Need to check your blood pressure, frequently – By Dr Harold Gunatillake
Website: www.Doctorharold.com
Transcript:
Normal blood pressure is essential for proper blood flow to the body’s organs and tissues. Blood pressure is created when the heart pumps, mainly from the left ventricle, against the peripheral resistance of the arteries and needs to remain within the considered normal range. Each heartbeat forces blood to the rest of the body. The ideal BP for an adult is systolic 120 and diastolic 60-90mm Hg, regardless of age.
Systolic blood pressure is the pressure when your heart is pumping. Diastolic measures the pressures in your arteries when they are resting and refilling. This is also when the heart fills
up with blood to pump again.
Many years back, the systolic blood pressure was calculated according to the person’s age: Age plus 100 was supposed to be the upper limit. If you are 50 years old, your systolic upper limit should read less than 150.
With time the systolic BP was brought down to this aggressive change that all adults should have their systolic blood pressure less than 125mmHg.
So, as a general guide: ideal blood pressure should read 125 mm Hg systolic and 60-80 mmHg diastolic for any age. High blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher. If your blood pressure is above the healthy normal range, you need to change your lifestyle to reduce your blood pressure.
It is a silent disease, as there are no symptoms during the early stages. Unfortunately, the elastic, flexible arteries seem thick and stiff due to ageing. This process is called atherosclerosis- thickening or hardening of the arteries caused by a build-up of plaque in the inner lining of an artery. This makes the heart pump with more force, and the pressure increases. This pressure is measured with a mercury or digital sphygmomanometer to read.
Risk factors for the high blood pressure may include high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, smoking, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, and eating saturated fats. Reduce the amount of salt you eat and have a generally healthy diet. Cut back on alcohol. Lose weight if you’re overweight. Exercise regularly. Cut down on caffeine. Stop smoking.
Certain foods tend to increase your blood pressure, and it is best to minimise it. Restaurant foods are the worst for blood pressure.
The shrimp fried rice at your favourite spot might be excellent, but it’s likely full of sodium. Research suggests that most sodium in U.S. diets comes from restaurants and packaged foods. Most adults should eat no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day. That’s one teaspoon.
Frozen Meals
They’re fast and convenient. But they’re also loaded with sodium, so it’s best to avoid them. Pickled Foods and Their Juices Kimchi, sauerkraut, and other pickled or brined foods often pack plenty of sodium. Three ounces of pickle juice has about 900 milligrams, depending on the brand. Try to limit the number of pickled foods you eat. And try marinades made from vinegar, pineapple juice, or citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and oranges. They add a tart flavour with less sodium.
Bread
It doesn’t taste salty, but it’s got plenty of it. One slice of white bread has between 80 and 230 milligrams. The next time you make a sandwich, reach for whole-grain bread, an English muffin, or a tortilla to cut back on sodium. You can also eat your sandwich “open-faced” with just one slice.
Soup
It’s delicious on a cold day but often high in sodium. One cup (8 ounces) of tomato soup can have anywhere from 700 to 1,260 milligrams.
Processed Meat
Lunch meat typically has about 750 milligrams or more of sodium per serving. That’s about six thin slices. Other processed meats high in sodium include hot dogs, corned beef, bacon, and sausage.
Pizza
Whether frozen or from your favourite delivery spot, it’s likely high in sodium. A 4-ounce slice of frozen cheese pizza has 370 to 730 milligrams. And a 4-ounce slice from a restaurant has even more, at 510-760 milligrams.
Beer, Wine, and Alcohol
Your chances of high blood pressure go up when you drink too much alcohol. Men should stick with no more than two drinks a day. Women should keep it at one. One drink looks like 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, 1½ ounces of 80-proof spirits, or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits. Red wine has been linked to heart health, but you should still limit your drinking amount.
Cheese
Some types are more likely to raise your blood pressure than others. Keep it down with cheeses naturally low in sodium, like Swiss, which has 75 milligrams per 1-ounce serving. Goat, ricotta, and fresh mozzarella are good, too. Processed and hard cheeses such as American and cottage cheese have more sodium. A half-cup of regular cottage cheese has 455 milligrams.
What is damage to your body caused by high blood pressure?
High blood pressure (hypertension) can quietly damage the body for years before symptoms develop. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to disability, poor quality of life, or even
a deadly heart attack or stroke.
Damage to the arteries
Healthy arteries are flexible, strong and elastic. Their inner lining is smooth so that blood flows freely, supplying vital organs and tissues with nutrients and oxygen.
High blood pressure (hypertension) gradually increases the force of blood flowing through the arteries.
High blood pressure can damage the cells of the arteries’ inner lining. When fats from the diet enter the bloodstream, they can collect in the damaged arteries. Eventually, the artery walls become less elastic, limiting blood flow throughout the body.
Aneurysm. Over time, the constant pressure of blood moving through a weakened artery can cause a section of its wall to enlarge and form a bulge (aneurysm). An aneurysm can potentially rupture and cause life-threatening internal bleeding. Aneurysms can form in any artery, but they’re most common in the body’s largest artery (aorta).
Damage to the heart
High blood pressure can cause many heart problems, including: Coronary artery disease. Arteries narrowed and damaged by high blood pressure have trouble supplying blood to the heart. Too little blood flow to the heart can lead to chest pain (angina), irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) or a heart attack.
Enlarged left heart. High blood pressure forces the heart to work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body. This causes the lower left heart chamber (left ventricle) to thicken. A thickened left ventricle increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure and sudden cardiac death.
Heart failure. Over time, the strain on the heart caused by high blood pressure can cause the heart muscle to weaken and work less efficiently. Eventually, the overwhelmed heart begins to fail.
Damage to the brain
The brain depends on a nourishing blood supply to work properly. High blood pressure may affect the brain in the following ways:
Transient ischemic attack (TIA). Sometimes called a ministroke, a TIA is a brief, temporary disruption of blood supply to the brain. Hardened arteries or blood clots caused by high blood pressure can cause TIA. TIA is often a warning sign of a full-blown stroke.
Stroke. A stroke occurs when part of the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen and nutrients, causing brain cells to die. Blood vessels damaged by high blood pressure can narrow, rupture or leak. High blood pressure can also cause blood clots to form in the arteries leading to the brain, blocking blood flow and potentially causing a stroke.
Dementia. Narrowed or blocked arteries can limit blood flow to the brain, leading to a particular type of dementia (vascular dementia). A stroke that interrupts blood flow to the brain can also cause vascular dementia.
Mild cognitive impairment. This condition is a transition stage between the changes in understanding and memory that generally come with ageing and the more-serious problems caused by dementia. Studies suggest that high blood pressure can lead to mild cognitive impairment.
Damage to the kidneys
Kidneys filter excess fluid and waste from the blood — a process that requires healthy blood vessels. High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels and lead to the kidneys. Having diabetes, in addition to high blood pressure, can worsen the damage.
This information is obtained from the Mayo clinic.
So, check your blood pressure at home with your machine regularly and see your doctor if it reads higher.
I hope this video presentation was helpful.
Merry Christmas to all.
Goodbye for now.
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