In Most Cases High Blood Pressure Does Not Cause Headaches Or Nosebleeds
- The best evidence indicates that high blood pressure does not cause headaches or nosebleeds, except in the case of hypertensive crisis, a medical emergency when blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or higher. If your blood pressure is unusually high AND you have headache or nosebleed and are feeling unwell, wait five minutes and retest. If your reading remains at 180/120 mm Hg or higher, call 911.
- If you are experiencing severe headaches or nosebleeds and are otherwise unwell, contact your doctor as they could be symptoms of other health conditions.
Does It Matter If I Usually Eat Salty Foods Is This Affecting My Blood Pressure
Salty foods and adding salt to foods, in general, will end up being problematic for you. Salt is known for the fact that it does increase blood pressure naturally. Thats why you need to monitor it as much as possible, and that means eating less salty foods.
Preparing your own food at home and starting to work out can really make things a lot easier for you. It does take a little bit of time to adjust to this, but its worth it and thats what matters the most.
Medications With Blood Pressure Of 160/90
Medications can have a big impact on your blood pressure. There are a variety of different types of blood pressure medications available. Following is a short list of each type of medication and what they do to reduce blood pressure.
- DiureticsHelps rid the body of sodium , which helps control blood pressure.
- Beta-blockersHelps reduce your heart rate, which helps lower blood pressure.
- ACE inhibitorsACE stands for Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme. Helps the body produce less angiotensin, which helps the blood vessels relax and lowers blood pressure.
- Angiotensin II receptor blockersHelps block the chemical that causes blood vessels to narrow, which helps blood vessels stay open and lowers blood pressure.
- Calcium channel blockersHelps lower blood pressure by preventing calcium from entering smooth muscle cells, which can cause stronger heart contraction and narrow blood vessels.
- Alpha blockersHelps relax certain muscles, which keeps blood vessels open and lowers blood pressure.
- Alpha-2 Receptor AgonistsHelps lower blood pressure by inhibiting sympathetic activity.
- Central agonistsUsing a different nerve path than Alpha and Beta blockers, Central agonists help relax blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure.
- VasodilatorsHelps dilate the blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure.
Talk with your doctor about changing or adjusting the dosage of medications to help bring your blood pressure readings down.
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How Common Is High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a common condition, it is estimated that 18% of adult men and 13% of adult women have high blood pressure but are not getting treatment for it.
In 90-95% of cases, there is no single identifiable reason for a rise in blood pressure. But all available evidence shows that lifestyle plays a significant role in regulating your blood pressure.
Risk factors for high blood pressure include:
- being overweight
- excessive alcohol consumption.
Also, for reasons not fully understood, people of Afro-Caribbean and South Asian origin are more likely to develop high blood pressure than other ethnic groups.
What To Do If You Suspect A Hypertensive Crisis
If you suspect that you or someone else is experiencing a hypertensive crisis, these are the steps that should be taken:
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Blood Pressure Changes And Anxiety
Anxiety is the activation of your fight or flight system a system designed to keep you safe from harm when no danger is present. The fight or flight system causes a number of physical changes that would help you respond to a predator or threat if one was present, but can be distressing when they occur without that danger.
Different types of anxiety can affect your blood pressure in different ways. To understand how anxiety can impact blood pressure, first you must gain a basic understanding of blood pressure and how it fluctuates.
Finally, it is always important to remember that blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day due to exertion, diet, hydration, and more. Blood pressure is not constant even if you do not have any anxiety. So “high blood pressure” may not be high blood pressure at all, and may instead be a reading during one of these fluctuations.
What You Should Know About A Blood Pressure Of 150/100
What is hypertension stage two? Blood pressure guidelines exist to define hypertension within stages. These stages, which were created by The American Heart Association and The American College of Cardiology, are like a roadmap to help guide and tailor decisions in the treatment process for hypertension. Understanding the specifics of your blood pressure stage is critical to successfully controlling readings over the long-term.
Stage two hypertension blood pressure is systolic blood pressure 140-180 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure 90-120.
Normal systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings are considered under 120/80 mmHg. The next stage is elevated blood pressure, which is 120-129 systolic mmHg and diastolic pressure remaining less than 80 mmHg. High blood pressure starts at hypertension stage one, which is a systolic reading of 130-139 mmHg or a diastolic reading of 80-89 mmHg. Hypertension stage two is progressive hypertension, and its the last stop before the hypertensive crisis stage of having blood pressures over 180/120 mmHg.
Its important to remember that the above stages are all distinguished through consistent, reliable blood pressure measurements. In other words, your blood pressure should be taken at least twice on two separate occasions via a trustworthy measurement tool before a classification of hypertension stage two is made.
