Management of hypertension

Management of hypertension

What is hypertension? • The heart pumps blood to various parts of the body • As blood passes through the blood vessels or arteries it pushes against the walls of the arteries. This is called blood pressure. • Sometimes, due to certain causes, this pressure remains high for a sustained period causing what is called hypertension or high blood pressure • Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury • According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the normal adult blood pressure is 120 mm Hg when the heart beats (systolic) and 80 mm Hg when the heart relaxes (diastolic). • Anything above 120mm Hg and 90 mm Hg is high blood pressure

Causes The exact cause is not known yet but the conditions which are highly associated with hypertension are • Genetics, stress & aging • Smoking, alcohol & tobacco consumption • Obesity, Diabetes, adrenal and thyroid problems or tumors & chronic kidney disease • Sedentary lifestyle & physical inactivity • High levels of salt intake & low levels of calcium, potassium, and magnesium intake; Vitamin D deficiency • Certain drugs Symptoms Although Hypertension doesn’t show any symptoms (it is called the silent killer), some of them are headache, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, palpitations of the heart and nose bleeds Consequences Blood vessel damage, cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, heart failure, etc.,), kidney damage, blindness, stroke

How to manage high BP? High blood pressure may be managed by altering the following • Food • Habits • Lifestyle

Foods to eat to avoid • Whole grain foods (like oatmeal) • Fruits - Blue berries, bananas, apricots • Flax and pumpkin seeds • Vegetables - Potatoes (not fried), Broccoli, Garlic • Cashew nuts (a small serving) • Oily fish • Honey, skimmed milk & dark chocolate • Salt • Pickles • Canned food • Processed foods • Bakery products and confectionaries • Fatty food • Soft drinks

Habits It is mandatory to avoid the following bad habits to maintain blood pressure at a reasonable range • Smoking • Alcohol • Tobacco

Lifestyle changes • Exercise • Yoga • Meditation • Losing weight combining physical activity and diet • Healthy choice of food & drinks • Reducing salt intake in all forms • Regular monitoring • Reducing stressful work

Currently available conventional drugs to treat hypertension • Diuretics or water pills (helps excrete salt and water from the body) • Beta-blockers (works on the heart and reduces its workload, output of blood and rate) • ACE inhibitors (reduces production of angiotensin, which narrows the arteries) • Angiotensin II receptor blockers (blocks the effects of angiotensin by blocking the binding of angiotensin to its receptor) • Calcium channel blockers (It blocks the calcium (forcefully contracts the heart) from entering the smooth muscle cells of the heart)

Alpha blockers (works on the resistance of the arteries, relaxing them) • Alpha-2 receptor agonist (decreases the sympathetic portion activity of involuntary nervous system) • Combined alpha and beta blockers • Central agonists (reduces blood pressure through a different nerve pathway than the alpha and beta-blockers) • Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors (works on the brain neurotransmitters reducing signals which command to constrict) • Blood vessel dilators or vasodilators (relaxes or widens the blood vessel walls)

Alternative medicine for hypertension • Yoga, Tai chi & Qigong These are proven techniques, used in the management of hypertension, which enhances breathing and posture

2. Meditation & Relaxation Meditation calms the body and soul and relaxation techniques such as massaging relieves stress

3. Acupuncture A traditional Chinese technique which acts on the heart meridian to lower blood pressure

4. Herbs & spices • Different systems of medicine such as Ayurveda and Siddha use medicinal herbs to treat hypertension • Snakeroot, ginseng, hawthorn and licorice are some of the herbs used • Few of the spices are Cinnamon, garlic, oregano, cardamom and olives

5. Nutritional supplements • The following nutrients when taken in small amounts has helped in management of high blood pressure • Vitamins E, C & B complex • Potassium • Calcium • Magnesium • Zinc • CoenzymeQ-10 • Cocoa • Omega 3 – fatty acids & • Fish oil

6. Spirituality Spirituality is an essential dimension in the treatment of hypertension

7. Hypnotherapy Is said to reduce blood pressure by working on emotional and lifestyle factors

8. Fasting & Detoxification Short fasts and daily wet/dry heat sessions has proved to help in lowering hypertension

9. Osteopathy Is based on the interrelationship between structure and function of the body

Conclusion By following the above lifestyle changes and regular monitoring, hypertension can be effectively managed. The cause and cure for high blood pressure is currently under research

Reference • http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150109.php • Sobiya N. Moghul, 2013, Foods to avoid in hypertension. Health Me Up– Times of India (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-24/diet/38929582_1_hypertension-mmhg-salt) • http://www.freshjuice.ca • http://www.aarp.org • www.heart.org • http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/alternative/alternative-medicines-for-high-blood-pressure.htm • http://www.naturalnews.com • http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/guidelines/hypertension/en/

Management of hypertension