Hypertension, most commonly referred to as "high blood pressure", HTN or HPN, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated. It was previously referred to as arterial hypertension, but in current usage, the word "hypertension" without a qualifier normally refers to arterial hypertension.
2010-02-05

The Link Between Coffee and Hypertension - What is the Truth With Your High Blood Pressure?

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The link between coffee and sudden rise in blood pressure is very controversial. In fact, many researches related to hypertension have been conducted to answer this mystery. This article will explain the truth on the true effect of coffee to hypertensive drinkers and whether it is a direct cause of high blood pressure.

Coffee has different effects to different people, with respect to blood pressure. It is a known truth caffeine increases blood pressure. But tolerance to coffee by regular drinkers makes the effect on blood pressure too insignificant.

But for the non-regular drinkers of coffee, this has a different picture. The caffeine in the drink causes a sudden increase in blood pressure. Thus it is not recommended to hypertensive individuals who are not avid coffee drinkers. The risks are usually higher.

The American Journal of Epidemiology (1999) reported a research that reveals that caffeine consumption is not directly related to heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. This was observed even for individuals drinking coffee of up to six cups every day. But the sudden rise of blood pressure to certain individuals due to caffeine and its long-term effect on health was not researched yet.

Keep your caffeine intake in moderation. Drink only 2 cups of coffee a day to be on the safe side. This is equivalent to 200 milligrams of caffeine a day. Drinking decaf can also be a good option.

In the end, the effect of coffee is really variable and dependent on your situation. Ask your doctor about this and feel the effects of caffeine after drinking a cup. Your body will guide you what is best for you in this concern. As a solid advice, I always recommend to reduce intake of coffee to only two cups daily. Never drink caffeinated drink at least two hours before bed time too.



Autor: Paul De Vizard

Paul DE Vizard has been writing articles online for nearly 4 years now. Not only does this author specialize in hypertension, diet, fitness and weight loss, you can also check out his latest website http://www.gasheatersforthehome.com/ which reviews and lists Information on all types of Equipment like the popular Propane Wall Heaters.


Added: February 5, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

2010-02-04

Understand Your Risk of Developing High Blood Pressure

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High blood pressure is a very common condition. In all reality, most people who have it aren't even aware of it. The most important thing you can do to control your blood pressure is to make sure your lifestyle is a heart-healthy lifestyle. This includes eating healthy and getting the right amount of exercise. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is very important in maintaining a healthy heart. Many sources say that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day is good enough to maintain good cardio health. I recommend talking to your physician before starting any kind of regimen though.

Different people have varying degrees of risk for hyptertension. Several factors go into determining your risk include:

1) Family History-If your parents or close relatives have high blood pressure you're more likely to develop it at some point and you may also pass this risk factor onto your children. Lifestyle choices have a huge impact on your blood pressure so don't think just because it runs in your family there is nothing you can do about it.

2) Age-As we get older our blood vessels lose flexibility which can contribute to hypertension.

3) Gender-Up until the age of 45, a higher percentage of men have hypertension compared to women. From 45-64, the percentages are the same and after age 64, women make up the highest percentage.

4) Lack of physical activity-Exercising on a regular basis is good for your heart. Being inactive makes it easier to gain weight and become obese which are major factors for developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke down the road.

5) Poor diet-Not eating healthy can lead to someone becoming overweight and even obese. A Body Mass Index, also referred to as BMI, of 25-30 is considered overweight. A BMI over 30 is considered obese. Excess weight can raise bad cholesterol (LDL)and triglyceride levels while also decreasing your good cholesterol (HDL). You are also more likely to develop diabetes if you're overweight which is why it is so important to eat healthy.

6) Alcohol-Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure, and irregular heartbeat. It is recommended that men drink no more than 1-2 drinks per day and women no more than 1 drink per day.

7) Stress-We all have stress in our lives sometimes but it is important to control this stress. While there is no scientific evidence that stress causes high blood pressure in the long run, controlling it is still very important. People sometimes overeat, drink excessively,or smoke under stress which can lead to several unhealthy conditions.

8) Smoking-Smoking temporarily raises your blood pressure and can damage your arteries after several years of use. We all know that smoking can have many negative effects and high blood pressure is just one of several conditions you can get from smoking and even second hand smoke.



Autor: Ronald Cheli

Added: February 4, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

2010-02-03

4 Tips to Lower High Blood Pressure in Just Days - Tricks For Passing an Employment Medical

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If your job requires you pass a physical for certification like a policeman, fire fighter, truck driver or pilot, and you are concerned that your high blood pressure may keep you from getting that certification, here are some tips to drive your pressure down fast.

  • Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). This product is fast acting and safe if you don't overdo it. Start by taking three teaspoons a day. Mix each teaspoon dose with about a half glass of water. Try to take it just before a meal to minimize any chance of acidosis. Most people will see results in one or two days. As you build up a tolerance for ACV, increase the amount to three tablespoons. Make sure you don't get distilled apple cider vinegar. You want the raw stuff with the goo at the bottom called Mother. If you just need to shave 10 points in three or four days, this should do the trick by itself.
  • Exercise. Commit to at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. Go for a brisk walk or ride a bike or do whatever that gets your heartbeat up. Working out the heart muscle tones it and allows it to perform more efficiently. This is particularly good for elevated diastolic pressure. While your pressure will go up during the exercise, it will drop down below where you started when you cool off. The effect is only good for about 22 hours so you have to keep at it each day.
  • Hydrate. Drink half your body weight expressed in ounces each day. Water will flush out salt and encourages the blood vessels to relax. If you weigh 200 pounds drink 100 ounces of water daily.
  • Take a high quality garlic supplement daily. Garlic is an amazing food that not only is packed with antioxidants but acts as a vasodilator as well. Normally natural cures recommend fresh but garlic is one food that is actually more effective when used as a supplement.

Follow these four tips and you should be in decent shape for your exam if you are under 20 points above normal.

Understand though, that these are quick fixes and if you go back to your old ways your blood pressure will rise again. If you're not on drugs now, trust me, you don't want to get to a position where you have to take them. Not only may they ruin your career, but they offer nasty side effects and cost dearly.

Don't ignore your blood pressure. Every day you don't take action to control it places you one day closer to a heart attack.



Autor: Rachel Willson

If you are concerned about ways to lower blood pressure fast then you should check out the step by step guide that will tell you exactly what to do and why. No drugs, just a natural safe way to lower your reading permanently by at least 20 points. You can see the report by visiting http://MyNaturalCures.info right now.


Added: February 3, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

2010-02-01

Is My High Blood Pressure Medicine Making Me Gain Weight?

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But many of my clients bother about this weight round the year. Even though this time of the year it is definitely very hard to control the temptation for food. That is because of their high pressure medication.

All high blood pressure medications are prescription medicines and should be respected as the potentially dangerous drugs that they are.

Side effects of many high pressure medications can include: marked, weight gain, fluid retention, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, (due to vomiting and diarrhea most likely), skin rashes, extreme tiredness, weakness, leg cramps, constipation, bleeding gums, frequent urination (especially at night), low potassium, dry mouth, vertigo (dizziness), headache, excessive hair growth, insomnia, nightmares, cold hands and feed and sensitivity to sunlight.

Because of fluid retention, lethargy, lack of sleep (we compensate by gaining lost energy from food) and depression, it's no wonder that people reduce or stop exercising and quite frequently turn to food for comfort. What comes next? We gain weight of course.

while some people have gained few pounds. Many of my patients have said that they have gained more than 100 pounds over the years of medication. And this will get them into the category of obese if they are already not there. And obesity brings many risk factors for high pressure.

The other major side effects are gout, increased blood sugar (especially bad for diabetics), low pressure, slow heart beat, fast heart beat, birth defects and death in fetuses of pregnant women, erectile dysfunction, depression, and get this - risk of heart attack!

Moreover, leaving high blood pressure apart the patient now carries high probability of developing diabetes, osteoarthritis, metabolic syndrome and high cholesterol.

If the high blood pressure didn't make you depressed, weight gain and other associated obesity related diseases certainly would.

What happens quite frequently is that the patient will either stop taking or greatly reduce the amount of high blood pressure medication he or she is taking. One should never stop taking prescription medications before consulting a doctor.

If you are presently taking medicine for high blood pressure, try including a few natural methods to reduce your blood pressure in order to convince your doctor that you can lower or eliminate the medicine? Trust me when I say I understand how difficult it can be to convince a doctor that medicine is not the correct treatment for you.

Stop smoking, avoid over indulging in alcohol, maintain a healthy weight, reduce sodium in the diet and reduce stress. These methods can help you to reduce blood pressure without any medications.

It works and it is easy to start and easy to maintain consistently. My high blood pressure program is also highly recommended.

If you have a problem with your weight loss the you can try my weight loss breeze program. The easy and simple to do exercise comes out with results.



Autor: Christian Goodman

Christian Goodman is a best known health researcher and the author of many revolutionary natural health alternative methods. One of his most popular breakthroughs is his natural method for managing high blood pressure naturally. You can learn more about Christian on his Natural Health Blog.


Added: February 1, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/