Tag: high blood pressure

Does Getting Hypertension Earlier in Life Carry More Health Risk?

 

Has your doctor told you that you have high blood pressure? Take it seriously! Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can also damage blood vessels and many organs in the body, including the heart, kidneys, brain, and retinas in the back of the eyes. In 2018, around 500,000 deaths in the U.S.A. were directly or indirectly due to hypertension.

Here’s the surprising part; you can have high blood pressure and not know you have it. That’s because hypertension often causes no symptoms. The guidelines for diagnosing high blood pressure have gotten stricter after research showed that following more rigorous guidelines can lower the rate of death. These days, doctors diagnose hypertension if you consistently have a blood pressure of 130 mm Hg or greater for the systolic, or top number, and 80 mm Hg or greater, for the diastolic, or bottom number.

Why the change in guidelines? Research now suggests that the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in those who have hypertension goes up even before a person meets the threshold for hypertension of 130/80 or greater. In fact, the risk of cardiovascular disease starts to rise at a systolic blood pressure of as low as 115 mg Hg, a blood pressure level that’s considered normal. So, lower blood pressure is better up to a point.

How When You Get High Blood Pressure Affects the Risk of Complications

 

Untreated high blood pressure is harmful at any age, but does it matter when you get it? Hypertension becomes more common with age, but high blood pressure is also becoming more common in younger age groups due to growing rates of obesity.

Does developing high blood pressure earlier in life, as a young adult, increase the risk of health problems and death more than getting it later?

According to a large study carried out by Chinese researchers, developing hypertension earlier in life carries a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and death than receiving the diagnosis later in life. The study showed people who developed high blood pressure before the age of 45 had double the risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to those diagnosed after this age. The study also found that for each decade that passed before subjects developed high blood pressure, the lower their risk of cardiovascular disease was.


You might think you can’t control when you get high blood pressure. But even if you have a strong family history of hypertension, research shows that lifestyle changes can delay its onset. The obvious factors that slow the onset of hypertension and help with blood pressure control are aerobic exercise and eating a healthy, unprocessed diet. However, a 2015 study also found that staying a healthy body weight and getting adequate sleep helps slow the onset of hypertension in people with borderline high blood pressure readings. Therefore, it’s important to adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle as early as possible, especially if you’re at high risk of hypertension due to family history.

The Bottom Line

Developing hypertension earlier, before age 45, increases the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease more than getting it later in life. However, the most important factor is to diagnose and treat it as soon as possible to reduce damage to blood vessels, the heart, and other organs. Also, this study suggests that it’s important to teach healthy lifestyle habits that reduce the risk of hypertension.

Regardless of when you develop hypertension, keep close tabs on your pressures and make the lifestyle changes necessary to keep it under control. If your physician prescribes blood pressure medications, take them too. Even if you need medications, lifestyle factors are important for preventing the complications of high blood pressure such as cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Consider checking your blood pressure at home and keep an accurate record. It’s hard to maintain good control when you only get a reading a few times per year when you see your doctor. Check it several times per day to see how it varies. When you have this information, your doctor can better adjust your medications to keep your pressure under control throughout the day.

Low Blood Pressure Diet Plan: DASH Diet Explain

The Right Fit: 7 Factors That Affects Accurate Blood Pressure Measurement

 

References:

MayoClinic.org. 2018 Jul 1;107:108-115. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2018.02.016. Epub 2018 Feb 19.

Int J Med Sci. 2015; 12(7): 605-612.Published online 2015 Jul 16. doi: 10.7150/ijms.12446.

CDC.gov. “Facts About Hypertension”

Medscape.com. “Excess Risks of Hypertension Greatest With Younger Age at Onset”

 

 

2020 Best Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors:Check Your Blood Pressure Today

Measure, Monitor, and Control Your Blood Pressure: 2020 Best Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitors

Save your brain, heart, and kidneys from high blood pressure. Are you one of the 1 in 3 Americans with high blood pressure?

Statistics from the CDC show that approximately 75 million people in the US have high blood pressure, and only 54% have managed to keep the condition under control.

