs to be monitored in a systematic manner especially if a rise in associated diseases affecting various vital organs is to be minimized.
Blood pressure in children can be estimated using sphygmomanometers which are instruments used for the measurement of blood pressure in milliliters of mercury. However these should be used with caution as readings can vary in children for a variety of reasons.
A problem with a blood pressure assessment of children is if that child is in an excited state, variations may occur in their blood pressure. Therefore it is important to ensure you secure the child in such a manner that their excitement is kept at a minimum so their blood pressure can be accurately recorded.
In the event of encountering high blood pressure in children, specific questions need to be asked. These include questions such as how long the blood pressure has been raised, are any other symptoms noticed and whether there is any perceptible causal agent that can be linked with any incidence of elevated blood pressure in children.
When compared with the adults, high blood pressure in children is not always noticed unless there is some concurrent organ damage or dysfunction. Therefore the raised blood pressure in these children may not become apparent for some considerable time. This can therefore cause organic damage which could have otherwise been avoided. If edema is present, then the assessment of blood pressure in children may also be very difficult
In westernized countries, many of the usual causes and contributory factors to raised blood pressure in children can include their sedentary lifestyles and also the fast food culture which is so prevalent nowadays. Many western children are grossly overweight, and this is due to a combination of their diet which is often poor and saturated with fat and a lack of exercise.
If the diet factor is to be associated with an increased presence of raised blood pressure in children, then priority should be given to the addition of salt in excessive levels and over a period of time. Excessive amounts of salt can be found in many convenience foods, and children given large amounts of salt may have enhanced blood pressure.
If children consume too much food with excessive amounts of fat over a period of time, they are prone to developing an elevation in both their systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Ultimately this will lead to organ failure which if not treated, could result ultimately in the death of the child or at best, adulthood plagued with illness and bad health.
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November 26th, 2008
There is a lot of evidence there is some association between a person’s blood pressure and weak respiratory muscles. Respiration in the lungs has a concrete influence over the development of the pressure in blood vessels of the body, and the oxygen delivered during respiratory activities affect the receptors in the body regions. This means the rate of respiration may become influenced.
If there is weakness in the respiratory act (basically problems with breathing), the blood pressure may become affected. For example if person encounters pathogenic effects of pulmonary infections like pneumothorax, the blood pressure within the blood vessels becomes affected and the blood pressure may decrease down to dangerous levels.
If a person with unbalanced pulmonary functions is given a general anesthesia, the blood pressure may drastically reduce particularly during the stages of deeper anesthesia. This can be a life threatening situation and should be carefully monitored during anesthesia.
Since there is a dependency between blood pressure and weak respiratory muscles, it’s important that people understand the diseases affecting the respiratory system and its impact on related organs.
A link between blood pressure and weak respiratory muscles has been discovered in African American women, among whom, even younger women suffer with blood pressure problems. This link is still being researched with interest, and further evidence of this link will be published by researchers.
Severe hypovolemia is another respiratory problem that can have an effect on the blood pressure. Alveolar integration is affected in this condition and the respiratory muscles may become weakened due to the poor perfusion of the respiratory organs. As a consequence due to the association between blood pressure and weak respiratory muscles, the chances of a person’s blood pressure becoming too low becomes greatly enhanced.
It’s important to record the blood pressure measurement on a regular basis of all people suffering from respiratory problems. The involvement of the brain and related structures also needs to be ruled out. This is because in some cases problems in the pathway between the sites passing impulses for correct respiration and the sites of assisting structures such as respiratory muscles all have an impact on the blood pressure.
The association between problems with a person’s blood pressure and weakened respiratory muscles in cases of respiratory disorders usually shows evidences of hypoxia as in case of weakened respiratory muscles and in this case the blood pressure becomes modified.
Interdependent factors such as blood pressure and weak respiratory muscles are always considered before delivering treatment. There is also many factors to be taken into account in these cases as medication to treat one problem can often be found to exacerbate another.
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November 25th, 2008
Your blood pressure is a powerful force which causes blood to stream through the body from the arteries where the pressure is high, throughout the organs of the body, and into the veins where the pressure becomes low. Your blood pressure is generated by the pumping of blood by your heart into the arteries as well as resistance to the flow of blood by your arteries.
Systolic blood pressure (which is the top number of your blood pressure) represents the pressure in your arteries occurring as the muscle of the heart contract and pump blood into the arteries. The diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) represents the pressure in the arteries when the muscle of the heart relaxes after it contracts.
Medicinal cures for hypertension
Medications used to treat hypertension or high blood pressure, are called anti-hypertensive’s. There are several types or classes of anti-hypertensive drugs, used to treat high blood pressure and each type has an effect on a person’s blood pressure in different ways.
