Lowering Your Blood Pressure: The Options

What Does a Ten Point Difference in Blood Pressure Indicate?

Blood pressure can reveal a lot about the condition of the human body. High blood pressure can indicate that one’s sodium intake is too high, and diet improvements should be made. Low blood pressure is often common in athletes and individuals who exercise regularly.

Which Is Worse?

Blood pressure readings in both your right and left arms can signify serious problems if there is more than a ten point difference. A difference of more than ten points in either the systolic and diastolic numbers between the left and right arms can indicate the presence of heart disease. If you have a family history of heart disease or are in a high risk category, you should ask your doctor to take your blood pressure in both arms not just one. If there is a significant difference in blood pressure, then your doctor can recommend further testing or treatment as necessary.

It's Not The Time for Convenience

Most doctors typically only take blood pressure readings in just one arm for the sake of convenience. For many patients who have heart disease it shows up as a difference in blood pressure. Spotting a difference in blood pressure can lead to a more improved outcome if it turns out that heart disease is present. It’s possible that other symptoms of heart disease would be evident first, but discovering more than a ten point difference in blood pressure is a sign that further testing may need to be done.

Even if blood pressure is within a healthy range, a ten point difference can still signify health issues. Blood pressure does not need to be elevated to be a cause for concern. More than a ten point difference is enough cause for concern.

If you have a home blood pressure monitor, make sure you take readings in both your right and left arms. Otherwise, request that your doctor take a blood pressure reading in both arms at your next visit.

Posted by Henry at 8:28 PM | Permalink

Low Blood Pressure Symptoms and Treatment

Low blood pressure, or hypotension, can be just as much of an impedance to one's quality of life as high blood pressure. Low blood pressure can cause a host of undesirable symptoms including fatigue, and treating low blood pressure is essential to improving one's quality of life. If you're serious about cardiovascular health, you need to know as much about low blood pressure as you do about high blood pressure.

The Miracle Vitamin

Vitamin B12 can be a helpful natural solution to remedying low blood pressure. Vitamin B12 can be given through an injection on a weekly basis. Another option is to take a vitamin B supplement. If your doctor has confirmed that you have low blood pressure, you might want to ask about vitamin B supplementation, specifically vitamin B12 supplementation.

A Serious Concern

If you suspect you have low blood pressure, you should check with your doctor and have him take a measurement. Many individuals don't seek treatment for low blood pressure because we are so bombarded with information about high blood pressure that complaining about being tired from having low blood pressure might seem to be frivolous to some. It's so easy to forget that there are individuals who suffer from low blood pressure just as there are individuals who suffer from high, and this problem is not as widely publicized.

Signs and Symptoms

Some of the signs of low blood pressure can include dizziness, fatigue, and pains in your arms and legs. If you experience blackness after bending down then rising up, that could be another indication that you are suffering from low blood pressure. The tendency to have low blood pressure does run in some families, so if you are experiencing any symptoms and know of a parent or aunt or uncle who has low blood pressure, you should mention it to your doctor.

What Does it Mean?

Sometimes low blood pressure can indicate the presence of heart disease. Cardiac output is reduced which shows up in your blood pressure reading. Certain medications can cause low blood pressure as well so check with your doctor if you suspect this to be the case with you. Blood pressure is considered low if the systolic, or top number, is below 90 and the diastolic, or bottom number, is below 60. Overall, low blood pressure is considered healthy and is not a cause for concern unless it is low enough to cause organ damage.

Posted by Henry at 10:27 AM | Permalink

High Blood Pressure and Whey Proteins

A recent study shows hope that a specific whey protein can help lower blood pressure in individuals suffering from hypertension. Researchers at the University of Minnesota looked at how a 20-gram supplement containing whey protein affected the blood pressure of research participants. The study compared a beneficial modified whey protein and an unmodified whey protein. If you want to know why the results of the study are shining a ray of hope, read on...

From Animal to Human

Caseins and whey proteins have both been used in animal studies and have been shown to reduce blood pressure. Now, blood pressure in humans has been shown to be positively affected by whey proteins as well.

What's the Link?

High blood pressure can be tricky to treat in some individuals, and the above study has shown that whey may have the potential to benefit a large number of those suffering from high blood pressure. It is believed that some of the proteins that whey contains are also similar to angiotensin converting enzymes (ACE) inhibitory peptides. ACE inhibitors are currently one of the main categories of medications used to treat high blood pressure. The similarity certain whey proteins have to ACE inhibitors partly explains the results of the study.

What Did the Study Show?

Participants who took the modified whey protein were shown to have a drop in blood pressure during the six-week study and four-week follow-up. The control group, who received an unmodified whey protein, did not experience a drop in blood pressure. The results of the study can prove to be important for individuals suffering from high blood pressure.

More Research

This recent knowledge gives scientists another area of research to explore to help individuals with high blood pressure. It would be great to be able to take a medication, such as one made from a modified whey protein, which wouldn't have have as many side effects as some currently-available blood pressure medications.