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Treating High Blood Pressure
Treatment for high blood pressure will depend on your blood pressure levels and your associated risk of developing a cardiovascular disease, such as a heart attack or stroke.
There are seven main risk factors for developing a cardiovascular disease. These are:
- having a high level of cholesterol in your blood
- having a family history of cardiovascular disease .
Blood Pressure Checks During Pregnancy
If you are pregnant, you should have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis, even if it is not high.
Watching your blood pressure while you are pregnant reduces your risk of developing pregnancy-induced hypertension. This can lead to a serious condition called pre-eclampsia where there is a problem with the placenta .
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Blood Pressure Is Mostly A Silent Disease
Unfortunately, high blood pressure can happen without feeling any abnormal symptoms.
Moderate or severe headaches, anxiety, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, palpitations, or feeling of pulsations in the neck are some signs of high blood pressure. Often, these are late signs that high blood pressure has existed for some time, therefore annual checks are recommended for all adults.
High Blood Pressure May Cause Anxiety
Whether or not high blood pressure directly causes anxiety is less clear. More often than not, anxiety causes high blood pressure first, which causes the person to worry about their blood pressure and ultimately experience more anxiety.
It’s possible that high blood pressure does cause anxiety, but most likely the anxiety is a response to the high blood pressure experience, or to concerns over a person’s health. Most people can’t feel their blood pressure because high blood pressure on its own doesn’t cause any symptoms. But some of the other causes of high blood pressure may cause a person to feel more anxiety.
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What Does A Blood Pressure Reading Of 150/90 Mean
Readings between 140/90 and 159/99 indicate Stage 1 Hypertension, which means the force of the blood pressure in your arteries is higher than normal. Hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure of greater or equal to 140 and/or a diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90.
Hypertension increases your risk of life-threatening problems such as heart attacks and stroke. Blood pressure in this range may also damage the heart and kidneys, particularly in those who already have chronic medical problems affecting these organs.
Complications Of High Blood Pressure In The Elderly
High blood pressure causes the heart to work harder. Therefore, arteries take a beating and the chances of stroke, heart attack and kidney problems increase. When high blood pressure is left undiagnosed and untreated, it can cause:
- Enlargement of the heart, which may lead to heart failure.
- Small bulges in blood vessels called aneurysms. Common locations for aneurysms are the main artery from the heart , arteries in the brain, legs, and intestines, and the artery leading to the spleen.
- Blood vessels in the kidneys to narrow, which may cause kidney failure.
- Hardening of the arteries, especially those in the heart, brain, kidneys and legs. This can lead to a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure or amputation of part of the leg.
- Blood vessels in the eyes to burst or bleed, which may cause vision changes and can result in blindness.
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Don’t Wait For Symptoms Know Your Blood Pressure Numbers And What They Mean
Once you do get your blood pressure checked, it’s important to know what your current numbers mean:
- Normal blood pressure: Lower than 120/80 mmHg
- Elevated blood pressure: Between 120-129/< 80 mmHg
- Hypertension, stage 1: Between 130-139/80-< 90 mmHg
- Hypertension, stage 2: 140/90 mmHg or higher
“If your blood pressure is elevated, this is when we start to worry about it progressing into high blood pressure,” says Dr. Patel. “The higher your blood pressure gets, the harder it becomes to control and the more likely you are to experience complications so the earlier it’s diagnosed and managed, the better.”
What To Do If You Have Hypertension Stage One
Once your doctor diagnoses you with hypertension stage one, it will be very important to carefully, regularly monitor your blood pressure at home. Accurate, consistent readings will help your care provider determine if treatment measures are effective and if your blood pressure is either stabilizing or progressing toward hypertension stage two.
Experts recommend that people with stage one hypertension initially try lifestyle changes to correct their blood pressure measurements if they dont have existing cardiovascular disease and are at a low risk of developing it. Otherwise, lifestyle changes will likely be combined with lose-dose medications.
Lifestyle changes like these can lower your blood pressure significantly over time:
- Heart-healthy diet of low salt, low sugar, lean meats, and plenty of veggies and fruits.
- Regular aerobic exercise per week.
- Maintaining a healthy weight based on your age and height.
- Limiting alcohol to no more than one drink per day.
- Limiting caffeine and other stimulants in the diet.
- If applicable, tobacco cessation.
- Avoiding processed, fried, and fatty foods.
Of course, there are also several classes of medications that your healthcare provider may add to treat hypertension if lifestyle changes alone arent enough.
- Thiazide diuretics
The decision on which medication is best hinges upon your unique medical history, other existing health problems, and specific blood pressure readings.
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Looking For A List Of Symptoms
If you are looking for a list of symptoms and signs of high blood pressure , you wont find them here. This is because most of the time, there are none.