After careful consideration, a doctor will choose an antihypertensive medication that is best for a patient’s age, medical history and any other medical factor he feels is relevant. It’s important he gets it right.
There are many kinds of high blood pressure medicines. Many people with high blood pressure have swelling to their ankles for instance. This is because of a build up of fluid in their body.
Diuretics or “water pills” enable this excess fluid to be flushed out of the body when urinating. This then reduces the blood volume in the body which also helps in reducing the blood pressure. Other types of anti- hypertensive medicines assist in relaxing tight blood vessels which helps the flow of blood run more smoothly.
Because there is no known cure for hypertension, treatment for high blood pressure is normally a life-long process with the blood pressure being monitored on a regular basis to ensure patients are receiving optimum effect from their medication.
A standard blood pressure reading for healthy adults is usually shown to be below 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, or 120/80. Nonetheless, age and a medical history should always be taken into account as older people tend to have higher blood pressure readings.
Modifying your lifestyle is an excellent way of reducing your blood pressure. A person with high blood pressure who is overweight, and takes very little exercise, would probably find that modifying their lifestyle would assist in reducing their blood pressure to an acceptable level without the need to take medication.
A person with Stage 1 or Stage 2 hypertension usually requires two or more types of medicine to control their blood pressure.
Types of Blood Pressure Medications
Diuretics
Diuretics work in the kidney and flush excess water and minerals from the body. They have to be carefully monitored though as it is easy to overdose and deplete the body of important minerals.
Beta-blockers
Beta-blockers decrease nerve impulses to the heart and blood vessels. This helps the heart beat slower and less forcefully. The blood pressure then drops to a more acceptable level and the work of the heart is made much easier.
ACE inhibitors
Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors avoid the formation of a hormone called angiotensin II. This hormone usually causes blood vessels to narrow which then forces the blood pressure to go up to quite often dangerous levels. ACE inhibitors cause the vessels to relax and the blood pressure can be maintained at a more acceptable level.
Angiotensin antagonists
Angiotensin antagonists also protect blood vessels from angiotensin II. this ensures the blood vessels become wide enough for the blood to flow smoothly and helps the blood pressure reduce.
Calcium channel blockers (CCBs)
CCBs prevent calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels. This causes blood vessels to relax and pressure goes down to a more acceptable level.
Alpha-blockers
These lessen nerve impulses to blood vessels. This then allows blood to pass through the arteries more easily, causing the blood pressure to reduce.
Alpha-beta-blockers
Alpha-beta-blockers work in a similar way to alpha-blockers. However they also slow down the heartbeat, as beta-blockers do. This means less blood is pumped through the blood vessels and the blood pressure reduces accordingly.
Nervous system inhibitors
These relax the blood vessels by controlling and monitoring nerve impulses. This causes the blood vessels to become wider so the blood can flow more easily. This then encourages the blood pressure to reduce.
Vasodilators
These work by opening up the blood vessels. They relax muscles in the blood vessel walls this then helps the blood pressure to reduce. However vasodilators can have side effects such as severe headaches.
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November 24th, 2008
Alcohol has a significant effect on high blood pressure, so it’s important people pay more attention on the association of alcohol and blood pressure and its effect on their health.
People who drink excess amounts of alcohol often show signs of having higher blood pressure then non-excessive drinkers. This becomes significant, especially in cases where people are regular drinkers. If the alcohol intake is kept fairly limited i.e. occasional drinking then the blood pressure level is not so prone to lean towards dangerously high levels.
For example, a person may have an alcoholic beverage, such as twelve ounces of beer or five ounces of wine, each of which is considered a single drink per day, Therefore males may take one or two drinks and be within safe levels. But a female may take only one drink in comparison to this as females do not have the same level of tolerance towards alcohol as males. When, the intake of alcohol is increased over this safe level by both sexes, there is an impact on the elasticity of the blood vessels and this in turn can increase their blood pressure reading towards medically dangerous levels.
Alcohol and blood pressure changes due to drinking habits are causes for concern by physicians who deal with these types of hypertension patients, as other problems they need to take into account are people drinking alcohol in excess may develop weight increase problems due to the increase in calories.
If the blood pressure is raised because of weight problems, then yet further medication may have to be administered to control the high blood pressure. This can be difficult to prescribe as the alcohol in the person’s body can have an adverse effect on the medication being prescribed for them.
Considering the strong association between alcohol and raised blood pressure, it’s obvious that drinking less alcohol is much more preferable to drinking excessively large amounts. Therefore people with cardiac disorders such as myocarditis, severe hypertension or congestive cardiac failure should avoid alcohol based beverages if at all possible. If they cannot avoid alcohol completely, they should keep their drinking down to a very low level.