Posted by Henry at 6:25 PM | Permalink

New Study at University of Virginia Can be Valuable if You Want to Lower Your Blood Pressure

Can sitting down lower your blood pressure? A University of Virginia study demonstrated that sitting down can lower your blood pressure. This may very well be good news for the coach potatoes who are worried about their heart health, however, there are some things you need to know.

What's Research Saying?

Researchers evaluated the blood pressure of participants when they were both sitting in a chair with their feet on the ground and also when they were sitting on a doctor’s exam table with their feet suspended in mid air. The systolic number (the top number) of blood pressure dropped when seated in the chair. The reason was that it takes energy to control your legs when they aren’t resting on the floor or a stool. That energy expenditure can cause your blood pressure to increase. If you want to lower your blood pressure, you just might want to double check if you really have high blood pressure to begin with.

Obviously, there are individuals who genuinely have high blood pressure, but you should still question your doctor about the way that he or she takes your blood pressure. If he usually takes it while you are seated on an exam table, ask if you can sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground. If you genuinely do have high blood pressure, you will need to take steps to lower your blood pressure.

It's Dead Serious

High blood pressure is not a matter to take lightly, but before beginning medication it is important to make sure you really have high blood pressure. White coat hypertension is one other situation that can cause high blood pressure readings when an individual may not truly have high blood pressure. White coat hypertension is the term that refers to blood pressure that is elevated only when the patient is at the doctor’s office. It happens because many people either rush to get to their doctor’s appointments or they get nervous when they visit the doctor’s office.

You can always try to lower your blood pressure once an actual diagnosis has been made, but be doubly sure your blood pressure is really elevated by requesting seated blood pressure readings.

Posted by Henry at 10:31 PM | Permalink

High Blood Pressure and Whey Proteins

A recent study shows hope that a specific whey protein can help lower blood pressure in individuals suffering from high blood pressure. Researchers at the University of Minnesota looked at how a 20-gram supplement containing whey protein affected the blood pressure of research participants. The study compared a beneficial modified whey protein and an unmodified whey protein. The results of the study may just surprise you.

Let's Hear It For Protein!

Caseins and whey proteins have both been used in animal studies and have been shown to reduce blood pressure. Now, human blood pressure has been shown to be positively affected by whey proteins as well. High blood pressure can be tricky to treat in some individuals, and the above study has the potential for being beneficial to a large number of high blood pressure sufferers.

It is believed that some of the proteins that whey contains are also similar to angiotensin converting enzymes (ACE) inhibitory peptides. ACE inhibitors are currently one of the main categories of medications used to treat high blood pressure. The similarity certain whey proteins have to ACE inhibitors partly explains the study’s results.

The Results Are In

Participants who took the modified whey protein were shown to have a drop in blood pressure during the six-week study and four-week follow-up. The control group who received an unmodified whey protein did not experience a drop in blood pressure. The study’s results can prove to be important for individuals suffering from high blood pressure.

It's Great News

The above study is good news for high blood pressure sufferers because it gives scientists another area of research to explore to help individuals with high blood pressure. It would be great to be able to take a medication, such as one made from a modified whey protein, that doesn’t have as many side effects as some currently available medications. Until such a medication is available, individuals with high blood pressure should continue to follow their doctor’s recommendations and do all they can to control their blood pressure.

Posted by Henry at 8:29 AM | Permalink

Reversing Early High Blood Pressure.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently released new information about high blood pressure. The information is certainly good news for anyone who was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure. Early high blood pressure can be reversed, says the NIH, by changing your diet and exercise.

A Recent Study

NIH conducted a study that evaluated high blood pressure in over 200 individuals with stage 1 blood pressure: between 120/80 and 159/95. After a year and a half, 60% of the participants who received diet and exercise advice experienced normal blood pressure provided that they lost no less than five pounds and decreased their salt intake. The study participants who didn’t receive specific advice concerning diet and exercise did not experience a lower blood pressure.

Weight Loss

Doctors have long been stressing the importance of the need to lose weight among patients who suffer from high blood pressure. This recent NIH study reinforces that wisdom. Paying more attention to diet and exercise can reduce the need to take high blood pressure medication. Many Americans consume way too much sodium. Major sources of sodium come from fast food or packaged foods that we eat because they’re convenient.

Obviously, there are certain cases when blood pressure is severely elevated and blood pressure medication is needed, at least temporarily, to return blood pressure to a healthy level. Overall, though, patients still need to attempt to improve their high blood pressure to the best of their ability through dieting efforts and diet changes.

Changing Your Lifestyle

Patients who have had high blood pressure for a prolonged period of time might not benefit to the same extent if they change their diet and exercise habits as individuals who have been recently diagnosed with high blood pressure. Because high blood pressure has such serious health effects, it is vitally important that you and your physician take steps to get your high blood pressure under control even if that means temporary or long-term medication.

