As discussed in our previous post, hypertension is a serious problem and should be treated with care. In this article today, we’ll tell you ways to measure your blood pressure as well as its cure and prevention. Keep reading!
How Do I Measure My Blood Pressure?
Remember to sit down for a while and relax immediately before taking your blood pressure. The rolled-up sleeve should not squeeze the arm, and the cuff should fit snugly against the skin.
Hypertension is a disease of the circulatory system characterized by continuously or intermittently high blood pressure. We remind you that systolic blood pressure above 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure above 90 mmHg were considered abnormal.To diagnose arterial hypertension, it is enough to exceed the norm (in multiple measurements). Hypertension may consist of excessively high values of only the systolic or only the diastolic pressure.
How Often Should We Measure Our Blood Pressure?
As hypertension is asymptomatic, it should be monitored prophylactically.
- Children should have their blood pressure measured annually – as part of a pediatric balance sheet.
- People aged 18–40 are recommended to measure pressure at the doctor’s office at least once every two weeks.
- People over 40 years of age should check blood pressure at least once a week.
People who have had high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease in their family should remember about regular blood pressure measurements. It is also worth knowing that obesity is currently the most important factor predisposing to the development of arterial hypertension. It is estimated that as much as 80 percent of cases of arterial hypertension are related to excess body weight. All who are overweight should check their blood pressure regularly.
People already diagnosed with arterial hypertension should have it monitored according to the doctor’s recommendations. Although hypertension is asymptomatic, it can damage organs, often leading to very serious and life-threatening complications. That is why it is so important to monitor blood pressure regularly and, if necessary, to start antihypertensive treatment promptly.
Precautions – How to Lower Hypertension?
Treatment of hypertension requires an appropriate modification of the diet and lifestyle. If this does not bring the desired effects, taking antihypertensive drugs (lowering blood pressure) becomes necessary. Medicines prescribed by a doctor should be taken regularly – many patients have a problem with this, forget about treatment, do not pay attention to it. This is partly due to the fact that the effects of taking antihypertensive drugs are not felt; they do not reduce the symptoms of hypertension because the patient does not experience them.
Perhaps, for this reason, people with hypertension are much more likely to try natural ways to lower their blood pressure. It is worth knowing them, as they can complement pharmacological therapy. They are largely based on a healthy lifestyle.
- Limit The Amount of Salt You Eat. Try not to add salt in the food because the amount of salt in ready-made products (bread, snacks, meats, cheese) is so large that it covers the body’s daily requirements. Replace salt with spices and herbs.
- Reduce Excess Body Weight. Arterial hypertension is much more common in overweight and obese people.
- Do not smoke. The blood vessels narrow under the influence of nicotine, while the heart works faster due to the stress hormones released during smoking – adrenaline and noradrenaline. The effect of increased blood flow through narrower vessels is an increase in blood pressure.
- Take Care of a Healthy Diet. In addition to salt restriction, in the prevention of hypertension, it is important to avoid animal fats that promote atherosclerosis (and the narrower the lumen of the veins and arteries, the higher the blood pressure), an adequate supply of potassium (patients with hypertension usually have too little of it), fiber, and omega-3 acids, which are found in fatty fish.
- Limit Alcohol.
- Stay Physically Active. Thanks to the activity, the flexibility of blood vessels increases, which helps to maintain the pressure at the correct level. Endurance activities performed regularly for 30-60 minutes are the most beneficial for people with hypertension.
Following these simple precautions, you can easily maintain your blood pressure and save yourself from the severe effects of hypertension.