• According to the American Heart Association high blood pressure is the number one modifiable risk factor for stroke.
• Beginning at 115/75 mmHg, the risk of cardiovascular disease doubles with every additional 20/10 mmHg.
• Heart disease is the number one killer among women in the U.S.
• Even if you have normal blood pressure when you are 55, you have a 90% lifetime risk for developing hypertension.
• It is estimated that 1 in every 3 American adults have high blood pressure.
• Twenty-one percent of people with hypertension are unaware they have it.
• Other health problems caused by high blood pressure include heart attack, vascular dementia, angina, heart failure, kidney failure, erectile dysfunction, peripheral arterial disease, aneurysm and it can even make blood vessels in the eyes burst or bleed.
• Approximately 70% of people with Vascular Dementia are also hypertensive.

For more information visit:

1. Why Should I Care? American Heart Association website. Last updated April 1, 2009. Available at: http://americanheart.org/ presenter.jhtml?identifier=2129. Accessed June 8, 2009.
2. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. JAMA. 2003;42:1206. Available from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension/jnc7full.pdf. Accessed June 8, 2009.
3. Women and Cardiovascular Disease. American Heart Association website. Available at: http://www.americanheart.org/ presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200011. Accessed June 8, 2009.
4. Facts and Statistics: High Blood Pressure Facts. Department of Health and Human Services; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last modified April 9, 2009. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/facts.htm. Accessed June 8, 2009.
5. Understanding Vascular Dementia. The Alzheimer’s Society website. Available at: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/downloads/ Understanding_Vascular_Dementia.pdf. Retrieved June 8, 2009.

When seeking a diagnosis it is crucial to get an accurate measurement
from a medical provider who can correctly interpret the data. Blood
pressure monitors in stores are generally not considered reliable; however,
properly calibrated high quality blood pressure monitors used at home, in
collaboration with your doctor, can be effective as a diagnostic tool and
are also helpful in tracking blood pressure on an ongoing basis.

In the hours before checking your blood pressure, try to avoid exercise, caffeine,
decongestants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like ibuprofen,
although aspirin seems acceptable), smoking and alcohol, as these can
temporarily influence your blood pressure and lead to a deceptive reading.
Resting, both physically and mentally, at least 15 minutes before having
your blood pressure measured is also highly recommended.

In 2003 the JNC7 published new guidelines for interpreting adult blood
pressure readings summarized in the table below.

Ideal blood pressure in children is based on a formula that includes height,
weight and age.

The report also recommends that you have your blood pressure
professionally checked every other year if it is normal, once a year if you
are prehypertensive, every two months if you are stage 1 hypertensive and
monthly if you are stage 2 hypertensive. Always default to your physician’s
advice if they instruct otherwise.

Remember, high blood pressure has no symptoms. Getting your blood
pressure checked is the only way to know if you are hypertensive!

For more information please visit http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension/jnc7full.pdf.

A multitude of treatment options are available for hypertension, ranging from lifestyle changes and alternative medicines, to multiple prescription medications. It is important to remember that simply lowering high blood pressure is not the ultimate goal. The main motivation for lowering blood pressure is to reduce your chances of experiencing life threatening events such as a heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.

Blood pressure is a measure of the force with which blood pushes against artery walls. Systolic blood pressure refers specifically to the pressure when the heart beats and pushes blood through the heart and into the arteries. The pressure between heartbeats, when the heart relaxes and is at rest, is called the diastolic pressure. According to The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7)“normal” blood pressure for an adult is 120 systolic and 80 diastolic or 120/80 mmHg. You are considered “hypertensive” if your systolic reading is over 139 and/or your diastolic number is over 89.

When the blood vessels (arteries) responsible for carrying the blood away from the heart either no longer expand as needed to allow proper blood flow or when blood volume is too great, the result is excessive pressure on the artery walls. This condition is known as high blood pressure or hypertension.

In hypertensive patients, the heart often has to work extra hard to produce adequate blood flow and this increase in stress on the heart can cause it to enlarge over time. The added pressure on the artery walls also causes damage to the endothelium (the lining in the arteries) making it easier for plaque and cholesterol to build up and narrow the artery in most cases. These seemingly insignificant physical changes can actually be a formula for disaster; paving the way to stroke, kidney failure, heart attack, erectile dysfunction, dementia, blindness and loss of limbs.

For more information visit www.heart.org and http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension/jnc7full.pdf.

