What
is Hypertension?
Hypertension
is a
condition in which the blood pressure is persistently
higher than normal. It is more common in men than women,
especially from middle age onwards. High blood pressure
puts extra strain on the heart and the circulatory system.
It poses a serious risk to health by increasing likelihood
of coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke and kidney
disease. Occasionally, it can give rise to other serious
complications. The increased risk relates not only to how
high your blood pressure is but for how long it has
remained raised.
What
causes hypertension and who is at risk?
There is very often no single direct cause of hypertension.
For many people, high blood pressure is a natural
consequence of getting older; this is known as ‘essential
hypertension’. There is some evidence that essential
hypertension is genetically linked. A number of factors can
increase the risk of hypertension or make the problem
worse. These include: lack of exercise, stress, smoking,
obesity, excess alcohol consumption
What
are the common symptoms and complications
of hypertension? Essential
hypertension produces few, if any, specific symptoms. It is
often diagnosed by chance when your blood pressure is
measured as part of a routine health check. When very
severe, hypertension can cause breathlessness headaches
dizziness
What can you do about hypertension?
Once you have been diagnosed as having hypertension, it is
important to visit your doctor regularly to have your blood
pressure measured. This enables a regular record to be
built up and the progress of your hypertension to be
monitored.
Prescribed
Medicines
In more serious cases medication (usually in the form of
tablets) may be prescribed.
There are many different types of medicines for high blood
pressure but some of the most common are known as beta
blockers. By relaxing the muscle around the arteries and
slowing the heart rate, these drugs tend to increase the
flow of blood through the arteries which results in a drop
in pressure.
Other drugs called calcium channel blockers (such as
nifedipine) are also commonly prescribed.
These medicine do have side effects;, once they have
reduced your blood pressure, you must keep taking them.
They are only a treatment not a cure.
It is therefore best to do as much as possible to lower
your blood pressure using lifestyle and dietary changes, as
well as alternative and complementary medicine treatment
You must not stop taking your prescribed medication
whithout telling your doctor first; your blood pressure
must be frequently monitored and your doctor will want to
be certain it is safe to reduce medication.
Self
help for Hypertension:
If your blood pressure is only slightly adopting a more
healthy lifestylemay be enough to lower it.
Stop smoking: and add
20 years to your life expectancy
Lose weight: obesity
is a major cause of hypertension
Take regular, low intensity, prolonged
exercise.
Improve your diet: Eat less
fatty food, reduce salt intake. Eat more fresh fruits,
vegetables, oily fish, foods high in fibre, high in
potassium such as potatoes, spinach, lentils and beans; eat
a lot of garlic, olive oil.
Avoid stress, Learn
to relax, take on a hobby.
Moderate alcohol intake: no more
than a glass of wine a day.
Take garlic,1500 to
6000 mg a day, and coenzyme Q10, 200 to 300 mg a day, in
combination to lower blood pressure.
Take olive leaf infusions or tablets
Take a low-dose aspirin: follow
the advice of your GP
Complementary therapy : A
variety of complementary treatments are available and do
not have harmful effects. Among the most effective in
reducing or managing hypertension are;
Acupuncture: can
lower blood pressure rapidly and keep it down
Aromatherapy: for
stress related hypertension
Homeopathy: reduce
quickly stress and anxiety
Herbal medicine: some
plants have a proven effect in lowering blood pressure
