Blood Pressure Questions And Answers
Blood Pressure Questions And Answers
How is high blood pressure diagnosed?
Blood pressure is measured by putting a blood pressure cuff around your arm, inflating the cuff and listening for the flow of blood. Your doctor can measure the blood too if you ask him. If your blood pressure is high on more than two occasions, you probably have high blood pressure.
Why is high blood pressure bad?
People with high blood pressure may develop early damage to their blood vessels and their heart. This increases their risk for strokes, kidney problems and heart disease.
Does stress affect your blood pressure?
Stress probably affects blood pressure. To help combat the effect of stress, try relaxation techniques or biofeedback. They work best when used at least once a day. Ask your family doctor for advice.
How do tobacco products affect blood pressure?
The nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products makes your body release adrenaline. Adrenaline causes your blood vessels to constrict and your heart to beat faster, which raises your blood pressure. If you quit smoking or using other tobacco products, you can significantly lower your risk of heart disease and heart attack, as well as help lower your blood pressure.
What other things do I need to do about diet?
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan is recommended. It is rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, calcium, magnesium, potassium, low in salt, sugar and fat, and is consistent with Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. It has been shown to be as effective as medicines in reducing blood pressure. The DASH diet can reduce blood pressure by 11.4/5.5 mm Hg in people with high blood pressure.
Increasing how much potassium you eat may help lower your blood pressure, as may increasing the amount of calcium and magnesium in your diet. Talk to your family doctor about whether these changes would be good for you to make.
Potassium can be found in potatoes, bananas, squash, spinach, bran cereal, tomatoes, prunes, raisins, cantaloupe, apricots and navy beans. Magnesium can be found in green vegetables, nuts, whole grains and shellfish. Good sources of calcium include dairy products (such as milk and cheese), greens and salmon.