Managing Hypertension – What You Can Do
May 16th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Worldwide hypertension is one of the most commonly diagnosed and potentially serious health conditions. Also known as high blood pressure, the first challenge of this condition is discovering it, as for the most part it is symptom-less. Hypertension affects both men and women of all ages with genetics listed as one of the major contributing factors to this condition.
As all individuals are unique, so is each case of hypertension. However, in most individuals with this condition, there is an abnormality of their arteries; in their tiny arteries most distant from the heart, there is an increased blood flow resistance.
A Strategy for Managing Hypertension
After being diagnosed as having high blood pressure it will be necessary to start taking steps to manage it. Managing hypertension is important from two aspects. First in taking measure to deal with the condition as it currently is, but also as important is to prevent it from getting any worse.
Changes in Lifestyle
Lifestyle changes are first and foremost on the list. It’s important to reduce your salt intake, avoid refined flour and sugar, reduce your fat intake, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and foods high in fiber. As in any good diet regime, you need to drink plenty of water. The DASH Diet (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) outlines a plan recognized by the American Heart Association as effective in the reduction of high blood pressure. Exercise, rest and effective stress management techniques are also measures that have proved beneficial in managing hypertension.
Medical Intervention
If lifestyle changes alone do not bring your blood pressure back in line, or if your condition is already at an alarm stage, your doctor may recommend high blood pressure medication. Drugs typically used to try and manage hypertension include diuretics, beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers. If these fail to bring blood pressure back within the ‘normal’ range, then other medications may be prescribed. The medical approach may depend on whether the hypertension is the problem itself, or if it is the result of another medical condition.
Educate Yourself
Due to the serious nature of hypertension - that being - potentially fatal, it’s a condition that needs to be closely monitored as the symptoms are usually unnoticed or subtle at best. Educating yourself about the disease and implementing the lifestyle changes are proactive steps you can take on your own. Work with your doctor and ask questions to gain as much of an understanding as you can about all that you can do to manage it in hopes of only having to resort to medication when all other measures have failed.
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Hypertension and Adolescents – A Problem On The Rise
April 28th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
While at one time hypertension and adolescents were not commonly found in the same sentence, sadly today the two appear together as the incidence of hypertension in adolescents is on the rise. The subsequent health challenges that hypertension can give rise to can really add insult to injury for people at such an early age.
It’s a known fact that long term hypertension contributes to significant cardiovascular and renal morbidity and mortality. Hypertension puts an extra load on the heart which can lead to complications such as hypertensive heart disease. As blood pressure rises, the rate of heart attack, stroke and kidney failure do too; all of which you don’t want to see anyone have to deal with, let alone someone still in their youth.
Dealing With Hypertension and Adolescents
When it comes to the matter of dealing with hypertension and adolescents, there are a few steps that you are going to want to take in order to lower and manage your blood pressure. As obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are a couple of the contributing factors, it is crucial to make some lifestyle changes. Food choices need to be centered around fresh fruits and vegetables, foods high in fiber, low in fat and low in sugar. Salt and caffeinated product intake must also be limited as these too can aggravate your blood pressure.
Exercise also plays an important role as you need to maintain a healthy weight in order to properly manage high blood pressure. Limiting your alcohol intake will be helpful here as well, as drinking too much alcohol can significantly raise blood pressure. It can result in damaging the liver, brain and heart, and can also cause you to gain weight.
Smoking is another factor that can contribute to high blood pressure as it injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of the hardening of the arteries.
Seek Medical Advice
In dealing with hypertension and adolescents it’s important to seek medical advice. As adolescence is a time of great physical change, hormone levels are constantly fluctuating which is another factor that must be considered in trying to regulate blood pressure. With the risk of so many serious associated health problems, hypertension is not a matter to be taken lightly, or even worse – ignored.
By seeking medical counsel and having them monitor the condition you will be able to determine which specific treatment plan works best. Although prescription medication is often used to help treat high blood pressure, in the case of adolescents less invasive measures are typically suggested.
Straight-Talk to Parents
The likelihood of your adolescent making healthy lifestyle changes will be greatly enhanced if the whole family makes a change. Given that hypertension tends to be a symptom-free condition, the changes made may not even make any noticeable difference in how your adolescent feels, so they may need some real encouragement to stick with the program. As the ramifications of not continuing with healthy choices are far too grave, be an example for them to follow. Continue to do research, ask questions and make the lifestyle changes that will prove useful not only for now, but for the future as well.
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