Hypertension

Facts

·   Worldwide 1 billion people have chronic high blood pressure or hypertension.

·   Released in May 2007 in the U.S. at a briefing of healthcare professional and patient advocacy organizations in Washington, D.C., the report authors predict that in the U.S. and other developed nations, the number of adults with high blood pressure will increase from 333 million to 413 million by 2025.

·   The report warns that in developing countries, the number of people with hypertension could rise by 80% to 1.15 billion, meaning that almost three- quarters of people with high blood pressure will be in developing countries by 2025.

About 100 million Americans have high blood pressure (140 over 90 mm of mercury or greater).

What is blood pressure?

The force the blood exerts against the walls of the arteries.  Pressure is measured by the distance in millimeters that it will raise a column of mercury.

Systolic Pressure = Pressure built up when the heart muscle pumps blood out of the aorta

Diastolic Pressure = Pressure at its lowest—between beats

           

What is hypertension or high blood pressure?  Sustained increase in the pressure in the blood vessels over a long period of time.

What is the average blood pressure?  120/80 (lower is better)

What are the symptoms of high blood pressure?  There are usually no symptoms until it gets dangerously high.

What are the signs of a dangerously high blood pressure?

• frequent headaches
• pounding of heart & shortness of  breath with mild exercise
• weakness & dizziness
• occasional pain in left shoulder & chest

Major causes of primary hypertension:

1.     Too much salt in the diet

2.  Arteriosclerosis—Systolic hypertension appears to be due to a loss of elastic tissue and to arteriosclerotic changes

in the large blood vessels.

3.     Emotional Stress

4.     Increased blood viscosity (or thickness)

5.     Smoking

6.     Obesity—in one study 70% of high blood pressure in men and 61% in women was attributed to obesity.

7.     Lack of Exercise

8.     Heredity

Mechanisms:

Blood cannot flow as it should through the arteries because of plaque build-up in key areas—there may not be enough blood pressure in the brain—the brain speeds up the heart to pump more blood and shuts down arterioles in 3 key places:  viscera, skin, and kidneys.

Blood is so thick it can’t move through the arterioles and capillaries—it is sticky or thick with fat.  Flesh meats and sugar can make this problem much worse. 

If the kidneys have reduced blood pressure they release a substance called renin (a vasoconstrictor)—this increases blood pressure for the kidneys.

Salt increases the effect of chemicals secreted by nerves to constrict the arterioles.  There is also an inability of the kidneys to eliminate an increased salt load.  To excrete excess salt the body makes adjustments that boost the blood pressure which enables the kidneys to eliminate salt.  In a recent study it was found that an increase in sodium equals an increase in risk of heart attacks, even without hypertension.  Limit for sodium should be 2400 mg. per day for a person with normal blood pressure.  1 tsp. of salt equals 2300 mg. sodium

Hypertension affects your arteries:  Once you get high blood pressure, the pressure forces cholesterol into the walls of the arteries increasing the damage which raises your Blood Pressure even more. 

What can happen if hypertension goes untreated?

It may get higher and higher.  Eventually it can cause strokes, blindness, heart attacks, kidney damage kidney failure, and even death.

What about blood pressure medications? 

Blood pressure medications do not cure hypertension—they simply help control it by opening up the arterioles.  They have side effects as do all drugs and may cause problems in other systems of the body.  It is best to lower your blood pressure without medications if possible.  If blood pressure is only mildly elevated, risk from the drug is greater than the risk from hypertension.  In one study which questioned the closest relatives of patients on drug medications, it was reported that 33% had memory loss, 45% irritability, and 46% depression.  People taking anti-hypertensive drugs have higher rates of heart disease than people who have identical blood pressures without drugs.

How to control hypertension

1.       Avoid animal products.   Both cholesterol and saturated fats contribute to atherosclerosis, heart disease, cancer and hypertension. 

2.       Eat a low fat diet.  A plant based diet prepared in a simple way, avoiding refinement and frying is the best. 

3.       Do not eat much sugar.  Sugar increases insulin production which tends to increase fats and cholesterol in the bloodstream, thereby thickening the blood.  Sugar contributes to diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

4.       Eat a high fiber diet consisting of whole grains (oatmeal is best), fresh fruits and vegetables. 

5.       Eat 1 or 2 cloves of fresh raw garlic with every meal (or take garlic capsules).  Garlic helps dilate blood vessels and pulls cholesterol from the arteries.

6.       Eat more beans.  Beans are high in the amino acid arginine which helps dilate the blood vessels to the kidneys, viscera, & skin.

7.       Eat very little salt (no more than 500 mg. of sodium per day).  Do not add salt to food while cooking or eating.  Read labels to determine the sodium content of the canned and packaged foods that you buy.  Minimum level for our body to function is 250mg./day and yet the average American consumes 4,000 mg/day.

8.       Calcium can help lower blood pressure.

9.       Lose weight if you are overweight.  Excess weight tends to raise blood pressure; overeating aggravates hypertension.  Usually losing just 5 lbs. Will bring BP down substantially but should stay on a weight loss program to reduce to ideal weight to maintain good BP.

10.   Get plenty of exercise (walking is excellent).  Exercise strengthens the heart muscle, helps control stress, clears fats from the blood, and lowers blood pressure by increasing circulation.

11.   Eat foods containing potassium.  Potassium has an anti-hypertensive effect.  Potassium can be found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.  Bananas are a good source.

12.   Dress so as to not get chilled.  Chilling constricts the blood vessels & raises blood pressure (especially important are the feet during damp, cool weather).

13.   Sunshine helps to lower blood pressure.  It takes 24 hours to have an effect.

14.   Avoid caffeine, cigarettes, and alcohol, all of which damage your arteries and increase blood pressure.  1-2 oz./day of alcohol can raise BP.

15.   Hydrotherapy treatments can help lower blood pressure temporarily.  A hot foot bath, neutral tub bath or moist heat to the kidneys may be beneficial.

16.   Studies show that people who attend church regularly have lower blood pressures.