Hypertension in seniors: Age brings along the freedom from many a responsibility but also carries the risk of many a chronic disease. Diabetes and High blood pressure are the most typical concerns that plague our elderly.
Blood pressure is the pressure that blood exerts on the walls of our blood vessels. A blood pressure reading is typically indicated with two numbers– the first one means the pressure of the blood when the heart is pumping (called systolic pressure) and the second number indicates the pressure in the blood when the heart is resting between two beats (called diastolic pressure). Thus, the diastolic pressure is lower than the systolic pressure.
For an average person, a normal blood pressure reading would be 120/80, with 121-139/80-89 being prehypertension. 140/90 and anything over it is termed as high blood pressure or hypertension.
However, a slightly higher range of blood pressure (140-150/90-96) is still acceptable for older adults. This is because the blood vessels tend to stiffen with age making it indispensable to have the higher blood pressure to ensure sufficient blood supply to all the organs, specifically the heart and brain.
High blood pressure can be fatal and damage the brain, heart, or kidney. Quite often, people do not even know that they are suffering from high blood pressure until some significant problem with the kidney, heart, or brain crops up. Thus, high blood pressure is also called a ”silent killer.”
High blood pressure is a severe cause of concern as it can cause the optical nerve to burst, leading to blindness; kidney or heart failure can occur as the arteries bulge, especially those in the brain, legs, kidneys, and heart, leading to a stroke or heart attack.
Hypertension in seniors has many causes – being overweight, medicinal side-effects, genetic tendency, prehypertension, diabetes, sedentary life, stress can all lead to high blood pressure; however, most often the cause of high blood pressure might remain unknown.
Low blood pressure called as hypotension is equally important medically and requires medical intervention as the common signs of low blood pressure like blurry vision, confusion, dizziness, fainting are neglected and might lead to complications if left untreated.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D.
Switching to a healthy lifestyle is the only path forward where high blood pressure in seniors is concerned. The following changes can show positive effects
High blood pressure (hypertension) can cause these thin-walled arteries to rupture, releasing blood into the brain tissue. That’s why it’s important to check BP regularly and take medicines.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
Read More: How to Control High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure is a chronic condition, and one has to take the medications lifelong. At the same time, it is imperative to:
Remember, a stitch in time saves nine. Take care of today and every day to avoid serious health complications later.
Also Read: Home Remedies For High Blood Pressure
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
While doctors and healthcare websites can give you a thousand reasons why you should exercise in any case, several myths surround this in persons having high blood pressure. One of them is that when suffering from high blood pressure one must refrain from physical exercise. Here is why this is untrue as for good health, hypertension and exercise go hand-in-hand.
To begin with, any physical activity like walking or running will cause a slight increase in blood pressure as the muscles need more blood at that time. However, this kind of increase in blood pressure is only temporary and will not cause any harm to patients with high blood pressure unless they are exerting themselves too hard. Your blood pressure will return to normal in under 5-10 minutes of stopping the exercise.
Doctors suggest that mild exercise and jogging can decrease blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure and help in its management.
For those who have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring blood pressure down to safer levels. Some examples of aerobic exercise that can help lower blood pressure include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or dancing.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
Regular exercise and mild running make one’s heart stronger and accustomed to a routine physical work out. It’s like a training system for your heart, and over time, your heart will be able to pump more blood with less exertion or pressure. This is the result you want!
Also Read: FUPA Workout: Effective Techniques to Burn Lower Belly Fat
If you find that you have high blood pressure, but it is not too severe, then regular exercise and running can help to bring it back to normal and also prevent it from increasing. Consistency is key. It takes at least three months to see improved results.
Regular walking more than 10,000 steps per day is proven to lower blood pressure and improve physical condition. This basic physical activity has positive physical and mental health consequences for people of all age groups.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
Prolonged hypertension puts one at risk of developing other cardiovascular diseases. In such cases, running and physical activity (including mild weight lifting) can significantly cut down the chances of any cardiovascular event.
If you have high blood pressure, you should avoid physical activity that requires sudden bursts of activity or strain as these may increase the risk of arterial rupture, heart attack, or stroke. Activities to avoid include weightlifting, playing squash, and sprinting, as well as skydiving and SCUBA diving.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
Exercise helps you maintain your weight for your age and height. If you are weight-appropriate, you are already decreasing your risk of umpteen number of diseases including high blood pressure!
