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A PGIMER study carried out in 2017 unveiled, “Four out of ten people in Punjab are suffering from hypertension”. The study is already a couple-of-years old and we have to agree to the facts that the numbers would have definitely soared in this time. Our last few blogs precisely and comprehensively illustrated hypertension and its risk factors. In our new blog, we will be concentrating on the precautions required to avoid or regulate a person’s ungovernable blood pressure levels. Echoing Haruki Murakami words, “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional,” we just want to make you understand that there is certainly a way to manage or deal with any fatal disease.
If you have recently been diagnosed with hypertension then “How to Control it” must be topping your Google searches. Well, we are indeed happy to help you! First of all, just take a deep breath, and understand the fact that there is nothing to worry. The lesser you worry; easier the path to heal would become. Apart from relaxing, there are few more things, which a hypertensive patient needs to keep in mind, in order to, manage his/her blood pressure levels.
Ways to control high blood pressure
- Adherence to medication
After being diagnosed with hypertension, the first and foremost thing to understand is the importance of your medicine. If your doctor has prescribed you a particular medication then it is necessary that you should take it properly. Leaving your medicine in between is not at all a wise choice. Most importantly, when it comes to medication, do not ever believe the word of mouth. Stick to your prescription to control your blood pressure levels.
- Make your plate healthier
A hypertensive patient is highly recommended to follow a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains. A healthy diet can help in lowering the blood pressure by up to 11 mg Hg. A hypertensive patient is highly recommended to follow a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains. A healthy diet can help in lowering the blood pressure by up to 11 mg Hg. It is always necessary to monitor you eating habits. Apart from that, a diet low on sodium and high on potassium can also do miracles to your blood pressure levels.
- Introduce enough physical activity to your lifestyle
If you ever talk to a hypertension patient then he/she would always recommend you to be physically active. Physical activities like walking, running, yoga, and exercising help in managing our weight and eventually the blood pressure levels. Doctors recommend 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking or bicycling, every week for senior citizens. For children and adults, a good 1 hour of physical activity is important every day.
- Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water in a day
“Water is life,” a fact that is now known to most of us. Drinking sufficient amount of water in a day helps us to stay healthy. For hypertension patients, water act as nectar. A hypertensive patient should drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day as it helps in managing the blood pressure levels.
- Your waistline should be a matter of concern for you!
There is no denying to the fact that a person, who weighs more, is more prone to life-threatening diseases. The size of your waist tells a lot about your health. If a person is carrying way too much pounds around his waist then he/she is at a higher risk to become hypertensive in future.
Generally, for a man, a waist size greater than 40 inches (102 cm) is a matter of concern while a waist size greater than 35 inches (89 cm) puts a woman at risk.
So, it is always necessary to keep a check on your waistline and shredding the extra pounds around it.
- Quit smoking
Smoking cigarettes not only raises blood pressure but also makes us more prone to heart diseases and stroke. A chain smoker is at high risk to suffer a heart attack or stroke than the one who doesn’t smoke at all. If you smoke then it would be better for you to quit as soon as possible.
- Limit your consumption of alcohol
Alcohol can either act as medicine or poison, depending on the quantity of your consumption. Interestingly, one drink a day for women, or two a day for men can lower the blood pressure by about 4 mm Hg. Thus it is better to limit your alcohol consumption. Excess alcohol can raise blood pressure by several points and also reduces the effectiveness of medication.
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“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles,” a quote by Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, which somehow, makes sense when a person is suffering from hypertension. In the last couple of blogs, we tried to highlight the issue of hypertension, or high blood pressure, which is slowly and steadily growing its roots in different parts of India, majorly in Punjab. We also tried to focus on the fact that any individual, across the globe, is vulnerable to hypertension and its later fatal effects. Let us assume that we have created an understanding on who is our enemy, however, it is not yet apparent whether we really know hypertension or not?
Our rigorous emphasis on the term, SILENT KILLER, is indeed no joke but a reality, mostly unknown to most of our readers. Going through the facts shared by World Health Organisation (WHO) on its official website, one can find out that a total of 1.13 billion people who are suffering from hypertension globally. In 2015, it was found that 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women had hypertension. The figures that shocked us most were that less than 1 in 5 people with hypertension were fortunate enough to have the problem under control.
Well, if these figures don’t set your alarm on fire then God knows what will. India, especially Punjab, is fighting with the problem of high blood pressure, and that will cost it a fortune in the future. Thus, it is really important to understand the blood pressure readings and comprehend what they mean.
How Hypertension is defined?
Giving a brief on blood pressure, the WHO defines that it is recorded as two numbers usually written one above the other.
