May is considered as a National High Blood Pressure Education Month. There are various campaigns initiated by several healthcare organizations. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global awareness campaign is initiated by the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) which aims at increasing awareness about Blood Pressure (BP) as it is a key to fight against raised BP.
Here is the list of questions said to be frequently asked by the patients and their answers.
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force that the heart utilizes to pump blood around the body. This force is required to deliver oxygen and nutrients necessary to nourish organs and tissues in the body.
What is hypertension?
Every individual may have low, average, or high blood pressure levels. When your blood pressure is higher than normal, the condition is known as hypertension.
What are systolic and diastolic pressure?
Systolic- When the heart contracts, it pushes the blood out to supply it to the organs and tissues, during which the blood pressure increases.
Diastolic- The heart relaxes to fill blood into it and the blood pressure decreases during this action.
What are the types of hypertension?
Primary/ Essential hypertension: high blood pressure with no established cause
Secondary hypertension: an underlying health issue causing high blood pressure
What should be the normal blood pressure range?
Normal blood pressure: 120/80 mmHg
High blood pressure: systolic pressure – between 120 to 129 and diastolic pressure- below 80
Stage 1 hypertension: systolic pressure – between 130 to 139 and diastolic pressure- between 80-89
Stage 2 hypertension: systolic pressure – 140 or more and diastolic pressure- 90 or more
Hypertensive crisis: systolic pressure – 180 or above and diastolic pressure- 120 or above
What are the factors that increase the risk of developing hypertension?
Age: risk increases with growing age
Family history
Lack of physical activity
Tobacco smoking
Alcohol consumption
Increased salt and reduced potassium in the diet
Obesity
Chronic conditions: diabetes, kidney disorders, thyroid problems, and sleep apnea can increase the risk
Stress
What symptoms can patients with hypertension experience?
Chest pain
Fatigue
Dizziness
Difficulty in breathing
Blurred Vision
Headache
What tests are done to diagnose hypertension?
Blood pressure monitoring
Blood and urine tests
Stress test- to monitor electrical activity of the heart as well as blood pressure while exercising
Electrocardiogram- evaluates the electrical activity in the heart
Echocardiogram- to detect defective heart valves, thickening of the heart wall, presence of excessive fluid around the heart, and blood clots
Holter monitoring- examine blood pressure and its changes during the day and with physical activities
How can blood pressure be kept under control?
Regular monitoring of blood pressure levels
Reduce salt and fat intake
Exercise regularly
Maintain a healthy weight
Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption
Manage stress
If diabetic, reduce sugar intake
Have routine check-ups to detect complications
What complications can hypertension lead to?
Heart attack
Stroke
Heart failure
Blood clots
Kidney disease
Memory problems
Metabolic syndrome- a group of conditions affecting the body’s metabolism
Narrow, thickened, or torn blood vessels of the eye
Aneurysm- weak and bulging blood vessels
What are the treatment options for managing hypertension?
Lifestyle modifications: regular exercise, maintain a healthy weight, following DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, avoid smoking and alcohol intake.
Relaxation techniques: meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, etc
Medications
What is a DASH diet?
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet is recommended for individuals who need to control or manage hypertension. The diet plan recommends:
Including vegetables, whole grains, and fruits
Avoiding sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages
Including fish, poultry, beans, vegetable oils, nuts, fat-free or low-fat dairy products
Limiting fatty meats, and tropical oils (coconut, palm, palm kernel)
Selecting food lower in sodium
To know more about how WhiteCoats can help you in your professional advancement, visit www.whitecoats.com Want to set up an online consultation for your practice, Click Here
#Stage2hypertension #diagnosehypertension #treatmentoptionsformanaginghypertension #Hypertensivecrisis #Normalbloodpressure #typesofhypertension #Whatisbloodpressure #systolicanddiastolicpressure #Whatishypertension #DASHdiet #Highbloodpressure #Secondaryhypertension #bloodpressureBP #Stage1hypertension