The main reason why our blood pressure is not below the recommended normal range is because we don’t check our blood pressure often enough. Most people only have their blood pressure checked at the doctor’s office.

Some individuals only find out about their uncontrolled high blood pressure when they have a serious event like a stroke.

Also known as Hypertension, High Blood Pressure is a deadly health condition that should be treated with the seriousness it deserves. High BP makes you vulnerable to suffering a stroke and /or heart disease, and these conditions are notorious for killing and disabling thousands of Americans annually.

Many people suffer from kidney failure and due to high blood pressure.

If you have diabetes and high blood pressure, your chances of kidney failure is very high.

Therefore you must take steps to measure, monitor and control your blood pressure.

This is where a wireless, aka as bluetooth , blood pressure monitor can help you. Whether you have an android or iphone , there is a device that is perfect for you.

But you might ask why wireless, after all there are plenty of non wireless blood pressure monitors on the market that does the same job.  But not quite.  There are plenty of benefits to owning a wireless device as follows:

  • You will have access to your monitor anytime anywhere
  • You can easily sync readings to your phone via the app
  • You can store, track and trend on the app
  • You can analyze your blood pressure using charts and graphs
  • You can keep notes of when you take your medications and symptoms
  • You will have the date and time of measurement automatically stamped
  • You can easily share with whomever, wherever, whenever
  • You can get reminders to take your blood pressure
  • You can share the device with other users
  • You can track other users blood pressure
  • You can rest assure know your blood pressure is under control

Furthermore, high blood pressure has no obvious symptoms, and this means that many people who have the condition may not even be aware of their deteriorating health.

Therefore, it is important that you check your blood pressure regularly. .

Because there are so may devices on the market, it might be hard for you to choose the right one. It really depends on your situation.

One option is a smart blood pressure monitor or a blue tooth enable device. One major advantage of purchasing a smart blood pressure is the ability for all you reading to be stored and shared easily with your doctor.

Once your device is paired to the app, you will be on you way to start tracking your blood pressure.

In this article, we will guide you through some of the top Bluetooth blood pressure testing kits for home use that are available in the 2019 market. All the models we recommended have the following features:

  • Irregular Heart Rate Detector
  • FSA/HSA Eligible
  • Bluetooth 4.0 Enable
  • Upper Arm Position
  • Oscillmetric Mode of Testing
  • Graph, Charts, Trends
  • Data Sharing
  • Compatible With IOS or Android

Who is this product for?

A wireless blood pressure monitor is perfect for everyone, considering that regular monitoring of your BP is a good health practice. However, if you fall into one of the categories below, it is especially ideal for you:

  • Overweight and inactive
  • Eat a lot of processed food
  • If you have high blood pressure and diabetes
  • If your blood pressure is in the elevated range
  • If you are pregnant 
  • If you have kidney disease
  • If you have diabetes
  • If you smoke
  • If you are under a lot of stress
  • If you have heart disease
  • If you have a family history of high blood pressure

Which is the best BP Monitor type?

There are two main types of BP monitoring kits: wrist and upper arm monitors.

Wrist monitors are small, light, and portable. However, considering that they are placed on the wrist, it is not easy to get consistent results with this type of BP monitor. None of the wrist models are clinically validated.

Upper arm monitors are more consistent with results since their proper placement is at your heart level. They are more accurate compared to wrist BP monitors.

The best BP monitor type is the upper arm cuffs. This is the type that is recommended by the American Heart Association.

For some individuals, the upper arm models are hard to use. In some model,s you will need two hands to wrap the cuff around you arm the right way. The cuff should not be too tight or too loose.  This task can be challenging and therefore a wrist cuff might be best. In addition, if you cannot find an arm cuff that will fit your arm then a wrist cuff might be best.

2020 Best Bluetooth  Blood Pressure Monitors

[table id=4 /]

 

#1. Best Advanced Averaging BP Monitor: Omron 10 Series Wireless Upper Arm Pressure Monitor

Omron 10 Series Wireless Upper Arm Pressure Monitor is one of the most accurate BP monitors currently available in the market, and that is why it is a favorite kit for many people. It is extremely easy to use considering that all you have to do is wear the adjustable upper arm cuff and press the start button.

