Daily Health Tips: Trusted Medical Information, Health Tips and Advices

Treatment Usually, low blood pressure with no symptoms requires little intervention. If low blood pressure is associated with chest pain, shortness of breath, or occurs because of active bleeding, treatment will occur at the same time as the diagnostic evaluation. These combinations may be truly life-threatening, and the healthcare provider may need to transfer the patient to an emergency department for further care. A patient with low blood pressure who is symptomatic may be considered to be in shock (a situation where organs can't function because of lack of blood supply). Intravenous fluids and oxygen may be given, and heart monitoring may be necessary. Based upon the underlying complaints and potential diagnosis, specific therapy may be started even without a firm diagnosis. Examples include antibiotics for a patient with an infection, adrenaline and an antihistamine for a patient with an allergic reaction, or blood transfusion for a patient who is ...

If low blood pressure is the normal state for a patient, then there will be no symptoms. If low blood pressure is symptomatic, then the patient may feel: lightheaded, dizzy and weak, short of breath, or have chest pain. The symptoms will depend upon which organ in the body is lacking adequate blood flow.

High blood pressure may be prevented by living a healthy lifestyle, including some of the following: eating a nutritious, low-fat diet; exercising regularly; decreasing salt (sodium) intake, read food labels so you know the salt content before you buy a product in the grocery store or eating a meal at a fast food restaurant, and avoid adding salt to foods; maintain a healthy weight and if you are overweight or obese, try to lose weight; drink alcohol in moderation; stop smoking; get routine health assessments and blood pressure screening; taking your blood pressure medications as directed, even if you're feeling fine; and reduce stress and practice relaxation techniques, physical activity will help with this.

If low blood pressure causes clinical symptoms, the cause will be in one of three general categories. Either the heart is not pumping with enough pressure, the artery walls are too dilated, or there is not enough intravascular fluid (intra=within + vascular= blood vessels) within the system.

Low blood pressure is a difficult clinical finding for a healthcare provider to address. While high blood pressure is known as the "silent killer," because it is associated with few acute symptoms, hypotension (hypo=low + tension=pressure) may be normal for a patient if it is without symptoms, but can be of great importance if it is associated with abnormal body function. Sometimes low is good, a goal to be achieved in keeping blood pressure under control. Sometimes low is bad because there is not enough pressure to provide blood flow to the organs of the body. Blood pressure readings have two parts and are expressed as a ratio: " Normal" blood pressure , for example is 120/80 (120 over 80) and measures the pressure within the arteries of the body. Systolic pressure , t he upper number , measures the pressure within the arteries when the heart is contracting (systole) to pump blood to the body. Diastole pressure, the lower number , measu...

The most important element in the management of high blood pressure is follow-up care. Routine blood pressure check-ups are important to monitor readings and decide upon a treatment plan. With age and the natural progression of hardening of the arteries, systolic blood pressure may elevate over time. A treatment that once worked well may no longer work as well and your medication treatment may need to be changed. Routine physical exams and screening blood tests may be suggested to help monitor the success of blood pressure management. Follow-up visits are a good time to discuss with your health care practitioner any medication side effects you are experiencing. He or she will have suggestions for managing side effects or may change your treatment. Follow-up visits are a great opportunity for monitoring for other associated risk factors, such as high cholesterol, smoking cessation, and obesity.

Alternative therapies may be helpful to people trying to control their blood pressure. Acupuncture and biofeedback are well-accepted alternative techniques that may help some people with high blood pressure. Techniques that induce relaxation and reduce stress are recommended. These include meditation, yoga, and relaxation training. These techniques alone may not control high blood pressure for many people. They should not be used as a substitute for medical therapy without first consulting with your health care practitioner. Dietary supplements and alternative medications and therapies are sometimes recommended for high blood pressure. Examples include vitamins, garlic, fish oil, L-arginine, soy, coenzyme Q10, herbs, phytosterols, and chelation therapy. While these substances may be beneficial, the exact nature of their benefits is not known. Scientific studies have produced no evidence that these therapies lower blood pressure or prevent the complicat...

The management and control of high blood pressure involves two major options, lifestyle modification and medication. Lifestyle Modifications to Manage High Blood Pressure Weight Control Aim for a healthy weight range for your height and body type. Your health care practitioner can help you calculate a healthy target weight. Even a small amount of weight loss can make a major difference in lowering or preventing high blood pressure. You must burn more calories than you take in to lose weight. Crash or fad diets are not helpful and may be dangerous. Some weight loss medications also carry major risks and may even elevate blood pressure, and great caution is advised in using these drugs. Please ask your health care practitioner or pharmacist for help in deciding if a weight loss medication is appropriate for your situation. Exercise or Increase Physical Activity Physical activity reduces total cholesterol and bad cholesterol (low density lipoprotein or L...