To start your daily exercise routine, consult your physician to guide you on the amount of exercise you need and can safely do. It is always a good idea to give your body a chance to warm up before you begin exercising. You can do so by walking and then gradually proceeding to jog. Also, remember to take breaks in between.
Also read: Home Remedies For High Blood Pressure.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
No diet discussion for High Blood pressure is complete without talking about the DASH diet.
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
This diet is relatively simple and involves:
Reducing the consumption of food items that are high in cholesterol, trans fats, and saturated fat.
Another favourite variation of the DASH diet is the DASH-Sodium diet. This diet refers to cutting the sodium intake per day (to about 2-3 teaspoons, 1500 milligrams). While this reduction doesn’t need to be immediate, you can gradually reduce the sodium intake till your body adjusts to this prescribed goal.
You can start by eating foods rich in potassium, fibre and protein and avoiding foods rich in sodium. You can make these dietary changes gradually under the supervision of your family and healthcare provider.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, MD
Tips to adapt to the DASH diet:
Consult a dietician or doctor before you put yourself on a DASH diet. That’s because he/she will accurately be able to tell you what should be your calorie intake per day to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Simultaneously, specific foods that you need to avoid include:
Many doctors also recommend a Mediterranean Diet to keep blood pressure and heart ailments at bay.
Did you know that being physically active can help you keep your blood pressure in a safe range and also help you avoid heart disease and stroke? You can club a healthy diet with regular physical activity to keep your blood pressure in check.
Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS
Some common traits of this diet include:
Many attribute the benefits of this diet as the sole reason for a low rate of heart diseases in the Mediterranean countries. However, the American Heart Association suggests that further studies and experiments need to be conducted to quantify the benefits of this diet.
Keep a track
Many dieticians also suggest tracking how many calories you are eating and drinking per day. Write down whatever you consume each day, this also includes jotting down the portion sizes. It is said that this is one of the best ways to enlighten yourselves about much you are consuming. On the basis of this analysis, you can then work out a plan – on reducing the calorie count and the portion size and finally your blood pressure too!
Also Read: Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Causes & Diagnosis
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
References
Before we understand what exactly Hypertension is, let’s spare a few moments to understand what ‘Blood pressure’ is.
Blood pressure is the measure of force that is exerted by the blood on the walls of the blood vessels. This blood is typically pumped into the blood vessels by the heart and these vessels then carry the blood across all parts of the body.
The blood pressure is recorded in a two-number format and written as a ratio, namely the systolic pressure (numerator) and the diastolic pressure (denominator).
According to the guidelines given by the American Heart Association, if the blood pressure falls in one of the below categories then the condition is called Hypertension:
Thus, Hypertension is nothing but high blood pressure and is a serious condition because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood into the body and if not controlled, can result in an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failures.
While the exact causes of Hypertension are still unknown, medical practitioners attribute this condition to specific factors namely:
While Hypertension doesn’t show any severe sign (which is why it is also called a ‘silent killer’) as such, it is sometimes observed that some people suffering from high blood pressure do show signs of sweating, sleeping problems and anxiety. However, if the Hypertensive crisis condition is reached, the patient may suffer from nose bleeding and headaches.
One of the best ways to keep a check on Hypertension is to check the blood pressure level regularly. This check is done with the help of a sphygmomanometer, a blood pressure monitor. While doing this test, doctors keep a blood pressure cuff on the arm. The cuff has a gauge attached to it which measures the pressure in the blood vessels. Many doctors suggest that you should avoid drinking coffee or smoking a cigarette about 30 minutes before taking the test. Doing so can cause a rise in blood pressure on a temporary basis.
While many doctors prescribe medication to deal with Hypertension, generally, it is best treated by bringing about a change in lifestyle and improving dietary choices.
Doctors recommend a ‘DASH – Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet for people suffering from high blood pressure which adheres to the above lifestyle adjustments.
