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Posts Tagged ‘hypertension’

If you have problems with blood pressure, chances are that your doctor has recommended you to periodically check the pressure value by yourself and bring him results. There are several reasons for this.

First one could be the well-known term white coat hypertension. It indicates the increase in blood pressure level when measured in clinical conditions (e.g., doctor’s office). This occurs due to stress and discomfort that some patients feel on this occasion. It is estimated that, with some patients, blood pressure measured this way can be up to 30mmHg higher than the one patient usually has. It is often considered that measurements performed by a physician have the advantage in the fact that they already include the stress that is normally felt during the day. However, for your doctor, a very useful information is also – how patient’s blood pressure goes through the day, in conditions that are not stressful.

First, you need a blood pressure monitor. These devices are not covered by health insurance, so – if you are willing to take the pressure readings, you may have to purchase device out of your pocket. Most likely you will take a digital monitor, since the monitors based on the use of mercury are getting out of use. In addition, digital monitors (either automatic or semiautomatic) are easier to use. It would be the best to choose a device designed for readings made on your upper arm, as they are more reliable than those that measure blood pressure on the wrist or finger. Strips that are placed around the arm are designed to cover people with standard measures of arm perimeter – if you need longer cuff, note it to the seller.

Before the first measurement, prepare a table to write results (or use some of the online pressure logs). to achieve accurate measurements, try to perform them always in similar conditions, in the room where you can be alone for a couple of minutes. Half an hour before the reading do not smoke, drink coffee or overwork. If necessary, go to the toilet – full bladder may increase your blood pressure. then sit back and relax a bit. Straighten the arm on which you will take the reading, and place it on a flat surface, at heart level (e.g. – on the table in front of you). Inflate the cuff to a level that is about 20mmHg higher than the level of systolic (higher) pressure that you expect (usually that means – from the level of the last measured pressure). then activate the monitor and let the air out of the cuff. Don’t forget – blood pressure can differ on the left and right arm When you do the readings for the first time, pick the arm with higher results, and use that arm from now on.

When recording the results, it is usually recommended to discard the first reading and enter the result of the second one, or – note the average value of the second and third measurement if you measure three times. be sure to consult your doctor about the methodology. Finally, write down the final result and the measurement time. If you have a note that would be important for explaining the obtained result, add a note about it (i.e. – I had a rough day at work, Forgot to take a medicine this morning).

The most important thing is to be honest when recording results. some people tend to round results up or down. Don’t do that. Accurate results will help your doctor to determine the right therapy. Don’t forget – the willingness to regularly and objectively monitor your condition is the test of your level of self-discipline, and this is an important element of treatment.

Eyewitness News

NEW YORK (WABC) — it would be nice to know just who is at risk for major diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, to prevent complications and death.

Doctors are using a method called pre-disease to do that.

Pre-disease are conditions where tests are edging toward full blown illness, but are not quite there yet.

It’s a red flag that may lead people to the doctor to reduce their chances of the actual disease and its complications.

38-year-old Esther Neil-Thomas had no family history of high blood pressure. Her doctors, though found something when they checked her pressure on several occasions.

“They said that it’s borderline high blood pressure,” she said.

Borderline high blood pressure or hypertension, is what doctors call pre-hypertension. it means patients such as Esther are at higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and death.

“Even if you remain in that pre-disease state for a lifetime, you’re still at higher risk of disease,” said Dr. Egenia Gianos, with NYU Langone Medical Center.

Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less. High blood pressure is 140/90 or more.

Anywhere in between, say 125/86, is pre-hypertension. The closer to 140/90, the higher the risk for complications.

Blood tests to define pre-diabetes are not standardized. as with pre-hypertension, numbers are somewhere in between normal and full-blown diabetes.

as with blood pressure, pre-diabetics are at higher risk for complications than those with normal blood tests.

“You should be concerned about pre-diabetes if you have a family history of diabetes, two is if you’re overweight,” said Dr. Loren Wissner.

Overweight is a risk for both pre-diabetes and pre-hypertension, and reducing risk means lifestyle changes for both, too.

Family history of high blood pressure is also something that should make someone see a doctor to check for pre-hypertension.

The sooner doctors can diagnose people at risk, the sooner they can treat to prevent complications of the diseases.

(Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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health news, dr. jay adlersberg

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a campaign to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes in the next 5 years. The announcement was published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) and in a perspective published in the New England Journal of Medicine by Thomas Frieden, the director of the CDC, and Donald Berwick, the CMS administrator.

Nearly half (49.7%) of US adults in 2007-2008 had at least one of the three main risk factors for CV disease– uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled high levels of LDL cholesterol, and current smoking. this represents a significant decline from the 57.8% prevalence reported in 1999-2000. The decrease, according to the CDC, “might, in part, reflect improved treatment and control of hypertension and high levels of LDL-C and implementation of effective smoking interventions.”

Frieden and Berwick write that “it’s time to take the next big step.” In conjunction with other government and private-sector partners, HHS is launching Million Hearts, “a multifaceted combination of evidence-based interventions and strategies aimed at preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next 5 years.” Frieden and Berwick state that the Million Hearts initiative will not require new public spending; instead it “will leverage, focus, and align existing investments.”

CV prevention, they write, takes place in the clinic and the community. In the clinical realm the new initiaitve will focus on the “ABCS”:

• aspirin therapy for people at high risk ,
• blood pressure control,
• cholesterol management, and
• smoking cessation

In the community, the Million Hearts initiaitve will “encourage efforts to reduce smoking, improve nutrition, and reduce blood pressure.”

Here is the CDC report:

September 13, 2011 / 60(Early Release);1-4

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes one in three (approximately 800,000) deaths reported each year in the United States (1). Annual direct and overall costs resulting from CVD are estimated at $273 billion and $444 billion, respectively (2). Strategies that address leading CVD risk factors, such as hypertension, high cholesterol levels, and smoking, can greatly reduce the burden of CVD (3). To estimate the U.S. prevalence of these three risk factors, CDC analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) on uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and current smoking. this report summarizes the results of that analysis, which found that 49.7% of U.S. adults aged ≥20 years (an estimated 107.3 million persons) have at least one of the three risk factors. To reduce the prevalence of CVD risk factors among persons in the United States, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with nonprofit and private organizations, is launching Million Hearts, a multifaceted combination of evidence-based interventions and strategies aimed at preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next 5 years.

NHANES is a complex, multistage probability sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population that combines interviews and physical examinations.* Data from 2007–2008, the most recent NHANES survey data available, were used to estimate the current U.S. prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled high levels of LDL-C, and current smoking among adults aged ≥20 years; five NHANES survey cycles (1999–2000, 2001–2002, 2003–2004, 2005–2006, and 2007–2008) were analyzed to examine changes in prevalence over time. Examination participation rates for the five cycles ranged from 75% to 80%. During 1999–2008, a total of 24,693 persons aged ≥20 years were interviewed and examined for NHANES. from that total, 1,154 pregnant women were excluded. of the 23,539 remaining adults, 9,891 had been randomly assigned to a morning examination and had fasted for 8–24 hours. of the 9,891 examined, 790 with missing blood pressure or LDL-C measurements were excluded (none were missing smoking status), yielding a final sample of 9,101.

Uncontrolled hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or a diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, based on the average of up to three measurements.† Uncontrolled high levels of LDL-C were defined as levels above the treatment goals established by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel-III (ATP-III) guidelines: <160 mg/dL, <130 mg/dL, and <100 mg/dL for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, respectively.§LDL-C was used because it is identified by NCEP as the primary target for lipid-lowering therapy. Current cigarette smoking was defined in persons who 1) reported having smoked ≥100 cigarettes in their lifetime and who currently smoke every day or some days, or 2) had a measured serum cotinine (the primary nicotine metabolite) level >10 ng/mL.

All analyses were conducted using statistical software to account for the complex sampling design and to calculate prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The estimated number of persons with at least one of the three CVD risk factors was derived from Current Population Surveys, based on weighted, unstandardized prevalence estimates.

In 2007–2008, among U.S. adults aged ≥20 years, an estimated 49.7% (CI = 46.4%–53.0%) had at least one of the following CVD risk factors: uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled high levels of LDL-C, or current smoking. that prevalence represented an estimated 107.3 million (CI = 99.9–114.8) persons aged ≥20 years. of the 107.3 million persons, an estimated 21.3% had two of the three risk factors, and 2.4% had all three. after adjusting for sex, age group, race/ethnicity, and poverty-income ratio, a significant decline in prevalence, from 57.8% (CI = 52.9%–62.5%) to 49.7%, was observed from 1999–2000 to 2007–2008 (p<0.01 for linear trend). however, because of U.S. population growth, the number of persons represented by thosee prevalences did not change significantly (109 million versus 107 million) (Figure).

