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Healthy Life Styles
High
Blood Pressure: Preventation and Control
Should we be concerned?
Yes. Researchers have found that after a drop in blood pressure
during the 70's and 80's high blood pressure is on the rise. An
estimated 30% of Americans have high blood pressure and even with
normal blood pressure at the age of 55, the lifetime risk of developing
hypertension is near 90%.
The good news:
most people will never get hypertension if they follow National
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommendations. At worst, they
will need fewer drugs.
So what is normal?
Normal levels of blood pressure were redefined last year. Normal
now is less than 120 over less than 80. High blood pressure is still
at 140 or more over 90 or more. Now anything between is considered
prehypertension range, roughly one out of five Americans.
More good news:
keeping your blood pressure at normal levels will reduce the risk
of stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure and kidney disease.
Now, researchers have found that keeping your blood pressure under
control increases the flow of blood to your brain, thus preventing
mini-strokes that may lead to dementia.
What works?
· Lose excess
weight. For every 20 pounds one loses the drop in systolic blood
pressure (the higher number) will from 5 to 20 points.
· Exercise daily.
Get 30 minutes a day of aerobic activity (like brisk walking) will
drop systolic blood pressure from 4 to 9 points.
· Limit sodium.
Eat no more than 2,300 mg a day (ideally 1,500 mg, those over 50
should limit daily intake to 1200 to 1300 mg) will drop systolic
blood pressure 2 to 8 points.
· Limit alcohol.
Have no more than 2 drinks a day for men; 1 for women
(1 drink = 12 0z. beer, 5 oz. wine or 1.5 oz. 80-proof whiskey)
will lower
systolic blood pressure 2 to 4 points.
· Follow a DASH
diet. Eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables (8 to 10 small servings
a day), low-fat dairy foods (2 or 3 servings a day), and small servings
of meat, poultry, and fish (up to 2 a day). Dietary recommendations
can lower systolic blood pressure from 8 to 14 points.
The good news is that
diet and exercise can be more effective than weigh loss alone. Losing
weigh may be the more difficult of these recommendations so it is
encouraging that the other advice, which is easier to adopt, is
very effective as well. The approach recommend by researchers on
blood pressure is to start with diet, not drugs.
Measuring your own blood pressure. You may wish to measure
your own blood pressure. Persons should be seated quietly for at
least five minutes in a chair with their feet on the floor and arm
supported at heart level. At least two measurements should be made.
One potential problem
in the measurement of blood pressure at the doctor's office is "white
coat hypertension." Blood pressure may rise in the doctor's
office because the patient is nervous. Data reveal that 20 to 30
percent of patients have office hypertension and it goes up with
age.
Blood pressure devices
run from $35 to $70. Consumer Reports most recent rating is found
in the June 2003 issue.
Older people should take
their blood pressure both sitting and standing. Some older folks
have postural hypotension. Whey they stand up, their blood pressure
drops. Take a couple of measurements seated and then as soon as
you stand up, take it again. If your pressure drops by at least
20 points, you have postural hypotension. Make sure to tell the
doctor at your next visit.
Resources:
"Pressure Points",
Nutrition Action, April 2004.
What works. "The
Seventh Report of the joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection,
and Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension
The Dash diet. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf
Manual on the prevention
of hypertension. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/heart/hbp/pphbp.htm
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