Hypertension Resources

A person who has normal blood pressure is prone to hypertension due to his/her stress at the work place, unhealthy eating habits and improper sleep. Hypertension is the direct effect of high blood pressure. Medication and food habits take part in hypertension treatment to counter act the blood pressure.

Blood that flows through the arteries travels from the heart to all the organs and tissues of the body. The normal blood pressure of a human being is 120/80mm Hg in which the first value of 120 denotes the systolic pressure when the heart pumps the blood to various parts of the body. The second value of 80 denotes the diastolic pressure when the heart relaxes between two pumping actions. When the person has high blood pressure these values rise to more than 140/90mm Hg and the person is said to have hypertension.

High blood pressure is termed as a silent killer because the affected person realizes the truth too late. Hypertension mainly damages the blood vessels and it is the chief cause of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. People of overweight i.e. the Body Mass Index is more than 30kg/Sq m, suffer from hypertension. They need to lose their weights by 30% of the existing one. Body weight has a direct impact on the heart and causes strain in the pumping of blood. A person with hypertension should decrease his/her intake of sodium chloride (table salt) to only one teaspoon per day mixed in food. Avoiding foods like potato chips, pizzas and other fast foods rich in sodium can lower his/her high blood pressure.

The person undergoing the hypertension treatment is advised by the doctor to consume foods rich in minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium. These elements help in normal functioning of his/her heart and minimize the chances of hypertension. Gradual reduction of alcohol intake reduces blood pressure. Caffeine present in coffee increases acidity thereby causing strain on the heart which leads to hypertension.

Aerobic exercises like walking and jogging help in reducing the body weight and regulate the proper functioning of various organs. Addition of leafy vegetables and fruits rich in dietary fibers energizes the body to perform better activities.

Intake of food rich in cholesterol results in formation of scales inside the walls of the blood vessels connecting the heart, causing high blood pressure. So, the person undergoing the hypertension treatment should do away with fatty foods. Smoking causes constriction of blood vessels which makes the heart pump blood faster resulting in high blood pressure.

Garlic can be used in hypertension treatment to lower the high blood pressure. The person who feels stress in life should relax his/her mind by doing meditation.

Some of the medicines tried in hypertension treatment are ACE inhibitors and Beta blockers. ACE inhibitors inhibit the production of angiotensin, a hormone which contracts the blood vessels. These medicines expand the blood capillaries and increase the blood flow. Beta blockers control the hormone called adrenaline and condition the nervous system, resulting in relaxation of the heart thereby reducing the hypertension. Alpha blockers help in improved blood circulation. Calcium channel blockers relax the heart muscles and those of the arteries.

Diuretics are used in hypertension treatment for removing excess salts and fluids from kidneys.