Though calcium and magnesium in the body can become decreased due to the intake of alcohol, supplementing them may cause their own indirect problems such as increases in blood pressure. Therefore any patient with an alcohol dependence problem should have all their medications very thoroughly and carefully prescribed and monitored by their physician taking their alcohol dependence into account.
Anyone with a drinking problem is prone to increased blood pressure and one of the problems of trying to correct the blood pressure with medication is the effect alcohol has on the prescription. It can very often enhance its potency thus causing further medical problems.
Any patient who has an alcohol problem and raised blood pressure should be advised and encouraged to reduce their drinking as much as possible. Guidelines and limits should be given for drinking by their physician and these should be adhered to as much as possible by the patient.
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November 23rd, 2008
Tip I:
Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned “with no salt added” vegetables. Any kind of processed food will normally have more salt ( or Sodium ) than fresh food because they add salt as preservatives as well as for flavouring as part of the processing erm, well, process.
Tip II
Use herbs, spices, and salt-free seasoning blends in cooking and at the table. Herbs have other well documented health benefits without the risks that sodium ( salt ) have.
Tip III
Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Cut back on instant or flavoured rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
Tip IV
You would want to avoid “convenience” foods, but if you have to, make sure to inspect the food labels and choose those that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings - these often have a lot of sodium.
Tip V
Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium. The manufacturing process ads salt to the food and by rinsing it you will at least remove some of the residue that has gathered on it while it’s been stored. Or better yet, use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned or processed types.
Tip VI
When available, buy low- or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added versions of foods.
Tip VII
Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are lower in sodium.
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November 21st, 2008
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
If you are overweight, aim to lose just 10lbs. Losing just 10lbs can make a huge difference to your blood pressure.
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
Just walk for 30 minutes a day. You can do it in one hit or even break it up in 5 minute chunks if that fits. If you work, you can even use some of your lunch break to walk. Don’t stroll, but you don’t have to walk briskly either, just walk 30 minutes more than what you already do.
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, follow a healthy eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods. Search for diet books on Amazon if you have to, or go back to the websites & books we have already recommended.
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, choose and prepare foods with less salt and sodium.
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, drink caffeine beverages in moderation. Limit the amount you drink in a day to maybe one or two drinks. Caffeine is bad for your long term concentration and can give you Alzheimer’s as well so there are other reasons to limit your intake too.
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, drink alcoholic beverages only in moderation. That means less than one unit per day.
Getting your blood pressure back to normal can be greatly helped by making changes to your lifestyle. Consider that prolonged blood pressure problems can kill you, making even the smallest of changes will be of great benefit. Concentrate on making the small changes.
For instance, smoke in moderation, or, better yet, quit.
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November 20th, 2008
A classic text book blood pressure reading is normally about 120/80 mmHg. If you repeatedly feel faint and light headed during the day, it’s probably a good idea to check with your doctor as to whether you are suffering with low blood pressure or not.
Exercise is another factor in helping to combat high blood pressure.
Nowadays so many of us live such sedentary lifestyles, that we rarely get anywhere near the exercise we need. Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous and you don’t have to join the gym.
Going for a brisk walk three times a week for thirty minutes improves the metabolism and helps reduce both excess weight and blood pressure.
The higher your blood pressure, the higher your risk of heart disease and stroke, whatever your level is. This means that someone with a blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg is at greater risk than someone with a blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg. This is why it is so important for everyone to lead a healthy lifestyle to make sure that their blood pressure is as low and as healthy as it can be.
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November 18th, 2008
Another way of reducing salt intake is to use a salt substitute. There are several available on the market. They contain less sodium chloride and are more potassium-rich. Sea salt, rock salt and natural salt are still sodium chloride so are not salt substitutes.
Exercise, such as aerobic exercise, that makes a physical demand on the heart, strengthens the heart and helps reduce major known risk factors for coronary heart disease. It also lowers blood pressure, as well as lowering blood fat levels which helps prevent thrombosis.
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November 16th, 2008
Getting a regular blood pressure check is important as it could well save your life! High blood pressure can be a silent killer in that it can cause other problems such as kidney failure, heart attacks and strokes - sometimes without warning and with fatal results.
Getting used to eating food that contains less salt might be difficult at first but if you consistently stick to your lower salt intake, over time, you should find that you actually quite like your food with less salt. Reducing salt intake can be achieved by never adding any salt to your cooking or to the food when it is at the table. If you can’t bear to eat your food without any salt, don’t salt whilst cooking and eating. (Use one or the other).
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