Live healthily by monitoring your blood pressure regularly. Don't wait for symptoms to diagnose your high blood pressure.
More than 10% of Americans have high blood pressure, so it's important to know about detection and treatment of this prevalent disease. Unfortunately, symptoms of high blood pressure don't usually surface until a catastrophic event occurs, such as a heart attack or stroke. For this reason, high blood pressure is often called a "silent disease."
Some people have hypothesized that headaches and nosebleeds are early indicators of high blood pressure, but these symptoms are rarely linked with high blood pressure. Early detection through regular screening is the only surefire way to catch high blood pressure before it becomes unmanageable.
You should have your blood pressure checked once a year. The test is reliable, inexpensive, and painless. You can have your blood pressure checked at your doctor's office during routine physicals or examinations. Other means are also available for this test: corporations, public health departments, voluntary health agencies, or even the blood pressure cuffs at your local pharmacy.
Don't panic if one reading comes back high. If a reading is high, several more readings will be taken because blood pressure varies up and down. Nearly one-third of the people whose first reading is high will have normal readings at subsequent checks.
Blood pressure readings have two numbers. The higher number is the systolic pressure, and the lower is diastolic pressure. For a blood pressure reading to be considered "high," the higher number must exceed 140 or the lower number exceed 90. The traditional "normal" reading is 120/80, but "normal" varies from person to person. In most cases, the lower the blood pressure, the better.
If it's determined that you do have high blood pressure, there are very specific, inexpensive things you can do to control and decrease your blood pressure. Your doctor will advise and monitor you, but only you can take the steps necessary to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.
If you have high blood pressure, you should buy a blood pressure kit because you won't be able to measure your progress without one. You also need to be able to report changes to your doctor with a systolic/diastolic reading, and you cannot do this without a blood pressure kit.
Staying in shape is the best antidote to high blood pressure. Make exercise, weight control, and a healthy diet a part of your program. Being out of shape and overweight dramatically increases your risk for high blood pressure, although it is true that some slim and in-shape people also have high blood pressure.
Aerobic exercise is very important because it conditions the cardiovascular system. Decrease the salt, fat, and cholesterol in your diet, and increase potassium and calcium.
Many people can completely control their high blood pressure with healthy eating, relaxation techniques, and regular exercise. Some, however, must use prescription drugs to reduce and manage their blood pressure. Each high blood pressure drug has side effects of its own, so make sure your doctor fully explains the side effects and symptoms of each drug. Chart the use of your drugs along with your blood pressure readings to chart the efficacy of the medicines. This is the only way your doctor can make decisions about your blood pressure reduction program.
Managing blood pressure is a lifelong undertaking. A healthy lifestyle, including healthy eating, exercise, and relaxation, will aid you in your maintenance of regular blood pressure.