The results were that over half of the trials reported statistically significant reductions in systolic blood pressure. When individuals who normally consumed between 3 and 6 alcoholic drinks per day reduced their consumption by 67%, they experienced an average drop in their systolic blood pressure of 3.31 mmHg and 2.04 mmHg diastolic. These results were unaffected by whether the individual did or did not have hypertension. (Xue 2001)

Since all of the studies focused on heavy drinkers there is still some uncertainty as to the effect of moderate alcohol consumption. (Xue 2001)The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure recommends that individuals, “Limit consumption to no more than 2 drinks (1 oz or 30 mL ethanol; e.g., 24 oz beer, 10 oz wine, or 3 oz 80-proof whiskey) per day in most men and to no more than 1 drink per day in women and lighter weight persons.”(2003)

SOURCES:

The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (2003). Hypertension. 2003;42:1206

Xue Xin; Jiang He; Maria G. Frontini; Lorraine G. Ogden; Oaitse I. Motsamai; Paul K. Whelton. (2001) Effects of Alcohol Reduction on Blood Pressure. Hypertension. 2001;38:1112.

The official recommendation from the JNC7 report is that aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, should be performed for at least 30 minutes, 4 or more times a week, to lower systolic blood pressure an average of 4-9mmhg. While it was traditionally thought that only aerobic exercise
could lower blood pressure, research has been presented in recent years showing that specific isometric exercises involving adequate rest time and monitored exertion may be effective as well.

The mechanisms by which exercise lowers blood pressure are not definitively known; however, there are several well respected hypotheses. There is evidence to indicate that the blood pressure reductions associated with exercise could be due to reduced sympathetic nervous system activity, improved endothelium mediated vasodilatation, changes in the baroreflex, and/or reductions in blood volume. The actual mechanism could prove to be a combination of factors and may even vary depending on lifestyle and genetics.

Please check with your physician before beginning any exercise programs.

For more information, visit:

The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. JAMA. 2003;42:1206. Available from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension/jnc7full.pdf. Accessed June 8, 2009.

Moiser R. Blood Pressure: Your Body’s Warning Lights. Hooah 4 Health website by the Army National Guard and the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve. Updated September 2004. Available at: http://www.hooah4health.com/body/fitness/warninglights.htm. Accessed June 8, 2009.

M.A. van Baak. Exercise and hypertension: facts and uncertainties. Br. J. Sports Med. 1998;32;6-10. doi:10.1136/bjsm.32.1.6. Available at: http://bjsm.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/32/1/6. Accessed June 8, 2008.

At the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Institute of Medicine wrote a major report highlighting key areas that should be focused on to reduce hypertension on a broad scale. Many of their suggestions revolved around improving lifestyle and behavioral factors, as well as suggested improvements for health care providers.

Lowering your blood pressure can be a tedious venture, but it is well worth the effort.  If you struggle with hypertension, there are a several simple and affordable things you can do that lower blood pressure naturally for many people, such as:

• Exercising regularly
• Achieving a diet with optimum sodium to potassium ratio and intake
• Eating a healthy overall diet
• Maintaining a good body weight

As always, consult your Doctor before beginning any exercise program.

For more information, please visit:

“High Blood Pressure a Neglected Disease, Report Declares” ScienceDaily Feb. 22, 2010. Can be viewed online at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100222121622.htm.

“A Population-Based Policy and Systems Change Approach to Prevent and Control Hypertension” Institute of Medicine of the National Academies 2/22/2010. Can be viewed online at

http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/A-Population-Based-Policy-and-Systems-Change-Approach-to-Prevent-and-Control-Hypertension.aspx.

You may not realize it, but you have probably seen the battle between free radicals and antioxidants firsthand. Have you ever noticed that when you slice open an apple and leave it exposed to the air the uncovered fruit turns brown, but that if you pour a little lemon juice over the fruit it will stay nice and white? When the fruit has its protective skin removed, a reaction called oxidation occurs triggered by the fruit cells being exposed to the air which results in free radicals that damage the uncovered fruit cells.

A similar process can happen to the cells in our body when they are exposed to things like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals are even created when your body breaks down food and can damage DNA. The good news is that many of the foods we eat everyday provide important antioxidants that help protect our bodies and some, like Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), can also be naturally created by our body and may help protect the cardiovascular system, boost your immune system and possibly defend the body against cancer. CoQ10 in particular has also been shown to have the potential to help control blood pressure.