Blood pressure control is a lifelong challenge. Hypertension can progress through the years, and treatments that worked earlier in life may need to be adjusted over time. Blood pressure control may involve a stepwise approach beginning with diet, weight loss, and lifestyle changes and eventually adding medications as required. In some situations, medications may be recommended immediately. As with many diseases, the health care practitioner and patient work together as a team to find the treatment plan that will work for that specific individual. In about half of people with high blood pressure, limiting sodium intake by eliminating table salt, cooking salt, and salty and processed foods can reduce blood pressure by 5 mm Hg. Losing weight and participating in regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure further. If these lifestyle changes and choices don't work, medications should be added. The medications have been proven to reduce the risk of stroke, hear...

Blood pressure is measured with a blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer). This may be done using a stethoscope and a cuff and gauge or by an automatic machine. It is a routine part of the physical examination and one of the vital signs often recorded for a patient visit. Other vital signs include pulse rate, respiratory rate (breathing rate), temperature, and weight. When discussing blood pressure issues, the health care practitioner may ask questions about past medical history, family history, and medication use, including prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, herbal remedies, and food additives. Other questions may include lifestyle habits, including activity levels, smoking, alcohol consumption, and illegal drug use. Physical examination may include listening to the heart and lungs, feeling for pulse in the wrist and ankles, and feeling and listening to the abdomen looking for signs of an enlarged aorta. Eye examination with an ophthalmoscope may be...

Many symptoms present gradually after years of poorly blood pressure control. Many times, the first knowledge of hypertension occurs when a patient complains of chest pain or has stroke-like symptoms. Should these occur, it is appropriate to call 911 immediately (if available) to activate emergency medical services and seek care. You may be directed to seek medical care if blood pressure readings are elevated if done as part of a community health screening. Isolated elevated blood pressure readings do not necessarily make the diagnosis of hypertension. Blood pressure readings vary throughout the day, and your primary care provider may record a different reading than the one that was measured in a screening that sent you in for care. There are non-specific symptoms associated with hypertension that may cause a person to seek care, including lightheadedness, dizziness, headache with or without nausea, change in vision, or lethargy and fatigue. There are many o...

High blood pressure usually causes no symptoms and high blood pressure often is labeled "the silent killer." People who have high blood pressure typically don't know it until their blood pressure is measured. Sometimes people with markedly elevated blood pressure may develop: headache, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, and chest pain and shortness of breath. People often do not seek medical care until they have symptoms arising from the organ damage caused by chronic (ongoing, long-term) high blood pressure. The following types of organ damage are commonly seen in chronic high blood pressure: Heart attack Heart failure Stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) Kidney failure Eye damage with progressive vision loss Peripheral arterial disease causing leg pain with walking (claudication) Outpouchings of the aorta, called aneurysms About 1% of people with high blood pressure do not seek medical care until the...

In 90% of people with hypertension, the cause of high blood pressure is not known and is referred to as primary or essential hypertension. While the specific cause is unknown, there are risk factors that can contribute to developing high blood pressure. Factors that can not be changed Age: The older a person is, the greater the likelihood that he or she will develop high blood pressure, especially elevated systolic readings. This is largely due to arteriosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries." Race: African Americans develop high blood pressure more often than Caucasians. They develop high blood pressure at a younger age and develop more severe complications sooner in life. Socioeconomic status: High blood pressure is found more commonly among the less educated and lower socioeconomic groups. Residents of the southeastern United States, both Caucasian and African American, are more likely to have high blood pressure than residents of other...

The heart pumps blood into the arteries with enough force to push blood to the far reaches of each organ from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet. Blood pressure can be defined as the pressure of blood on the walls of the arteries as it circulates through the body. Blood pressure is highest as its leaves the heart through the aorta and gradually decreases as it enters smaller and smaller blood vessels (arteries, arterioles, and capillaries). Blood returns in the veins leading to the heart, aided by gravity and muscle contraction. Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. It is known as the "silent killer" since it has no initial symptoms but can lead to long-term disease and complications.. Many people have high blood pressure and don't know it. Important complications of uncontrolled or poorly treated high blood pressure include heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, peripheral artery ...