Blood Pressure

Posts Tagged ‘blood pressure’

Tips On How To Choose A Home Blood Pressure Monitor

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

There are many varieties and types of home blood pressure monitors (HBPM). Investing in a blood pressure monitor is a great way to keep track of your blood pressure; then again, selecting one can be confusing. The selection is individual and generally based on::Accuracy, Ease of use, Cost, Type of cuff, Memory and printing options. It is important to pick out one you are comfortable with. This article will give you several guidelines and information to choose best BP monitor for you.

Home blood pressure monitors are principally of 3 varieties, Mercury column, aneroid and Digital Blood pressure monitors.

Mercury HBPMs:
These are seen in Doctor’s Offices. They are the most exact, but most tricky to use. This unit utilizes a stethoscope to listen to the sounds in the arteries.

Aneroid HPBMs-
These blood pressure monitors are the next most dependable. Aneroid machines range in cost from approximately $20 to $30. They also call for incorporating a stethoscope – which is integrated in this particular model. They are lightweight, manageable, and affordable. Experts from the American Society of Hypertension recommend this style and say that these are the most low-cost monitors and little can go wrong with them. Aneroid models can be difficult to use, and may call for instruction by a doctor or health worker. Additionally, using these requires excellent hearing and eyesight and might not be the greatest alternative for elderly or disabled individuals For these reasons, aneroid HBPMs are in general less well-liked than digital monitors.

Digital HBPMs:
These machines are less exact, but they are the easiest to operate. They are a fine option for individuals who are hard of hearing or have weak eyesight. If you operate it properly, it is the best option for anyone.

Also it is necessary to take into account the style of cuff when purchasing HBPMs. Cuffs are of three types. Arm, wrist and finger cuffs. Arm cuffs are the most precise. Finger and wrist cuffs are only recommended for those who cannot wear them on the arm. An improperly fitted arm cuff will offer a false reading. This is the most frequent cause for faulty blood pressure readings. To determine your cuff size, measure around the middle of your upper arm. If it is
Less than 31 cm (12.2 in), buy a standard-size cuff.
Between 31 and 40 cm (15.7 in), buy a large-size cuff.

Cuffs should be inflated to gauge blood pressure- they consist of those that need to be inflated manually, semi-automatic devices, or auto inflate devices.

Next are some guidelines for when you buy your blood pressure machine.

Display Size – Is a regular or an extra-large LCD read-out necessary? Try to take one with a normal size.
Power Supply – Battery powered or AC adapter. If you travel, the battery powered unit is your top choice.
Recall Features – A few models remember the most recent reading or many readings. There are also models that include a PC link. Better to decide on one that has a recollection of atleast one month Blood Pressure monitoring.
Printing options- Some monitors also have printing options to keep your records safe.
Cuff Sizes – Large and small arm cuffs are available for some units. The size of the cuff on a blood pressure monitor may well be the most important factor in getting a precise reading. So always use a cuff which is not too small and not too large.
Cost – Price may possibly be the most important factor. Remember to do as much research as possible. The more costly models might not always be better than the less costly monitors
Accuracy – Readings on some wrist and finger units may not be as correct as an arm unit depending on the person.
Simplicity – Depends on personal preference. People with certain disabilities might come across one unit easier to handle than another.
Length of Warranty – Warranties fluctuate from one to three years. Inspect your unit frequently to make certain everything operate smoothly and accurately.

While monitoring your blood pressure is important, reducing it is more important. If you are overweight, learning how to get rid of body fat and losing excess weight can be a literal life saver.

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Understand Aneurysms

Monday, June 1st, 2009

What Exactly Is An Aneurysm?

Your arteries perform a critical job: they transport blood from your heart to all other areas throughout your body. Under normal circumstances, the arterial wall is strong enough to support the corresponding blood pressure. However, if those walls weaken, a rupture or dissection can occur. These are called aneurysms. While they typically happen in the aorta, they can also happen within the brain.

If a rupture occurs, it can lead to bleeding within your body. On the other hand, a dissection manifests as a tear in one of the arterial layers. If that happens, the bleeding will spread within the layers of the wall. If a patient does not receive immediate medical attention, both circumstances can be fatal.

In this article we will discuss the factors and risk that can lead to aneurysms. We will discus the signs of aneurysms, what to check for and treatment options.