CoQ10 is a vitamin-like substance that participates in the production of energy in the human body and large concentrations of CoQ10 are found in organs with high energy requirements, such as the heart. It is also used by the body as an antioxidant. CoQ10 has been the subject of numerous studies. In 2007 a major meta-analysis published in the Journal of Hypertension reviewed 12 clinical trials which included 362 patients. The researchers concluded that, “coenzyme Q10 has the potential in hypertensive patients to lower systolic blood pressure by up to 17 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by up to 10 mm Hg without significant side effects.”(Rosenfeldt et al.)

The research for most antioxidants as a way to lower blood pressure naturally is still in the early stages and though most have been found to have positive results, the conclusiveness and consistency of the results vary significantly between individual substances.

For more information, please visit:
Bonakdar R, Guarneri E. Coenzyme Q10. American family Physician. 2005; 27 (6):1065-1070. Available at: http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050915/1065.html. Accessed June 8, 2009.

Rosenfeldt FL, Haas SJ, Krum H, et. al. Coenzyme Q10 in the treatment of hypertension: a meta-analysis of the clinical trials. J Hum Hypertens. 2007 Apr;21(4):297-306. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17287847. Accessed June 8, 2009.

National Cancer Institute’s Questions and Answers About Coenzyme Q10. Available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/coenzymeQ10/Patient/page2. Accessed Feb 23, 2010.

Antioxidants: MedlinePlus. Available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html#cat42. Accessed Feb 23, 2010.

Attending a meeting: +20.2/15.0
Working: +16.0/+13.0
Commuting: +14.0/+9.2
Walking: +12.0/+5.5
Dressing: +11.5/+9.7
Doing chores: +10.7/+.67
Talking on telephone: +9.5/7.2
Eating: +8.8/9.6
Talking: 6.7/6.7
Doing desk work: 5.9/5.3
Reading: +1.9/+2.2
Doing business (at home): +1.6/+3.2
Watching television: +0.3/+1.1
Sleeping: -10.0/-7.6
(Changes are relative to blood pressure while relaxing)

Please see
“Accurate blood pressure measurement. Why does it matter?” by Norman R. C. Campbell, MD and Donald W. McKay, PhD. CMAJ, August 10, 1999; 161 (3). Data can be viewed at http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/161/3/277 for original table.

-Elevated Blood Pressure such that your blood pressure is equal to or greater than 130/85. High blood pressure alone can be dangerous as it can lead to heart attack, stroke and dementia.

-Abdominal Obesity to the point that a man’s waist circumference is equal to or greater than 40 inches and equal to or greater than 35 inches for women. Elevated waist circumference (i.e. having an “apple shape” body) with excess fat in the abdominal area specifically has been tied to greater risk for heart disease than when fat concentrates in other areas of the body, such as the hips.

-Triglycerides elevated to more than 149 mg/dL.

- HDL (“good”) cholesterol of less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50mg/dL for women.

-Insulin Resistance or Glucose Intolerance where you have higher than normal fasting blood sugar (glucose) equal to or greater than 100 ml/dL.

The Nation Heart Lung and Blood Institute report that nearly 25% of the US adult population have metabolic syndrome.

Source:

“Metabolic Syndrome” published by American Heart Association can be viewed at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4756.

• In 2005, high blood pressure was reported as a primary or contributing cause of death for 319,000 Americans.
• It is estimated that nearly 1 in every 3 Americans has high blood pressure and that nearly one billion people are affected worldwide.
• Approximately 90% of middle-age adults are expected to develop high blood pressure during their lifetime.
• It is estimated that a 2mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure in the population would result in a 6% reduction in mortality from stroke, 4% from coronary heart disease and a 3% decrease in overall mortality.

In patients with high blood pressure, the heart often has to work extra hard to produce adequate blood flow and this increase in stress on the heart can cause it to enlarge over time. The added pressure on the artery walls can also cause damage to the endothelium making it easier for plaque and cholesterol to build up and narrow the artery. High blood pressure is especially dangerous because most of the time is has no symptoms, earning it the nickname of “The Silent Killer”.

For more information visit:
High Blood Pressure Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website June 15, 2009. Available at http://americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2129

The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. JAMA. 2003;42:1206. Available from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension/jnc7full.pdf. Accessed June 8, 2009.

Whelton PK, He J, Appel LJ, Cutler JA, Havas S, Kotchen TA, et al. Primary prevention of hypertension: Clinical and public health advisory from The National High Blood Pressure Education Program. JAMA 2002;288:1882-8. PR Stamler R. Implications of the INTERSALT study. Hypertension 1991;17:I16-20