Hypertension
Ways to reduce high blood pressure
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), more than 1.3 billion people worldwide suffer from Hypertension (high blood pressure), which is one of the leading causes of premature death. In this article, we will give you a brief overview of hypertension and ways to reduce high blood pressure.
What is blood pressure?
Blood Pressure is an essential thing that builds up in the blood vessels when the blood flows through the arteries during the contraction of the heart. There are two types of pressure in the blood vessels.
- Systolic pressure
- Diastolic pressure
Systolic pressure up to 120 mmHg and diastolic pressure up to 80 mmHg are considered normal and are written as 120/80 mmHg (mmHg for millimeters of Mercury).
According to the guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA), 130 to 139 systolic and 80 to 89 diastolic pressures are defined as the first stage of hypertension.
More than or equal to 140 systolic pressure and 90 or greater diastolic pressures are called secondary hypertension. At this stage, diagnosis, proper treatment, and regular medication should be taken. At the same time, you must live a controlled life and maintain a proper diet.
Symptoms of hypertension
Before knowing the symptoms of hypertension, you should know about the causes of hypertension. The actual cause of Hypertension is still not clear but the following factors are considered as the causes of hypertension according to the opinions of health experts
- Genetics
- Smoking
- Drinking alcohol
- Excess intake of salt
- Obesity and diabetes
- Chronic kidney disease
- Eat fatty foods
Hypertension is called a silent killer because most of the time there are no symptoms in the early stages of high blood pressure. The signs and symptoms that appear at the secondary stage of high blood pressure are as follows:
- Headaches and dizziness
- Chest pain (mild to moderate)
- Irregular heartbeat
- Noise in the ears
- Vision problem
- Bleeding from the nose etc.
If someone’s blood pressure suddenly rises to 180/120 mmHg or more, symptoms appear like chest pain (severe), shortness of breath, numbness, difficulty speaking, etc. This condition is called Hypertensive Crisis where urgent medical treatment is required.
Medication for high blood pressure
There are various types of medication for treating high blood pressure. Do not take any of these medicines or stop taking high blood pressure medication without the advice of your physician.
Diuretics: Sodium (Na) is an essential mineral nutrient but an excessive amount can cause high blood pressure. Diuretics help control blood pressure by getting rid of excess sodium from the body. If you have chronic kidney disease, diuretics may be harmful to you. Moreover, there are side effects like dizziness, headaches, dehydration, muscle cramps, Impotence (sexual problem), etc.
Beta-blockers: This type of medicine can reduce the heart rate and output of blood and thus help to reduce high blood pressure. Acebutolol, atenolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol fumarate, etc are generic names of Beta-blockers medicine. The sides of beta-blockers are Insomnia, slow heartbeat, weakness, depression, Impotence, etc.
ACE inhibitors: ACE (Angiotensin-converting enzymes) can minimize the production of Angiotensin that is responsible for narrowing the blood vessels and increasing blood pressure. Some common generic names of ACE inhibitors are captopril, enalapril maleate, fosinopril sodium, lisinopril, moexipril, perindopril, etc. Possible side effects of this medicine are Skin rash, Loss of appetite, Dry cough, etc.
Calcium channel blockers: Calcium is an essential mineral that is helpful for bone and teeth. But when calcium enters the muscles of the heart and blood vessels, it can be the cause of harder contraction of the muscle and thus raises blood pressure. A calcium channel blocker prevents these processes and relaxes the muscles. But there are some side effects like palpitations, constipation, dizziness, etc.
Alpha-blockers: Doxazosin mesylate, prazosin hydrochloride, and terazosin hydrochloride are the common alpha-blockers medicine that can reduce blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels walls. The side effects (Dizziness, dropped blood pressure, etc.) of alpha-blockers are competitively lower than others.
Combined alpha and beta-blockers: This combination formula is only used in emergency conditions like Hypertensive crisis and heart failure.
Others: There are more types of medicine to treat hypertension like Blood vessel dilators (vasodilators), Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors, Central agonists, Alpha-2 Receptor Agonists, etc.
Natural way to reduce high blood pressure
There are a lot of effective ways to reduce high blood pressure naturally. You can start these natural formulas with or without medication according to the instructions of your physician.
✓ Fast food and processed foods like chips, canned fruits, fish, and meat should be avoided. Because these foods are high in salt which raises blood pressure
✓ Make a habit to go to bed at the same time every night for 7 to 9 hours of sound sleep
✓ Smoking and drinking alcohol should be avoided. Because smoking lowers the amount of good cholesterol (HDL for High-density lipoprotein) in the blood and alcohol reduces the effectiveness of medications used for controlling high blood pressure
✓ Foods that contain saturated fat & trans-fat should be avoided as much as possible to control excess body weight and bad cholesterol (LDL for Low-density lipoprotein)
✓ You can eat fish as a good source of protein and that contain Omega 3 Fatty acid which is called Cardioprotective
✓ Do not exceed the limit of salt (Sodium chloride) intake. According to the recommendation of WHO, one can intake up to 5 grams of salt per day
✓ Eat fresh fruits and vegetables as much as you can because they’re helping to maintain healthy blood pressure. Also, fruits and vegetables contain a lot of fiber that can reduce the excessive body weight
✓ Potassium plays a vital role in controlling blood pressure. So, you have to eat potassium-rich foods like bananas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, nuts, etc.
✓ Try to avoid mental pressure and depression. Research shows that happiness stimulates the secretion of a special chemical called endorphins, which can normalize blood flow by increasing the flexibility of blood vessels
✓ Limit drinking coffee and black tea because they can cause insomnia and thus lead to high blood pressure. You can take green tea but not before the bedtime
✓ Remember you should monitor the blood pressure regularly and take medicines according to the physician’s instructions
Exercises to reduce high blood pressure
Exercises can straighten the heart muscles and relax the vascular (blood vessels) walls. Moreover, by doing exercises regularly you can control excessive body weight and maintain cholesterol levels in the blood. These all are helpful to reduce high blood pressure.
There are various ways to do exercise like walking, running (moderate speed), stairs climbing, swimming, cycling, hiking, skipping rope, yoga, etc. Never do heavy exercises when you’re a Cardiovascular patient because that can lead to sudden heart failure and angina pectorals. Heavy exercises mean running with high speed, weight lifting, HIIT (High-intensity interval training), etc.
Here are some tips and precautions for safe and effective exercise:
- Drink enough water before starting the exercise to stay hydrated during exercise
- Wear a comfortable dress and shoes
- Take a short (5 to 10 minutes) warm-up season
- Exercise cannot be done on a full stomach
- Do not exercise for a long time rather you should take enough rest when you feel tired