Causes And Risk Factors

While ruptures and dissections occur as a result of arterial wall weakening, it is worth reviewing the conditions which ultimately lead to such weakening. High blood pressure is a leading factor. So, too, is age. Smoking plays an influential role, of course. Many doctors also believe genetics can be a factor.

Occasionally, patients who are suffering from specific disorders (for example, Loeys-Dietz syndrome or Marfan syndrome) are more susceptible to experiencing an aneurysm. These conditions and others can damage the aorta leading to a weakening in the arterial wall.

Potential Warning Signs

Most individuals have the impression of aneurysms, they often imagine an immediate excruciating pain lancing through them. In truth, some people develop them without realizing it until years later. If one ruptures in the abdominal area, the symptoms are rapid; they include vomiting, a lightheaded sensation, and severe pain. If a dissection does happen in the thoracic area of your body, you will feel pain throughout your chest, back and jaw. It may also be difficult to breathe or swallow.

Medical Treatment

As noted above, if a rupture or dissection occurs, it is life-threatening and must be treated immediately. Otherwise, most types of medical treatment seek to prevent an existing aneurysm from becoming larger. Doing so can prevent a rupture or dissection.

A specialist will often prescribe medicine (for example, beta blockers) in order to lower the patient’s blood pressure. If there is a risk that an aneurysm is getting larger quickly, surgery may be necessary. In most cases, the problematic portion of the aorta is removed and a graft is put in its place. Assuming the patient is in relatively good health, a full recovery is expected.

It is crucial that once this is diagnosed that the patient maintain a regular check-up schedule with their physician. The earlier and more consistently it can be treated, the less likelihood of experiencing a life-threatening situation.

Published by Heart Wellness Store

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Posted in Heart Wellness | 2 Comments »

Eating Your Way To Reduced Blood Pressure

Friday, April 24th, 2009

In the United States today high blood pressure has reached epidemic levels with more than 65 million people suffering from high blood pressure and another 45 million having a condition referred to as pre-hypertension. High blood pressure is a symptomless disease which raises your risk of heart attack and stroke and you could quite easily be suffering from it without any knowledge of it until it is too late.

Of course there are medicines on the market which can help to lower blood pressure, but many of these have side effects and, despite the fact that some people might need to take medication at least in the short term to lower their blood pressure, a far better answer is to look for some natural remedies for high blood pressure if you are able to.

For almost all of us high blood pressure is related to weight and diet and this is a big problem today when two thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese. Additionally, the majority of Americans get much too much salt in their diet and not enough of the many other beneficial vitamins and minerals which can actually reduce blood pressure. In a nutshell, you can eat your way to a lower blood pressure, if you know how to do it.

In truth, it is often possible to lower your blood pressure quite quickly if you change your diet and begin exercising. That said, if you’ve not taken any exercise for a long time you ought not to suddenly start a vigorous exercise program and it’s always prudent to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

diet lower hypertension

To start though let us talk about a few things that you should avoid and top of the list comes salt. Salt (or sodium) is one of the chief culprits in today’s high blood pressure epidemic. Too much dietary fat is also a culprit as it promotes arteriosclerosis, weight gain, and other difficulties which lead to high blood pressure. Hence, two things to avoid in your diet are salt and excess fat, principally saturated or trans fats.

So, what types of food should you have in your diet in order to help lower your blood pressure? Potassium is one of the key substances which is missing in today’s American diet and which is very beneficial for your blood pressure. It helps lower blood pressure just as sodium assists in raising your blood pressure and so including sufficient potassium in your diet can help stabilize blood pressure.

It’s very easy to get potassium into your diet by simply loading up on frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables, providing of course that they have no added suger or salt. Even though this might seem bland to some people, it is one of the best ways to make sure that you normalize your blood pressure. And of course, at the same time you also have to cut down on the salt to the recommended daily sodium intake of roughly 2400 mg a day. A great way to do this is not to add any salt to your diet at all as natural unprocessed foods contain sufficient salt and, if you wish to flavor your food then simply try using herbs and spices.

