KoChun
07-14-2005, 10:55 AM
Does your love ones have high blood pressure? If they do, pls take your time to read this.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is defined in an adult as a blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg systolic pressure or greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg diastolic pressure. High blood pressure directly increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, especially along with other risk factors.
Causes
Essential hypertension is of unknown etiology, but family history, obesity, high fat or high sodium diets, race, stress, and a sedentary lifestyle are all associated with hypertension.
Secondary hypertension is caused by an underlying factor such as kidney, endocrine, or neurological disease.
Types
High blood pressure can either be essential or secondary. Essential hypertension is treated with medication by physicians. Secondary hypertension is a symptom of an underlying problem. When the cause of the hypertension is corrected, blood pressure will return to normal.
At Risk
High blood pressure can occur in children or adults, but is particularly prevalent in blacks, middle-aged and elderly people, men, obese people, heavy drinkers and women who are taking oral contraceptives. Individuals with diabetes mellitus, gout, or kidney disease also have a higher frequency of hypertension.
Prevention and Management
There are many medications prescribed by physicians used to treat hypertension.
Dietary and lifestyle changes also may help control high blood pressure. For example, blood pressure often returns to normal in obese people who lose weight.
Excessive alcohol intake (more than two ounces daily) raises blood pressure in some people and should be restricted.
Increasing physical activity, as long as it is approved and guided by the physician, can reduce blood pressure in some people.
People who smoke are advised to quit because it increases the risk of high blood pressure.
Nutritional Influences
Some people with mild hypertension can lower their blood pressure by reducing sodium in their diet. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy American adults reduce their sodium intake to no more than 2400 milligrams per day.
Supplemental vitamin C decreased blood pressure in borderline hypertensive and normotensive subjects.
Calcium intakes of 800 mg/day were associated with lower blood pressures.
Magnesium supplementation was effective with hypertensive patients.
Antioxidant levels in the serum of hypertensive patients are generally lower. This may indicate that lower intakes of antioxidants increases risk for hypertension
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is defined in an adult as a blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg systolic pressure or greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg diastolic pressure. High blood pressure directly increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, especially along with other risk factors.
Causes
Essential hypertension is of unknown etiology, but family history, obesity, high fat or high sodium diets, race, stress, and a sedentary lifestyle are all associated with hypertension.
Secondary hypertension is caused by an underlying factor such as kidney, endocrine, or neurological disease.
Types
High blood pressure can either be essential or secondary. Essential hypertension is treated with medication by physicians. Secondary hypertension is a symptom of an underlying problem. When the cause of the hypertension is corrected, blood pressure will return to normal.
At Risk
High blood pressure can occur in children or adults, but is particularly prevalent in blacks, middle-aged and elderly people, men, obese people, heavy drinkers and women who are taking oral contraceptives. Individuals with diabetes mellitus, gout, or kidney disease also have a higher frequency of hypertension.
Prevention and Management
There are many medications prescribed by physicians used to treat hypertension.
Dietary and lifestyle changes also may help control high blood pressure. For example, blood pressure often returns to normal in obese people who lose weight.
Excessive alcohol intake (more than two ounces daily) raises blood pressure in some people and should be restricted.
Increasing physical activity, as long as it is approved and guided by the physician, can reduce blood pressure in some people.
People who smoke are advised to quit because it increases the risk of high blood pressure.
Nutritional Influences
Some people with mild hypertension can lower their blood pressure by reducing sodium in their diet. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy American adults reduce their sodium intake to no more than 2400 milligrams per day.
Supplemental vitamin C decreased blood pressure in borderline hypertensive and normotensive subjects.
Calcium intakes of 800 mg/day were associated with lower blood pressures.
Magnesium supplementation was effective with hypertensive patients.
Antioxidant levels in the serum of hypertensive patients are generally lower. This may indicate that lower intakes of antioxidants increases risk for hypertension