Reported by

Amy L. Valderrama, PhD, Fleetwood Loustalot, PhD, Cathleen Gillespie, MS, Mary G. George, MD, Michael Schooley, MPH, Div for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Peter Briss, MD, Office of the Director, Shanta Dube, PhD, Ahmed Jamal, MBBS, MPH, Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Paula W. Yoon, ScD, Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office, Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Svcs, CDC.Corresponding contributor: Amy L. Valderrama, , 770-488-8218.

Editorial Note

The decrease in the prevalence of U.S. adults aged ≥20 years with uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled high levels of LDL-C, or current smoking might, in part, reflect improved treatment and control of hypertension and high levels of LDL-C (4,5) and implementation of effective smoking interventions, such as smokefree policies for public places, increased cigarette excise taxes, and cessation treatments and services (6). nevertheless, approximately half of the U.S. adult population still has one or more of these preventable risk factors for CVD.

Optimal prevention of CVD will require complementary clinical and community efforts and monitoring of interventions, risk factors, and disease at individual and population levels. Although safe, feasible, and effective clinical preventive services are available that can substantially reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (e.g., the ABCS: aspirin therapy, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation), these basic preventive and control measures are underprovided and underused (Table). Community interventions also could be enhanced. The prevention, treatment, and control of CVD are influenced by a wide range of diverse community and clinical factors (2,3). Approximately 90% of persons in the United States consume sodium at levels above those recommended in dietary guidelines (7), trans fat remains an avoidable hazard in restaurant and processed food, and approximately one in five adults currently smoke (8). In addition, funding of state tobacco control programs is significantly below levels recommended by CDC (6). Communitywide changes and policies addressing these issues have the potential to reduce CVD and have a substantial positive impact on the health of the public.

The findings in the report are subject to at least one limitation. NHANES only surveys the noninstitutionalized U.S. population and does not include military personnel and persons who reside in nursing homes and other institutions. The prevalence of the three CVD risk factors might be underestimated because older persons living in nursing homes and other institutions might be more likely to have age-related hypertension and high levels of LDL-C (1).

To reduce the burden of CVD risk factors, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with nonprofit and private organizations, is launching Million Hearts, with the goal of preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next 5 years. Million Hearts is expected to align policies, programs, and resources to improve access to care; focus attention on improved care through use of the ABCS and health information technology; increase public awareness about risk factors; improve medication adherence; promote healthier behaviors and environments; and enhance surveillance and monitoring.

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Coffee contains caffeine which increases your blood pressure and heart rate. my question is how much can a cup of coffee increase your blood pressure and heart rate?

Coffee is a stimulant. That means it is likely to increase your blood pressure. I dont really know by how much, but it really does. So try to avoid it. any substance that keeps you alert such as caffeine, coffee, or even sodas have the potential for hypertension. it is their mechanism of action.

The research shown that caffeine does not contribute to cardiovascular disease even for those drinking more than four to six cups of coffee a day.

well from my expirience
ITS OVER 9000!!!!!!!!!!

Looking for some effective herbal for high blood pressure? There are plenty of medicinal plants available today that can help you fight the effects of hypertension on your body. Listed below are the top five most recommended herbs that are proven to lessen your blood pressure effectively.

1. Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna). The bark of the Arjuna plant is best known for its remarkable remedy for hypertension. this therapeutic plant protects the heart by stopping bleeding, toughening the muscles in the organ, and improving blood circulation. The Arjuna bark is also abundant in triterpine glycosides and coenzyme Q10, two helpful compounds that makes your heart and arterial blood vessels function more smoothly. As you know, high blood pressure damages the vital organs in the body (most especially the heart), so regularly consumption of the Arjuna herb will really help eliminate the risk of hypertension.

