Control Hypertension Before It Kills You
Diastolic and Systolic? Do these words mean anything to you?
Do you have hypertension and want to learn a little bit more about the terms?
Do you not know about hypertension? If so this lens is a good place to start.
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries.
When it stays elevated for long periods of time this is called High Blood Pressure (HBP), also known as hypertension.
All this extra work the heart does causes it damage and wears it down.
It will create atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
All of this directly affects heart disease, stroke, and aneurysms.
Heart disease and stroke are the #1 and #3 causes of death in America.
If you say, “Does it matter to know about hypertension?”
It will kill you if you don’t.
Hypertension shows no warning signs.
That is why it is known by the name, “the silent killer”.
Once it develops, it will last a lifetime, though there are many things you can do to keep it under control.
The only way to know you have it is to get it tested. This can be done at the doctor’s office or with an “at home” portable machine.
The most reliable way to measure it is to take a few different readings over a period of time and average the readings.
The machine to measure BP is called a sphygmomanometer. It measures in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded as two numbers. Systolic pressure “over” Diastolic pressure. i.e. “120 over 80”
Some people “only” have HBP when visiting a doctor’s office (due to “nerves”).
This is called “white-coat hypertension” and can be ruled out by getting a sphygmomanometer and checking it frequently at home.
Tips for getting your blood pressure taken: Do not drink coffee or smoke for 30 minutes before your reading.
These can raise your results by 10% both diastolic and systolic.
Not too much to it.
Everyone should get their BP checked out regularly.
HPB can manifest even in children and teens (though less likely).
Any adult over the age of forty would be wise to buy a digital blood pressure machine.
They are insanely easy to use, and checking hypertension once a month is not a bad idea, even if you have great numbers now.
The main thing is if you have hypertension, a family history of HBP, or your diastolic and systolic numbers are even getting close, you really need to keep on top of it. See your doctor!
There are many ways to prevent and cure high blood pressure naturally.
The last thing you want is to be on multiple medications that make you feel like crap until your body adjusts to them or if you do nothing, you could die.
Before you get your BP read, sit for five minutes. Back supported, feet flat on the ground. Rest your arm on a table at heart height.
Make sure you empty your bladder before a reading. A full bladder can throw off the results.
Wear short sleeves so that your arm can be accessed.