Posted by Henry at 9:13 AM | Permalink

New Information Regarding Health and High Blood Pressure Might Surprise You

High blood pressure is a significant health concern for many Americans, but did you know that there are some situations where having high blood pressure might be a good thing? If you want to learn more about high blood pressure and when it can be a healthy thing, read on.

High Blood Pressure Is Good?

The Journal of American Medical Association, a highly reputable medical group, recently published an article highlighting cases when high blood pressure can be a good sign. Dr. Mihai Gheorghiade, a researcher at Northwestern University, found that a heart capable of pumping strongly enough to cause high blood pressure can be a positive sign for survival rates among patients with heart failure.

The Serious Risk

Nearly a million Americans are hospitalized annually due to congestive heart failure. Having high blood pressure and heart failure can indicate that the person is less likely to die. High blood pressure can indicate a strong heart, which is beneficial for patients suffering from heart failure. Knowing what the blood pressure of a patient suffering from heart failure is at the time of hospital admission can guide and improve treatment recommendations. Physicians will still try to lower high blood pressure in these patients, but having a basis for comparison is important. High blood pressure poses many health concerns including an enlarged heart which ironically can lead to heart failure.

Be Smart

If you suffer from high blood pressure, you should still take steps to lower your blood pressure. The health concerns associated with high blood pressure are too great to ignore it. One extreme side effect of high blood pressure can be blindness, so make sure you talk to your doctor about your high blood pressure.

There are a variety of medications available to treat high blood pressure if you find that diet and exercise alone don’t improve your blood pressure. Your doctor is your best source of information and advice concerning your high blood pressure, so don’t hesitate to talk to him or her with any concerns you may have.

Posted by Henry at 6:30 PM | Permalink

The Importance of Controlling High Blood Pressure

If you have high blood pressure, you are at a greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is our nation’s biggest killer, so it is important to take heart disease very seriously. Getting high blood pressure under control is a step in the right direction and reduces your risk of heart disease.

Heart Disease Is Still Serious

It’s possible that the huge progress made in treating cardiovascular disease has caused people to not be concerned with heart disease as much as they should be. Many people are hopeful about the available treatments and good outcome that is now possible with newer technology and treatments that they neglect to take care of themselves as much as they should. If you suffer from high blood pressure, you need to make sure you get adequate exercise and also eat a healthy diet. Interestingly, those are both very important things that you can do to avoid heart disease too.

It’s Murder

Heart disease is our nation’s #1 killer, and having high blood pressure severely increases an individ\ual’s risk of heart disease. The number of Americans that die every year from heart disease rivals one million, and that number is expected to increase in the next decade as baby boomers age.

There Is Hope

Researchers are studying the possibility of a drug that could reverse heart disease. Until then, it is a good idea to try to avoid heart disease as much as possible. This means you need to control environmental factors that contribute to heart disease such as diet, exercise, and high blood pressure.

If you are unable to control your high blood pressure through diet and exercise alone, your doctor might prescribe medication to treat your high blood pressure. Sometimes medication might be necessary, and it could certainly be valuable if it is the only thing to get your blood pressure under control. Controlling your high blood pressure is a huge step towards reducing your risk of heart disease.

Posted by Henry at 11:29 PM | Permalink

What are Stroke Warning Signs?

Anyone who has ever suffered from high blood pressure should familiarize themselves with stroke warning signs. High blood pressure has many side effects. If you suffer from high blood pressure, getting your blood pressure under control should always be your top priority. One serious consequence of high blood pressure is a stroke, so it is important to know what the stroke warning signs are in order to react properly should they occur.

A Stroke Isn’t a Joke

A stroke is a serious medical emergency, so you definitely want to make sure that you take any signs or symptoms very seriously. Although a stroke most often occurs in the elderly, a stroke can happen to anyone at any age, and if you suffer from high blood pressure, you are at greater risk. If you have high blood pressure or have ever experienced high blood pressure, take the time to familiarize yourself learning how to recognize a stroke.

What Are The Stroke Warning Signs?

Stroke warning signs will vary by individual but can include the numbness (particularly on one side of the body), difficulty speaking, vision trouble, dizziness, trouble ambulating, or a sudden and severe headache.

All stroke warning signs do not necessarily have to be present for an individual to be experiencing a stroke. For individuals who think they may be experiencing a stroke, they should make note of any symptoms that they experience and note the time that the symptoms began. Treatment should not be delayed. If you think you are experiencing a stroke, it is important to call 9-1-1 or other emergency number.

The Effects of Stroke

A stroke can be accompanied with very serious side effects. Brain damage can occur after a stroke. Often, a stroke is caused by a blockage in one of the carotid arteries, the arteries that supply blood to the brain. Even if your symptoms subside, you should still seek treatment for any stroke warning signs as soon as possible.

The quicker you receive treatment after a stroke the better the outcome. That is why it is so important to familiarize yourself with all the stroke warning signs and seek treatment immediately if you experience any of them.

Posted by Henry at 1:25 AM | Permalink