2. Garlic (Allium sativum). most people only use garlic as an aromatic bulb used for food seasoning, but did you know it can actually lower blood pressure levels by 10%? Garlic possesses the ability to lessen blood clotting as well as clear all the bad cholesterol and plaque from your arteries. Daily consumption of this herb (ideally 1 or 2 cloves) for 90 days should be enough to prevent or minimize hypertension. You can either eat it raw or include it in your meals.

3. Ginger (Zingiber officinale). Another herb that is more popularly known as a cooking spice and can be found in home kitchens is ginger. We often consume this root without even being aware of its immense health benefits. but now that you know this fact, you might to start including ginger in your diet plan especially if you currently suffer from high blood pressure. this herb is very helpful in improving blood flow, relaxing artery muscles, treating nausea, easing morning sickness, and facilitating easy digestion as well.

It comes in several forms such as capsules, dried roots, fresh roots, liquid extracts, oils, powders, supplements and more. Like garlic, you may also consume the plant in raw shape or perhaps add it to your home-made dishes. but while ginger is generally established as safe and effective for hypertension, there are a few side effects to be cautious of. Some users may encounter gastric disturbances, mouth irritation, allergic reactions or heartburn problems. As of today, research is still ongoing to determine the best form and ideal dosage to take so be sure to speak to your physician first to find out what’s suitable for you.

4. Guggal (Commiphora wightii). The guggal herb is very prevalent in India, but it can also be found in other key areas in Central Asia and Northern Africa. Research shows that this remarkable herb has the power to reduce bad cholesterol called LDL and address health problems caused by arteriosclerotic vascular disease, cardiac ischemia and psoriasis. Guggal is undoubtedly a great herbal for high blood pressure and a remedy highly recommended by medical professionals.

5. Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata). Hawthorn is a very useful herb since it provides numerous benefits to its users. Some of its key functions are widening arterial blood vessels, decreasing cholesterol levels, preventing atherosclerosis growth, regulating heartbeat, enhancing blood circulation, and so forth. You can consume this unique herb as tea through the use of its dried leaves and flowers, or you can simply include hawthorn berry supplements in your dietary plan. Whichever consumption method you adopt, you’re sure to experience a 2.60 mm HG reduction in your blood pressure. All of these impressive benefits easily make hawthorn a highly trusted herbal for high blood pressure.

The reason your blood pressure is part of every prenatal visit is because it is a finding (when elevated) that can pick up prenatal or underlying medical conditions that go by a number of names:

-Gestational Hypertension

-Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension (PIH)

-Chronic Hypertension

This list is only the most common names a pregnant patient might hear when discussing elevated BP found during pregnancy. Many of these terms are synonyms (essentially the same condition) and others pertain to variations of an elevated BP condition with many similarities, differing depending on other findings such as edema (swelling) especially in the hands and face , protein in the urine (proteinuria, which I will discuss further). there are also many other signs and symptoms which can coexist with elevated BP some of which I will address and others which I will leave to your provider to talk to you about, as all of this must be discussed with your primary provider.

High blood pressure conditions can be very serious and it is the reason this measurement is a part of your routine evaluation at each prenatal visit. you want to pick up this condition as soon as possible so management can be initiated accordingly and maternal/fetal risk is kept low.

Perhaps the most important comment I want to get across in this article is that this routine measurement initially serves as a baseline to distinguish between chronic hypertension vs pregnancy-related hypertension .

Make sure (not only for this reason) to have your first prenatal visit within the first trimester . Don’t wait! it is a series of blood pressure checks at follow-up visits early in your pregnancy which may be necessary to determine chronic hypertension from pregnancy-induced hypertension and the management (particularly as you approach term) is very different depending on the cause of your blood pressure elevation.

Once you are over 20 weeks pregnant it is not possible , by the standards established , to confidently determine as a practitioner if the elevation in BP relates to pregnancy vs chronic hypertension. Early assessment helps to sift out this problem and such conditions as a molar pregnancy, elevated thyroid disease etc.. can be diagnosed as well.

I hope you find this information helpful. I could write a book on this topic alone though there is plenty of information available from resources particularly through the government online and particularly from your provider as each patient’s situation can be unique and needs the input of one’s clinical and historical information to make the best clinical decision.

Your prenatal health care provider is the only one who can make educated decisions for you based on your medical history, family history and physical exam.

As always my information is to be informative and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure a particular condition.

Regards, Douglas A Penta MD