holly b asked:
I went to the doctor yesterday and my blood pressure was 98 over 72. I am 20 years old and weigh 133 pounds.
I went to the doctor yesterday and my blood pressure was 98 over 72. I am 20 years old and weigh 133 pounds.
How can I get over “white coat hypertension?” My blood pressure always hikes up when I go to the doctor.
October 30, 2009 By 2 Comments
Ugly Girl asked:
Every time I go they want to put me on blood pressure medication, which I always refuse because my blood pressure is ONLY high at the doctor’s. I hate doctors and the sight of one makes my blood pressure take a jump. It is perfectly normal the rest of the time; I know this because I went out and bought an electronic monitor to check it at home. It’s always normal.
Every time I go they want to put me on blood pressure medication, which I always refuse because my blood pressure is ONLY high at the doctor’s. I hate doctors and the sight of one makes my blood pressure take a jump. It is perfectly normal the rest of the time; I know this because I went out and bought an electronic monitor to check it at home. It’s always normal.
Any tricks to keep it from jumping at the doctor’s office? I’m really sick of having this conversation every time I go.
Hypertension and High Cholesterol
October 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment
High cholesterol and hypertension are two different things, but they often come together with disastrous consequences. Stroke, heart attack and an assortment of other coronary heart and artery diseases can be caused by high blood pressure resulting from high cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, the most common diet and exercise life style maintained by people in the western world can easily lead straight from high cholesterol levels to high blood pressure, hypertension and on to the more serious life threatening heart diseases.
Hypertension is when your heart has to continuously work too hard to push blood through your body. Unlike healthy exercise, which is a temporary increase in your blood pressure, hypertension is continuous and it literally wears your heart out. The most common medical measurement of hypertension is high blood pressure. So for the majority of cases high blood pressure and hypertension are the same things.
The causes of hypertension are often complicated, numerous and far reaching. In some medically straightforward cases the cause of hypertension is some other illness or disease. For example, diabetes, kidney disease and certain cancerous tumors will directly cause hypertension. But in the majority of cases, hypertension is caused by a half dozen or so different factors. Heredity, salt consumption, obesity and how much caffeine and alcohol you consume are very common contributing factors to hypertension. Even stress at work, at home, your age, race, occupation and how much noise you are exposed to contribute to increasing your blood pressure. But perhaps the most pervasive contributing factor to hypertension in our world today is high cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a necessary part of all the cell membranes in your body so you can’t simply eliminate it from your diet and body. It is essential for the proper functioning of all your cells. The issue with cholesterol is balancing your consumption. Your liver actually manufactures cholesterol. So if you consume a large amount on top of that, it tends to reach unacceptably high levels. The mechanism is complicated but, to put it simply, you are at risk of heart disease if your LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein) is high and your HDL cholesterol (high density lipoprotein) is low. High levels of LDL will cause calcium, fatty acids and cholesterol to build up inside arteries. These deposits are commonly called plaque. As your arteries get smaller, your heart has to work too hard to keep up proper blood supply to the rest of your body. If not corrected your heart wears out in any of several ways; either stroke, heart attack, or something similar.
There are lots of things you can do to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. Almost all of it comes under the heading of keeping to a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy life style and exercising regularly. Fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be the corner stone of your diet and not simply items used to supplement a fast food or fatty food diet. Several types of grains, such as oat bran, have been proven to help lower bad cholesterol levels. In general, fast food equals bad food as far as bad cholesterol levels are concerned. You can take medications and drugs that will lower high blood pressure but long term maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle are the keys to controlling hypertension caused by high cholesterol.
By: Michael Russell
About the Author:
Hypertension is when your heart has to continuously work too hard to push blood through your body. Unlike healthy exercise, which is a temporary increase in your blood pressure, hypertension is continuous and it literally wears your heart out. The most common medical measurement of hypertension is high blood pressure. So for the majority of cases high blood pressure and hypertension are the same things.