It adds that the upper number is the highest pressure (systolic blood pressure) in blood vessels and happens when the heart contracts. The lower number is the lowest pressure (the diastolic blood pressure), –in blood vessels in between heartbeats when the heart muscle relaxes. Various levels of blood pressure as mentioned by WHO are:
Normal adult blood pressure:
- Systolic BP: 120 mm Hg
- Diastolic BP: 80 mm Hg
Elevated range
- Systolic reading: 120–129
- Diastolic reading: Below 80
In the elevated stage, a person is most likely to develop hypertension if he/she doesn’t take immediate steps to control it.
Hypertension: Stage 1
- Systolic reading: 130–139
- Diastolic reading: 80-89
In this stage, a person is prescribed to follow a particular diet and recommended some lifestyle changes. Blood pressure medications are also prescribed to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Hypertension: Stage 2
Blood pressure readings that are 140/90 mm Hg or higher. In this stage, blood pressure medication and lifestyle pattern can only help a person to lower their blood pressure.
Hypertensive crisis
Blood pressure readings that are 180/120 mm Hg. It is the most dangerous stage, in which, a person may experience organ damage if the readings continue to remain high for more than 5 minutes.
Speaking comprehensively, the two numbers — Systolic and Diastolic — indicate the amount of pressure the blood exerts against the walls of arteries. While systolic number indicates the amount of pressure blood exerts against the artery walls as the heart contracts, diastolic is the same pressure when the heart relaxes. Both the numbers are equally important as they indicate whether our heart is doing well or not. Also, the medicos pay more attention to the systolic blood pressure as it is one of the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in most of the people.
At times, people confuse blood pressure with pulse, but both of them are the indicators of your healthy heart.
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It has almost been a couple of months that I am studying and researching about hypertension, or high blood pressure. Every now and then, I am conversing with some hypertensive patients, who provide me with a new blog idea every single time. It was only last Saturday when I had a super intriguing conversation with a woman, who visited PGI for her regular check up as her bladder surgery was due in February, 2020. She asked me a simple question but it did meant a lot of sense when we had a conversation over it.
The woman asked me whether the lifestyle modifications can manage the blood pressure levels and I must tell you that I have not stopped researching about it since then. People who are in their pre-hypertensive stage or stage-1 of hypertension are recommended some lifestyle changes to manage their blood pressure levels.
These lifestyle changes include some reductions or additions to their routine activities such as dietary intake, exercise, behavioural modifications etc. Here are some of the recommended lifestyle changes:
Addition to the diet and lifestyle:
- Fruits, vegetables and whole grains
- Walk for at least 30 minutes a day at a speed of 6 km/hr for at least 5 days a week
- Drink at least 8-10 glass of water a day
- Fish and poultry products
- Low-fat dairy products
- Garlic (one clove a day)
- Olives and olive oil
- Aerobic exercises(optional)
Reduce:
- Salt/Sodium intake
- Trans fatty acids.
- Unsaturated fat
- Refined carbohydrates
- Non-vegetarian diet such as meat and chicken
- Sugar, sugary drinks
- Alcohol
- Weight
- Quit smoking
In our last few blogs, we have already discussed that hypertension is notable risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), stroke, and heart failure. The hypertensive patients are strictly suggested to stick to their medications and introduce some lifestyle changes in their day-to-day routine. Now, here’s the question of the hour: How effective are these lifestyle changes?
The British Hypertension Society (BHS) guidelines, point out that an effective lifestyle modification can lower blood pressure by at least as much as a single hypertensive drug. It also states that it will be better that pre-hypertensive and those with strong hypertension family history should be provided with advice for prevention as well as treatment of hypertension.
According to Dr S S Sodhi (Cardiologist, President, IMA Mohali), “ Lifestyle modifications can lead to a fall of upto 10 or more mm of Hg in the systolic (upper) blood pressure. This applied to a prehypertensive can delay the onset of medicine requiring hypertension, reduce the requirement of medicines in hypertensives and also reduce the incidence of complications of hypertension. Apart from hypertension, a healthy lifestyle helps maintaining good health.”
A study in British Journal of General Practice also underlined that a clear written and verbal communication between the carer and patient is also quite necessary as it gives both of them a chance to talk through their potential problems. Patients can understand hypertension and their blood pressure readings better with the help of a physician. The studies have also shown that physicians can have a powerful influence on their patients’ willingness to make changes.
The side effects of drugs have become a widely-discussed topic worldwide and people have been diverting towards the effective alternative options. In the past few years, it has been seen that people are taking the charge of their health and becoming more aware of their conditions.
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