Magnesium and calcium are two other minerals that can help to lower blood pressure. Both magnesium and calcium are considered calming minerals and most Americans don’t get enough of them in their diets. Low-fat dairy products are a good source of calcium as are legumes, nuts, and dark and leafy green vegetables. You need to aim to get a balance of approximately two parts of magnesium to three parts of calcium. Foods such as soybeans, white beans and sesame seeds not only contain a lot of calcium and magnesium but they are also excellent sources of potassium.

Finally, make sure that you drink enough water and also get sufficient fiber in your diet. Fiber helps to speed toxins and unhealthy substances from your body and it also helps you feel full so that you are not tempted to eat too much.

Published by Heart Wellness Store

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Posted in High Blood Pressure | 31 Comments »

Measuring Your Blood Pressure

Monday, March 30th, 2009

What exactly Is Blood Pressure?

Of all the organs of our body the heart is without doubt the most critical and rightly so as, if it stops pumping blood around the body and delivering vital oxygen to the other organs, including the brain, death will occur very quickly.

Despite its importance however many of us pay little if any attention to the health of our heart until forced to do so, when it is often too late. And yet keeping a check on the heart by simple routine measurement of our blood pressure could not be easier.

As with most things in life, if the heart starts to run into problems then there will be warning signs giving us time to take remedial action and these warning signs often come in the form of abnormally high or low blood pressure.

The principle role of the heart is to take freshly oxygenated blood and pump it through the main arteries and then through a network of smaller blood vessels to all parts of the body. As the heart contracts forcing blood out into the arteries pressure is exerted on the walls of the arteries. Then, as the heart relaxes and its chambers refill ready to pump again the pressure in the arteries falls.

By measuring these two pressure levels we can get an indication of just how well the heart is pumping blood around the body and thus see whether or not it is working normally.

Until quite recently it was necessary to visit the doctor’s office to have your blood pressure measured. The doctor would place a cuff around your upper arm roughly at the level of the heart. He would then place his stethoscope over the brachial artery where it runs close to the surface of the skin on the inside of your arm at the elbow and proceed to inflate the cuff.

Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure

As the cuff is inflated it tightens around the arm preventing blood from flowing through the brachial artery. The pressure in the cuff, which is indicated by a mercury manometer attached to the cuff, is slowly released and the point at which blood starts flowing through the artery, and which the doctor hears as a "whoosing" sound through his stethoscope, is noted. This is the point at which the pressure in the cuff equals the pressure in the artery as the heart pumps blood through it and is known as the systolic pressure.

The doctor then continues to slowly release the pressure in the cuff and to monitor the sound of blood being pumped through the artery until no sound at all is detected. At this point the manometer indicates the pressure in the artery as the heart is at rest and refilling ready to pump again. This lower pressure is known as the diastolic pressure.

Blood pressure will vary from person to person and will also rise and fall within each of us depending on a variety of factors such as the time of day, our level of activity, whether we are feeling stressed, our general state of health and whether or not we are currently taking particular forms of medication.

Blood Pressure Readings

For the average person at rest however systolic blood pressure will be around 120 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) and diastolic blood pressure will be 80 mm Hg. As an indication of the degree of variation between individuals, and within any one person, the normal range of systolic pressure is considered to be 90 – 135 mm Hg and the normal range of diastolic pressure is 50 – 90 mm Hg.

If your blood pressure falls outside these readings, then your doctor will need to investigate further to discover why your blood pressure in either unusually high or unusually low.

Blood Pressure Home Monitors

Since most of us do not visit the doctor on a regular basis, and only venture into the surgery when we absolutely have to, it can often be many months, or even years, between blood pressure checks and we could well be walking around blissfully unaware that we have a time bomb ticking away inside us.

Home Blood Pressure Monitors A Wise Investment

Today however there is a whole range of very simple to operate and relatively inexpensive blood pressure monitors available for use in our own homes and absolutely no reason at all for not keeping a regular eye on our most valuable organ. These come with various whistles and bells and the prices range from $20 to $100. You can get a basic measuement sleeve with air pump and a manual measurement dial and a stethescope for about $20-$25. This will give you an accurate blood pressure reading. If you want a digital monitor that displays the reading on a digital screen, no stethescope,and pulse rate readings, the price increases. So goes the story. The more features, the higher the price.The more expensive ones will keep a history on a memory chip so you can keep a record of all your readings and bring it into your doctor’s office when you have your next check up. But, frankly, it’s a wise investment. Be good to your heart!