Myth: People with high blood pressure will experience symptoms, like nervousness, sweating, difficulty sleeping or facial flushing.
Truth: High blood pressure is a largely symptomless silent killer. If you ignore your blood pressure because you think a certain symptom or sign will alert you to the problem, you are taking a dangerous chance with your life.
Do You Need Medication
For the most part, you will notice that blood pressure medication is not necessarily needed right away. The lifestyle changes that we mentioned earlier can really make a huge difference.
But if for some reason, these changes are not offering you the value you need, then you must try blood pressure medication. There are multiple over the counter options you can check out, although its important to listen to the doctor.
Some of them might be a lot better for you when compared to others. So that means having a customized medication system to suit your own health.
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What You Should Know About A Blood Pressure Of 150/90
The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association have created blood pressure guidelines to assist in the definition of hypertension and its treatment decision-making process. Stage one hypertension is the intermediary stage between the elevated blood pressure stage, which covers systolic pressures ranging from 120-129 mmHg and diastolic pressures under 80 mmHg, and stage two hypertension, which covers systolic pressures of 140 mmHg and up and/or diastolic pressures of 90 mmHg and up.
When your blood pressure readings consistently, meaning at least two reliable readings on two separate occasions, read 130-139 mmHg systolic pressure or 80-89 mmHg diastolic pressure, its considered hypertension stage one.
High Blood Pressure Risks
Men over age 45 and women over age 55 who are overweight or have a family history of HBP are at the highest risk of developing hypertension.
Several lifestyle factors can raise blood pressure as well. These include:
- Eating too much salt
- Not doing enough physical activity
- Taking certain medicines
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Blood Pressure Numbers And What They Mean
Blood pressure naturally fluctuates throughout the day, but it is lowest when you are sleeping. It can also rise when you are excited, nervous or active. For most waking hours, though, BP stays relatively stable and should be lower than 120/80 mmHg.
In general, lower numbers are better, but very low BP can also be a cause for concern. Consistent readings in the elevated or prehypertension range increase the likelihood that hypertension will develop unless preventative actions are taken. Individuals of any age who have chronic kidney disease and/or diabetes should pay close attention to their BP.
How To Take A Senior’s Blood Pressure Measurements
People can have HBP for years without knowing it. Along with checking other vital signs, taking a BP measurement with a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope or an electronic sensor is common practice at the beginning of most medical appointments.
If a patients readings are high, most doctors will recheck their blood pressure several times on different days before making a treatment determination. A diagnosis is given if repeated readings are elevated.
Measurements should be taken when a patient is relaxed and sitting upright with both feet flat on the floor. Caregivers can use these tips to help ensure their loved ones receive accurate readings:
- Do not let the senior drink coffee or smoke cigarettes 30 minutes before BP measurements are taken.
- Remind them to wear short sleeves.
- Encourage the senior to use the restroom beforehand.
- Allow them to sit and rest for 5 minutes before the test.
If you must check your loved ones blood pressure at home, it is important that you work with their doctor to choose an approved device and learn how to use it properly. BP monitors can be bought at durable medical equipment stores and pharmacies, but they typically are not covered by Medicare.
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White Coat Hypertension Presents An Elusive Challenge
Although white coat hypertension is chalked up to general anxiety, it may be the medical setting, and specifically the physician, that acts as the trigger.
A 34-year-old man consistently had in-office blood pressure values of 140 to 150/94 mm Hg. However, he was thin, jogged, and was cautious about his salt intake. He also had a normal electrocardiogram, normal glucose and kidney function values, and home blood pressure readings of 125 to 130/80 to 84 mm Hg. He did not take antihypertensive medication.
This patient demonstrates a typical example of white coat hypertension, which may occur in one in five patients with elevated untreated office pressures, explained Raymond Townsend, MD, director of the hypertension program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Although white coat hypertension often is chalked up to general anxiety, it may be the medical setting, and the presence of the physician in particular, that serves as the specific trigger, said William Gerin, PhD, a professor in the department of biobehavioral health at The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa.
In a study by Dr. Gerin and his colleagues, reported in Blood Pressure Monitoring in 2001, a physician, nurse and automated device measured blood pressures in hypertensive patients.
What Are The Treatments For High Blood Pressure
Treatments for high blood pressure include heart-healthy lifestyle changes and medicines.
You will work with your provider to come up with a treatment plan. It may include only the lifestyle changes. These changes, such as heart-healthy eating and exercise, can be very effective. But sometimes the changes do not control or lower your high blood pressure. Then you may need to take medicine. There are different types of blood pressure medicines. Some people need to take more than one type.
If your high blood pressure is caused by another medical condition or medicine, treating that condition or stopping the medicine may lower your blood pressure.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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