The causes of hypertension are often complicated, numerous and far reaching. In some medically straightforward cases the cause of hypertension is some other illness or disease. For example, diabetes, kidney disease and certain cancerous tumors will directly cause hypertension. But in the majority of cases, hypertension is caused by a half dozen or so different factors. Heredity, salt consumption, obesity and how much caffeine and alcohol you consume are very common contributing factors to hypertension. Even stress at work, at home, your age, race, occupation and how much noise you are exposed to contribute to increasing your blood pressure. But perhaps the most pervasive contributing factor to hypertension in our world today is high cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a necessary part of all the cell membranes in your body so you can’t simply eliminate it from your diet and body. It is essential for the proper functioning of all your cells. The issue with cholesterol is balancing your consumption. Your liver actually manufactures cholesterol. So if you consume a large amount on top of that, it tends to reach unacceptably high levels. The mechanism is complicated but, to put it simply, you are at risk of heart disease if your LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein) is high and your HDL cholesterol (high density lipoprotein) is low. High levels of LDL will cause calcium, fatty acids and cholesterol to build up inside arteries. These deposits are commonly called plaque. As your arteries get smaller, your heart has to work too hard to keep up proper blood supply to the rest of your body. If not corrected your heart wears out in any of several ways; either stroke, heart attack, or something similar.
There are lots of things you can do to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. Almost all of it comes under the heading of keeping to a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy life style and exercising regularly. Fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be the corner stone of your diet and not simply items used to supplement a fast food or fatty food diet. Several types of grains, such as oat bran, have been proven to help lower bad cholesterol levels. In general, fast food equals bad food as far as bad cholesterol levels are concerned. You can take medications and drugs that will lower high blood pressure but long term maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle are the keys to controlling hypertension caused by high cholesterol.
By: Michael Russell
About the Author:
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Hypertension
Your Independent guide to Hypertension
What is the best diet for high blood pressure patient?
October 29, 2009 By 13 Comments
chante asked:
What are the best diet for high blook pressure patient age about 75?
What to cook for her?
Are sweet stuff bad for high blook pressure patient, like: chocolate, biscuits, cookies, fruit juice, jam?
What are the best diet for high blook pressure patient age about 75?
What to cook for her?
Are sweet stuff bad for high blook pressure patient, like: chocolate, biscuits, cookies, fruit juice, jam?
Are they any food/vegetables help to cut down blood pressure?
Lowering Blood Pressure?
October 29, 2009 By 6 Comments
dazeeonline asked:
I had a sudden onset of high blood pressure this past month. I don’t know if this is related, but I had sinus surgery less than a week ago. I was really surprised that the condition came on so quickly, because I’m only 34 and I’ve always had low-normal blood pressure, but I do have some risk factors (overweight, inactive, high sodium diet). So…
I had a sudden onset of high blood pressure this past month. I don’t know if this is related, but I had sinus surgery less than a week ago. I was really surprised that the condition came on so quickly, because I’m only 34 and I’ve always had low-normal blood pressure, but I do have some risk factors (overweight, inactive, high sodium diet). So…
Here’s what I’m doing:
taking blood pressure medication
not adding much salt to my diet
trying not to get stressed out easily
monitoring my blood pressure at home
I know that I need to lose weight, exercise more, try to find low sodium foods, and avoid caffeine. Do you have any additional suggestions? Anything I need to be aware of when grocery shopping (low sodium products)?
By the way, this is so new to me, I didn’t even know if I’m correct in placing this in the heart disease category.
PS: Sorry, I noticed someone just asked this a few minutes ago. Any answers, though, are greatly appreciated! 
Any suggestions for salt substitutes? I love herbs and seasonings, especially mexican-style seasonings, but I’ve never had to worry about the sodium content.
What is the BEST non-prescription blood pressure supplement?
October 27, 2009 By 7 Comments
stevijan asked:
Ginko-Biloba. Hawthorne Berry. Co-Q-10. Garlic. Each claims to lower blood pressure but which is either the ‘best’ for reducing blood pressure or the best ‘combination’ for reducing blood pressure? Each of the prescription BP meds I’ve been prescribed caused complications: bruising, labored breathing (I’m asthmatic), hives, etc and I am desperate to get my BP down.
Ginko-Biloba. Hawthorne Berry. Co-Q-10. Garlic. Each claims to lower blood pressure but which is either the ‘best’ for reducing blood pressure or the best ‘combination’ for reducing blood pressure? Each of the prescription BP meds I’ve been prescribed caused complications: bruising, labored breathing (I’m asthmatic), hives, etc and I am desperate to get my BP down.
Can a person with High Blood Pressure be elgible for Disability?
October 27, 2009 By 6 Comments
G asked:
I have been working my same job for 25yrs. It requires a lot of mental power. I work with doctors, nurses, ect. I have been on blood pressure medication for 3yrs. My boss has me working by myself on a 3 person job. My Doctor and co-workers are telling me that if it gets to much for me, I am elgible for disability. I am married with 1 son. I exercise and take my medication. The medication can cause kidney problems.
