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MY
HEALTH
Hypertension:
High Blood Pressure
Posted:
Oct 2009
What
is hypertension? What are main
causes of hypertension? What is
the treatment of hypertension?
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Measuring
blood pressure is determined by
two values: the upper, or
systolic pressure (the pressure
in blood vessels when the heart contract
and full strength push the blood
through the arteries)
or lower and diastolic (the
pressure in blood vessels
between the heartbeats,
the moment when the heart is
completely relaxed).
Blood is
pushed through arteries
based on
pressure difference that exists
between the heart and small
blood vessels in the peripheral
tissues. Pressure values are
constantly changing depending on
the daily activities, stress,
amount of adrenaline, fluids and
salts in the circulation.
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It
is recommended that all adults
measure the pressure at least
once in two years. In order to eliminate the influence of stress and
adrenaline, blood
pressure is measured
after 20 minutes of rest and not
in the first two hours of
awakening. It
is
considered
that
the ideal pressure of 120/80
mmHg. Values of systolic
pressure of 120-139 and
diastolic of 80-89 mmHg called
pre-hypertension
is
not subject
for medical treatment,
but require closer control. The
values of 140/90 mmHg are
defined as hypertension and
require treatment, because
long-term hypertension damages
the blood vessels, and certainly
leads to stroke, heart attack,
the split of the aorta, renal
failure and other complications
of heart.
World
Health Organization says that
high blood pressure problem in
the whole world. According to the organization, the
disease affects 20 percent of
world population and is
associated with greater risk of
heart
attack
and stroke. However, a new study
shows that the occurrence of
hypertension can be controlled
or even reduced - with some
changes in daily habits.
Doctors say that blood pressure
was 120/80 normal. But if your pressure is consistently
140/90
or higher, you may be diagnosed
with hypertension. High blood
pressure can lead to heart
disease, heart
attack
and stroke. Studies done in the
past have shown that women are
less prone to this disorder than
men, but new research reveals
that women in older age, exposed
to the same risk as men. Doctor
John Forman is the medical
faculty of Harvard University
and Hospital for Women Care. He
and his colleagues studied the
risk of hypertension in 83
thousand women over 14 years.
We
tried to determine how the women
could reduce the risk of
hypertension, if lifestyle
changes - says Forman.
This sounds very simple.
Exercise 30 minutes a day,
maintain normal weight eating
healthy meals with enough fruit
and vegetables and less red
meat, drink less alcohol, do not
take non-prescription pills for
pain and take a substitute for
folic acid to prevent anemia.
Dr. Forman said his study showed
that women - when you follow
these rules - reduce the risk of
hypertension by 80 percent. It
is certainly worth it.
Individuals and society as a
whole have the power to,
changing diet, and lifestyle
changes and thus acquires the
ability to reduce the risk of
dangerous diseases. The
researchers concluded that
changes in habits to help even
those who have a history of the
disease in the family.
Maintaining normal weight,
according to their words,
perhaps the biggest challenge
for most people. The study was
published in Journal of the
American Medical Association.
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