High Blood Presure Disease Prevention and Control

MARIAN was afraid! No warning, her nose began to bleed abundantly. “I thought I was going to die,” she recalls. Marian told a doctor that the bleeding was caused by high blood pressure (hypertension). “But I’m OK,” says Marian. “Many people do not know they have high blood pressure because they “have no symptoms, she said.

What about your blood pressure? Would your current lifestyle cause high blood pressure in the future? What can you do to keep your blood pressure under control? *

Blood pressure is the force that blood exerts on vessel walls. It is an inflatable rubber cuff, are measured, wrapped around his arm and is connected to a device that records pressure. We have produced two readings. For example: 120/80. The first number is called systolic blood pressure, because it suggests that blood pressure is called the heart (systole) and the second number is the diastolic blood pressure, because it indicates that blood pressure while the heart relaxes (diastole). Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, and doctors to classify patients with hypertension, such as when her blood pressure above 140/90.

What does increase the pressure? Imagine that you are watering your garden. Opening times or to increase the tap water by reducing the size or the diameter of the jet, water pressure. The same happens with the blood pressure: increasing the rate of blood flow or decreasing the caliber of blood vessels, raises blood pressure. How high blood pressure? Involves many factors.

Factors that you can not control
The researchers found that a person has relatives with high blood pressure, his chances of suffering from the disease are greater. The statistics show a higher incidence of hypertension in identical twins than fraternal twins. One study refers to the mapping of genes that are known for arterial hypertension, would confirm the existence of a hereditary component of hypertension. The danger of unusually high blood pressure with age and is highest among black men.

Factors you can control
Watch your diet! Salt (sodium chloride) can raise blood pressure in some people, especially people with diabetes, severe hypertension, older people and blacks. Excess fat in the blood can cause cholesterol deposits in the inner walls of the arteries (atherosclerosis), reducing the size and the increase in blood pressure. People who are more than 30 percent above the ideal body weight, can have high blood pressure. Studies show that an increased intake of potassium and calcium may lower blood pressure.

Smoking is a higher risk of atherosclerosis, diabetes, heart attack and stroke. Therefore, smoking and hypertension are a dangerous combination, on cardiovascular disease can be. Although the evidence is contradictory, caffeine in coffee, tea and cola drinks, and emotional and physical stress can also aggravate high blood pressure. In addition, scientists know that can increase an intense or chronic alcohol consumption and physical activity on blood pressure.

Healthier lifestyle
It would be wrong to wait for high blood pressure may develop before taking positive action. A healthy lifestyle should be a concern from an early age. The attention will now turn to a better quality of life in the future.

The Third Brazilian Consensus on Hypertension is the change of life, defined as lowering blood pressure support. This is a useful guide for people with high or normal blood pressure.

For the obese, the researchers recommended a balanced low-calorie diet, avoiding fast and “miracle” diet, maintaining a program of moderate physical activity. With regard to salt, suggested a consumption of not more than six grams or one teaspoon per day. # In practice, this means the use of salt to minimize preparation of food and canned food to minimize, to sausages (salami, ham, sausage and others), and smoked foods. The consumption of salt can also by not adding additional salt during lunch and the control of the packaging of processed foods to see how much salt are included reduced.

The Brazilian consensus proposed to increase potassium intake, because it could be “blood pressure lowering effect.” Therefore, should include a healthy diet “foods low in sodium and rich in potassium, such as beans, dark green vegetables, bananas, melons, carrots, turnips, tomatoes and oranges. Keeping alcohol intake to a moderate level is also important. Some researchers show that people with hypertension should consume no more than an ounce [30 ml] of alcohol per day, and women or those with low body weight no more than half an ounce [15 ml].%

The Brazilian consensus has concluded that regular physical activity reduces blood pressure and thus reduce the risk of developing pulmonary hypertension. Moderate aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling and swimming for 30 to 45 minutes three to five times a week is beneficial. ^ Other factors were associated with a healthier lifestyle, quit smoking, control of blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and diabetes, is always an adequate intake of calcium and magnesium, and check the physical and emotional stress. Some medicines can increase blood pressure, such as nasal decongestants, antacids with high salt content, the moderators of appetite, and caffeine-containing analgesics for the treatment of migraine.

Of course, if you have hypertension, your doctor will be better able to advise you on diet and habits, depending on your personal needs. Whatever the case, but through a healthy lifestyle from an early age is always useful, not only for people with hypertension, but for the whole family. Marian, mentioned at the beginning of this article I have to make changes in their life style. Currently taking medication and lead a normal life, although the problem of health. What do you think? Until, when all people have a healthy life and say “no resident:” I am sick, “” Keep your blood pressure under control! Isaiah 33:24.

FIGHTING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
1. Measures That Can Help Control High Blood Pressure
Reduce body weight
Cut salt intake
Increase intake of potassium-rich foods
Reduce consumption of alcoholic drinks
Exercise regularly

2. Other Measures That May Help Control Blood Pressure
Calcium and magnesium supplements
High-fiber vegetarian diet
Antistress therapy

3. Related Measures
Quit smoking
Control cholesterol level
Control diabetes
Avoid drugs that can boost blood pressure

Adapted from the Third Brazilian Consensus on Arterial Hypertension—Revista Brasileira de Clínica & Terapêutica.