I have been working my same job for 25yrs. It requires a lot of mental power. I work with doctors, nurses, ect. I have been on blood pressure medication for 3yrs. My boss has me working by myself on a 3 person job. My Doctor and co-workers are telling me that if it gets to much for me, I am elgible for disability. I am married with 1 son. I exercise and take my medication. The medication can cause kidney problems.
I don’t want to die from High Blood Pressure!
Blood Pressure Monitor – A Guide to Choosing Blood Pressure Monitors
October 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Trying to choose a blood pressure monitor for use at home can seem bewildering. There is a wide range of blood pressure monitor machines available – all of them claiming to have advantages over each other. So – how do you choose a blood pressure monitor?
Do you need to monitor blood pressure at home?
This is really the first question that you need to ask yourself. Do you really need to check your blood pressure at home on a regular basis or is it enough to have your doctor check it every once in a while? The evidence is now pretty convincing that if your doctor checks your blood pressure then your blood pressure reading is likely to be quite a bit higher than if you check it yourself at home. This rise in blood pressure when faced with a doctor is sometimes called white coat hypertension – hypertension is just another name for high blood pressure.
Some doctors or hospitals make use of sophisticated machines which can record a whole series of blood pressure readings in a 24 hour period – called twenty four hour ambulatory monitoring. Recording blood pressure this way gives a very clear picture of what your true blood pressure is doing but it may not always be required unless your blood pressure is proving very hard to control.
In general – provided you can afford to buy the blood pressure monitor, and providing you don’t get too obsessive about small variations in the readings, then having a home blood pressure monitor is a good idea. You can quickly learn to build up a blood pressure chart of your own readings from the blood pressure machine and this may help you and your doctor plan your treatment more effectively.
Many people who purchase a home digital blood pressure monitor feel that it gives them a greater sense of involvement in their own healthcare. Others simply get panicky when the readings show a normal and natural variation from day to day. If you buy a blood pressure monitor then try to get into the habit of checking your blood pressure reading at or around the same time every day – this will tend to improve the reliability of the results.
What kind of blood pressure monitor should you buy?
In general my advice would be to buy the best that you can afford. It’s your long-term health we’re discussing and it’s important to take that seriously. The blood pressure monitors that are now available to buy are for the most part quite accurate. The mid to high range digital blood pressure monitors are often used in hospital departments or by family doctors and have been carefully tested for accuracy and reliability. Some of the manual versions (the blood pressure cuff is inflated by hand) tend to lose their accuracy over time.
Make sure that the blood pressure cuff fits your arm
One of the key things when measuring blood pressure is to choose a cuff that fits comfortably all the way round your arm. If the cuff is too tight then the blood pressure monitor will return a reading that is higher than the true reading. At the press of a button on the automatic blood pressure monitor the blood pressure cuff will inflate to a certain level and then automatically deflates again. There is a sensor in the blood pressure cuff that automatically detects the rate of your heart and measures your blood pressure reading. The result will be displayed on a screen with the higher number showing your systolic blood pressure and the lower number showing your diastolic blood pressure.
Before checking your blood pressure you should have rested sitting down for at least five minutes.
Make sure that you line up the arrow on the cuff with the pulse at the crease in front of your elbow – ask your doctor to show you how to do this if you are not sure.
The blood pressure monitor machine will have a built in function to alert you if an error occurs with your reading.
Upper arm digital blood pressure monitor
These blood pressure monitor machines usually come out as being most accurate and most reliable in independent tests. The blood pressure cuff goes around the upper part of your arm with the arrow to the front over the artery pulse at the front of your elbow crease.
Wrist or finger digital blood pressure monitor
Most doctors think that these are less reliable than the upper arm version. The readings can be sensitive to movement or to changes in body temperature. Some of the more expensive wrist blood pressure monitor models are improving their accuracy but are still generally not quite as accurate as the upper arm models.
If you do decide to buy a digital blood pressure monitor then it is important to take it with you to your doctor’s office once a year or so and compare the reading it gets with your doctors machine.
Also, one last tip:
Please don’t forget to change the batteries from time to time! You might end up feeling rather foolish if you do.
By: Gordon Cameron
About the Author:
Do you need to monitor blood pressure at home?
This is really the first question that you need to ask yourself. Do you really need to check your blood pressure at home on a regular basis or is it enough to have your doctor check it every once in a while? The evidence is now pretty convincing that if your doctor checks your blood pressure then your blood pressure reading is likely to be quite a bit higher than if you check it yourself at home. This rise in blood pressure when faced with a doctor is sometimes called white coat hypertension – hypertension is just another name for high blood pressure.
