Blood Pressure

Something we all need and we have until the end is blood pressure. No need to shop for it. It is right there inside. It is not spiritual. It is very measurable. In fact it is good to measure blood pressure on a regular basis. Just right blood pressure lets us tool along without a fuss. Too high blood pressure can make us pass out, have a stroke or heart attack or cause our lungs to fill up with fluid and drown us. Too low blood pressure can make us pass out, cause us to fall and hurt ourselves.

The magic number for blood pressure is 120/80. Acceptable variations range from 90/60 to 135/85 and any combination within that range. This does not leave us with too much elbow room. Also, what is an acceptable lower blood pressure for some may cause others to be queezy.

The sneaky part about blood pressure is that the body does not scream at us until our blood pressure gets way out of range for quite a bit of time.

Headaches, blurry vision, chest pain, sinus congestion, tiredness, irritability, impatience may all be signs that the blood pressure is too high. Friends, spouses and those who know us on a day to day basis may be aware that there is a problem way before us. When doors slam at home or a telephone gets slammed down, a blood pressure check may be in order.

Okay, the blood pressure is checked, and oops, it is not right! Does this mean medication now and forever?? For some folks the answer is yes. For others, blood pressure can be lowered by restoring the body to good health. This means walking two miles daily, preferably outside. This means fruits and vegetables with five varieties daily. This means broiled, boiled and baked foods.

This means whole grain breads. This means laughing a lot. Sometimes only five pounds of weight loss is all that is needed to lower blood pressure.

Why do we get high blood pressure? Sometimes genetics is stacked so that high blood pressure is inevitable. Sometimes the thyroid gland is not working well. Sometimes we do it to ourselves. Either way, the above recipe is very helpful. Why is it important that our blood pressure be in the safe range. Because high blood pressure has the power to destroy our heart, our kidneys and our brain. We need each and everyone of these organs.

As soon as high blood pressure is diagnosed for you or a family member. Get a blood pressure cuff. If the cuff is electronic, it will read the blood pressure and pulse. Otherwise, a stethoscope is also needed. It is possible to learn how to take a blood pressure in only a few minutes. In our office we are eager to share this knowledge with our clients. Initially it will be important to take the blood pressure frequently, then once weekly home checks will be sufficient. Make a diary for the health care provider.

Medicine is needed. What kind? How much? There are many different kinds of blood pressure medicines. The best kind to take is one that lowers the blood pressure into the safe range without making us feel bad. Hopefully, this will be one of the not-so-expensive medicines. For example: hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). This medicine works at very low doses. There can be some draw backs: because low potasium can be a side effect of most diuretics including hydrochlorathiazide can drain the body of postasium. Sometimes potasium supplements are needed, sometimes a potasium saving medicine is given like triampterene, spironalactone or lisinopril to mention some.

These medicines also help to lower blood pressure. Sometimes there are reactions to the medications that can make us feel bad. Folks with an allergy to sulfa may react to most diuretics because there is a form of sulfa in these medicines. Another type of blood pressure medicine is a group of drugs know as beta-blockers. These are very heart protective. Some examples of this are atenolol, propranolol, Toprol. These can slow down the heart rate as well as lower the blood pressure. Most of the time this is just what is needed. Sometimes, however, the beta blockers slow things down too much. We need to know when this happens— make a diary.

There are many types of blood pressure medicines. Each one has its special time and place and side effects. Most of the time a combination of medicines is needed. Many blood pressure medicines can cause erectile dysfunction. This is a side effect that needs to be discussed with the health care provider. Dizziness, cough, fatigue are other side effects. Whenever the side effects from medications seems a bit much, talk to the health care professional.

Hard to control blood pressure may be a sign of heart or kidney disease. Be sure to inquire about these if your blood pressure seems especially hard to control. A carotid artery ultrasound showing blockage often indicates that the heart and kidney also have blockage. Such findings mean aggressive care is important. Cholesterol control with niacin, Omega 3 fish oil, Lipitor or Pravachol will help tip the scale towards health.

There are many solutions to high blood pressure. The right combination can be found. It is important to work closely with the health care profession to find your special combination.