Also Read: What is Spirulina: Understanding the Research-Based Benefits and Uses
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
The blood flowing through your heart, arteries, and veins exerts pressure on the blood vessels; this is called blood pressure. In people with high blood pressure, the heart works harder due to the hardening of the blood vessels. Over time, this condition may lead to stroke, kidney diseases, and even heart failure. Here are the top 8 reasons why are suffering from high blood pressure, some of which you can easily correct:
Must Read: How To Control High Blood Pressure?
Sedentary lifestyle: With an increase in age and responsibilities, physical health takes a backseat. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the major causes of developing high blood pressure and other related diseases.
Dietary Patterns: Bad food habits such as skipping breakfast, a high-fat diet accompanied with low fruit and vegetable intake all contribute to the development of high blood pressure.
Stress: Stress spikes blood pressure levels. In the long run, this adds up over time and leads to the development of hypertension.
Also Read: Home Remedies for High BP
Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation
While doctors and healthcare websites can give you a thousand ways to beat tension, why you should exercise, there are several myths that surround these in people having high blood pressure. One of them is that when suffering from hypertension, one must refrain from physical exercise. This is completely untrue. There should be no excuse for skipping physical exercise. Here’s where your friends come in handy!
Reasons why working out with friends is one of the most effective ways to beat tension-
To begin with, any kind of physical exercise be it walking or running will cause a slight increase in blood pressure as the muscles need more blood at that time. However, this kind of increase in blood pressure is only temporary and will not cause any harm in patients with hypertension unless they are exerting themselves too hard. Your blood pressure will return to normal in under 5-10 minutes after you finish your exercise. Plus, while running with your friend, your mood levels will be stable and pleasant.
Also Read: How to Stay Fit and Healthy?
A tip for you and your friend: To start your daily exercise routine, consult your physician to guide you on the amount of exercise you need and can safely do. It is always a good idea to give your body a chance to warm up before you begin exercising. You can do so by walking and then gradually proceeding to jog. Also, remember to take breaks in between.
Read More: What is The Best Time to Exercise?
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
Keep in mind that, most often, achieving your blood pressure goal will only be accomplished after a series of steps – one step at a time. After each step, you and your doctor will determine whether the goal — reaching your “target” blood pressure without significant side effects — has been achieved.
Typical Treatment Steps for Essential Hypertension
Treating Hypertension often depends on the “stage” of your hypertension, which is determined by your systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Lifestyle Changes
If your hypertension is relatively mild (Stage 1 hypertension), your doctor may begin by advising lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes that may help to reduce your blood pressure include:
If you are successful at adopting these lifestyle changes but your blood pressure still has not reached your goal (or if you are a more typical human, and your efforts at diet and exercise still fall somewhat short of what the experts recommend) your doctor will recommend drugs for treating hypertension
Drug Therapy
Five major classes of medications are used to treat hypertension:
Several specific drugs have been marketed for hypertension within each of these classes, and several prescription medications contain a combination of these drugs.Remember to consult your physician before self-medicating.
If you have Stage I hypertension, the odds are good that your blood pressure can be brought to target levels with a single drug. If you have Stage 2 hypertension, single drug therapy rarely is effective enough, and your doctor may want to begin right away with a combination of drugs.
If single drug therapy (or monotherapy) is chosen, it appears best to begin with either a thiazide diuretic, a long-acting calcium blocker, or an ACE inhibitor. Young patients often respond well to ACE inhibitors; black patients and elderly patients tend to do better with thiazide diuretics or calcium channel blockers.
If the first try at monotherapy is insufficiently effective or poorly tolerated, switching to another single drug, and then to a third if necessary, is generally recommended as the next step.
If three or more attempts at monotherapy have not worked well enough, the next step is to try combination therapy with two or more drugs. While numerous combinations are possible, recent evidence suggests that using a calcium blocker together with an ACE inhibitor or ARB may be the most effective and best-tolerated combination. Most doctors will now try this combination first, even if the monotherapy was with a thiazide diuretic.
With these step-wise manoeuvres, the large majority of patients with hypertension will reach their target blood pressure levels with minimal side effects. Keep in mind that finding successful therapy for hypertension often requires several weeks or months, and several drug trials. But it is important for you to stick with the program. Getting your blood pressure to target levels, and keeping it there, will give you a very large payout for your efforts — a greatly reduced risk of heart attack and stroke. PharmEasy lets you order prescribed medication and schedule diagnostic tests.