So, before tragedy strikes either you or one of your loved ones, why not take a few minutes to check out the range of available and buy yourself some peace of mind.

Published by Heart Wellness Store

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Early Signs Of Diabetes

Sunday, March 15th, 2009

Diabetes is a major health problem here in the U.S. It can be controlled or managed with lifestyle and diatary changes. In fact, it can actually be reversed. But it will require a major effort to do so. But it’s worth it. Diabetes most certainly will shorten your life, and if it is not controlled, it is nasty in its later stages.

It should be noted that we’re talking about Type 2 diabetes here, or adult diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is the one people have when they are born. Most of them take insulin all their lives, which generally are shorter than the average person. Type 2 sneaks up on you, and because a person is older, usually over 40 when he or she gets it, it requires a real lifestyle change to manage and/or control it. But it can be done, and the results of the effort are worth it.

treating diabetes

The Main Pre-Diabetic Symptoms

If you have two or more of these pre-diabetes symptoms you should seriously consider getting yourself checked out:

1) If you find you are excessively thirsty, not just after extreme exercise or hot weather.

2) You seem to constantly have a dry mouth – even if you’ve just had a drink.

3) You find you are having to urinate frequently.

4) You have unexpected weight loss or gain (even though you may be constantly hungry and eating well. Of course you may be eating the wrong things which would probably make your pre-diabetes symptom worse).

5) You feel lethargic. You always feel as if you have no energy; you are weak and tired all the time.

6) Sometimes your vision is blurry – be careful, untreated eye problems caused through diabetes can lead to blindness. You should have regular eye checks, especially as you get older because your eyes can be the early warning signal for many diseases – not just diabetes.

7) You have cuts or sores or bruises (especially on your feet) that are slow to heal.

If you experience excessive itching or soreness in the genital area or yeast infections (which can be misdiagnosed as thrush) it may be a sign of too much sugar in your urine.

Risk Factors For Diabetes

There are different types of diabetes; pre-diabetes, type 1, type 2, gestational and maturity onset. And, depending on your age, lifestyle and family history you may be more susceptible to developing diabetes.

Foe example you may be more prone to developing diabetes if any of these factors apply to you:

Your family background is African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino.

You have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes

You are aged over 45 and are overweight you might be at risk of diabetes type 2

You have had gestational diabetes or have given birth to a baby over 9 pounds in weight

You have high blood pressure.

Your cholesterol levels are not good.

I myself have diabetes and high blood pressure–or I used to. We’ll present you with a lot of opinions in future posts from all sorts of experts on what to do about diabetes. Well, the bottom line is this. Every doctor you’ll ever consult about diabetes will say these key things:

Lose Weight–Probably the most important thing, If you’re like I was–55 years old, 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds–you’re too heavy. The pancreas, which produces insulin for your body which is used to keep blood sugars below the diabetic threshold level, can only produce a certain amount of insulin. In my case, for example, at 5′ 5” in height, my pancreas can only produce enough insulin for a weight of 175 pounds. After that–not enough insulin is produced and diabetes sets in. Drop 30 pounds and you’re good.
Change Your Diet to Reduce Blood Sugar–Cut out sugar and "bad carbohydrates," which convert into sugar during digestion.
Exercise Regularly– Aerobic exercise every other day will do the trick–30 minutes a day. A brisk walk will even suffice.

I know you’re thinking, O Boy! Is that all? Well, it’s doable. It’ll take some work and commitment. But if you’re like I was at 55 and the doctor says, "If you don’t lose weight and exercise, you probably won’t live 10 more years. If you do what I say and stay with it, you’ll see 80." Well, that was all the motivation I needed.

Oh, and one more thing. If you follow the guidelines above, your blood pressure and cholesterol will drop to normal levels, too. Just a little bonus for your effort!

We’ll have a lot more detailed information on diabetes and its treatment in future posts.

Published by Heart Wellness Store

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Heart Wellness Store

Posts Tagged ‘blood pressure’

Tips On How To Choose A Home Blood Pressure Monitor

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Understand Aneurysms

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Eating Your Way To Reduced Blood Pressure

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Measuring Your Blood Pressure

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Early Signs Of Diabetes

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