Some doctors or hospitals make use of sophisticated machines which can record a whole series of blood pressure readings in a 24 hour period – called twenty four hour ambulatory monitoring. Recording blood pressure this way gives a very clear picture of what your true blood pressure is doing but it may not always be required unless your blood pressure is proving very hard to control.
In general – provided you can afford to buy the blood pressure monitor, and providing you don’t get too obsessive about small variations in the readings, then having a home blood pressure monitor is a good idea. You can quickly learn to build up a blood pressure chart of your own readings from the blood pressure machine and this may help you and your doctor plan your treatment more effectively.
Many people who purchase a home digital blood pressure monitor feel that it gives them a greater sense of involvement in their own healthcare. Others simply get panicky when the readings show a normal and natural variation from day to day. If you buy a blood pressure monitor then try to get into the habit of checking your blood pressure reading at or around the same time every day – this will tend to improve the reliability of the results.
What kind of blood pressure monitor should you buy?
In general my advice would be to buy the best that you can afford. It’s your long-term health we’re discussing and it’s important to take that seriously. The blood pressure monitors that are now available to buy are for the most part quite accurate. The mid to high range digital blood pressure monitors are often used in hospital departments or by family doctors and have been carefully tested for accuracy and reliability. Some of the manual versions (the blood pressure cuff is inflated by hand) tend to lose their accuracy over time.
Make sure that the blood pressure cuff fits your arm
One of the key things when measuring blood pressure is to choose a cuff that fits comfortably all the way round your arm. If the cuff is too tight then the blood pressure monitor will return a reading that is higher than the true reading. At the press of a button on the automatic blood pressure monitor the blood pressure cuff will inflate to a certain level and then automatically deflates again. There is a sensor in the blood pressure cuff that automatically detects the rate of your heart and measures your blood pressure reading. The result will be displayed on a screen with the higher number showing your systolic blood pressure and the lower number showing your diastolic blood pressure.
Before checking your blood pressure you should have rested sitting down for at least five minutes.
Make sure that you line up the arrow on the cuff with the pulse at the crease in front of your elbow – ask your doctor to show you how to do this if you are not sure.
The blood pressure monitor machine will have a built in function to alert you if an error occurs with your reading.
Upper arm digital blood pressure monitor
These blood pressure monitor machines usually come out as being most accurate and most reliable in independent tests. The blood pressure cuff goes around the upper part of your arm with the arrow to the front over the artery pulse at the front of your elbow crease.
Wrist or finger digital blood pressure monitor
Most doctors think that these are less reliable than the upper arm version. The readings can be sensitive to movement or to changes in body temperature. Some of the more expensive wrist blood pressure monitor models are improving their accuracy but are still generally not quite as accurate as the upper arm models.
If you do decide to buy a digital blood pressure monitor then it is important to take it with you to your doctor’s office once a year or so and compare the reading it gets with your doctors machine.
Also, one last tip:
Please don’t forget to change the batteries from time to time! You might end up feeling rather foolish if you do.
By: Gordon Cameron
About the Author:
Gordon Cameron MD is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has a special interest in blood pressure problems in general and in low blood pressure in particular.
Follow these links to his website for more information about choosing a blood pressure monitor, about treatment for high blood pressure and for comprehensive coverage about dealing with low blood pressure.
Dr Cameron is also an expert in the treatment of gout
What foods would be best for a person with high blood pressure?
October 26, 2009 By 3 Comments
Jenna asked:
I’m trying to find some meals to make for my boyfriend, because he has high blood pressure. What are some meal suggestions and snacks that I should make for him?
I’m trying to find some meals to make for my boyfriend, because he has high blood pressure. What are some meal suggestions and snacks that I should make for him?
Relationship of Carnitine in Heart disease and hypertension?
October 26, 2009 By 1 Comment
mama woof asked:
Can anyone explain (in layman’s terms) the relationship between l-carnitine, anemia, and inflammation (c reactive protein)? Is it related to the intake of Carnitine or the utilization of carnitine? I know they were doing studies on this, but don’t understand the results.
Can anyone explain (in layman’s terms) the relationship between l-carnitine, anemia, and inflammation (c reactive protein)? Is it related to the intake of Carnitine or the utilization of carnitine? I know they were doing studies on this, but don’t understand the results.
And am I to understand that anemia is a possible symptom of high c reactive protein and inflammation? And low carnitine levels are the cause or symptom of heart disease/ hypertension/ some anemia related to that/ inflammation related to c reactive protein, etc?
