Tips to Help Reduce Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is a measurement of the force with which blood presses against the artery walls and is the result of the combination of the heart pumping blood and the arteries resisting the blood flow. It is measured by a cuff around the arm which is inflated and then listening to the blood flow.
The measurement is given as two seperate numbers called the systolic and the diastolic pressure, and the unit used is millimeters of mercury. High blood pressure is usually thought to be anything above 140/90, and at this point or higher the patient needs to take action to lower their blood pressure. Aside from the measurement itself there are usually no other symptoms.
There are a range of ways to treat hypertension, and which one is appropriate will depend on the severity of the disease. Other health problems or issues can also effect the treatment chosen, specifically diabetes, heart problems or pregnancy.
Getting on to treatment early decreases the risk of the complications that can arise from a high blood pressure, specifically heart failure or attacks, coronary artery disease, kidney disorders and strokes. Treatment in mild cases can be as simple as bed rest and relation, but the treatment process is highly individualized to each patient depending on te individual factors that have led to the high blood pressure in that patient. In most cases treatment will start by looking at the current lifestyle the individual lives and making whatever changes are necessary to correct the problem.
Changes in lifestyle usually begin with identifying triggers and removing them. Diet is the first thing that is addressed with saturated fats and cholesterol reduced and removed where possible. Salt is also a huge cause of high blood pressure and is something that is easy to cut down on with a little education. Stress in the work place and at home is also addressed and removed wherever possible. Suggesting someone remove stress is easily said, but harder to do. If the patient is serious about their health they may need to take an extended amount of time away from work, and sometimes even from family. There are health spas which have been built specifically for this de-stressing purpose. Sometimes massage is added to this course to improve the blood flow and assist in de-stressing the patient.
Because the blood pressure issue resolves itself slowly there is a real need for prolonged commitment to the treatment. The patient must be serious about fixing the problem and make it their number one priority.