The best thing about the Omron 10 Series Wireless Monitor is that it gives accurate results thanks to its TrueRead Advanced Averaging Technology. This exclusive technology displays the average of the last three readings taken within the last 10 minutes, giving you a more accurate picture of your heart’s health. In addition, the digital display makes it easy for you to read the results.

This home BP testing kit operates automatically, so you don’t need any training to use it, which is one of the advantages of using a smart digital BP monitor. Furthermore, Omron 10 Series Wireless Upper Arm Pressure Monitor has a cuff size range of 9-17” circumference, and once you slip the cuff around your arm; it will inflate automatically around your entire arm to give you an accurate BP reading.

It boasts of 200 memory storage, meaning it can store results of up to the last 200 readings, and it can be used by up to 2 users.

This smart, digital BP monitor does more than just read your BP level. And if your BP levels exceed internationally recognized guidelines for normal home blood pressure levels, its hypertension indicator alerts you as well.

Omron 10 Series Wireless Upper Arm Pressure Monitor is a reliable automatic blood pressure monitor to buy. It has all the features you would want in a BP home testing kit.

Omron 10 Series Wireless Best Features:

TrueRead Advanced Averaging Technology

Two user mode

Hypertension indicator

200 memory storage

#2. Best Portable BP Monitor: Lexico Smart Bluetooth BP Monitor

If you need a high-quality BP monitor that you can easily carry wherever you go and read your BP level anytime you want, then you need to check out the Lexico Smart Bluetooth BP Monitor. This smart BP monitor for home use is portable, and you can easily test your BP levels on the go and still get the most accurate results.

Lexico Health ensured that virtually all upper arm sizes are catered for with this smart medical device for at-home care. It has a cuff size circumference of 8.5-16.5”, meaning almost everyone will have an amazing and comfortable experience measuring their BP using this at-home BP monitor.

Its one-touch automated measurement process makes it extremely easy to use, and it comes with an e-book containing tips for managing blood pressure. Furthermore, Lexico custom iPhone app lets you connect wirelessly to your iOS device and track your heart health as well as share your BP results with your doctor or close friends.

Lexico Smart Bluetooth BP Monitor is FDA approved, and it comes with warranty. It is also extremely affordable and you won’t have to dig a hole in your pocket to afford this effective smart Bluetooth BP medical kit.

Lexico Smart Bluetooth BP Monitor Best Features:

  • Portable
  • E-book with tips for managing blood pressure
  • Affordable
  • Comfortable cuff size range

#3. Best Multi-User BP Monitor: 1byOne Bluetooth Super Smart BP Monitor

Most at-home BP monitors are 2-user mode, meaning they can store and track BP readings of a maximum of two individuals only. Does this mean that if you have a large family you will have to buy more than one BP monitor? Not when 1byOne Bluetooth Super Smart BP Monitor is available in the market!

1 By One, the makers of the 1byOne Bluetooth Super Smart BP Monitor designed it to not only provide you with an effective BP monitoring at-home kit, but also to help you save money. This super smart BP monitor lets you add as many family members and track their BP through their free custom 1byOne Health App. Instead of having one BP monitor kit for every 2 members of your family, you can use one 1byOne Bluetooth Super Smart BP Monitor for everyone in the family.

In addition, it has enough space to automatically store your lifetime BP data as well as generate weekly, monthly, or yearly charts for you to track your health. This super smart kit gives accurate results every time.

It also has a 4.7” display screen, which is large and incredibly easy to read. In addition, its upper arm cuffs, which boast a size of 16.5”, are ideal for comfortable wearing during BP monitoring and are perfect for the American body. If you have large upper arms, these cuffs will provide you the most comfortable BP measuring experience since they will fit comfortably to take your BP measurements.

1byOne Bluetooth Super Smart BP Monitor Best Features:

  • Unlimited multi-users
  • Comfortable cuff size for large American body
  • Unlimited storage space for BP data
  • Large display screen
  • 2-year quality warranty

#4. Best Dual Mobile Platform Connectivity BP Monitor: FORA Wireless Bluetooth BP Monitor

Many BP monitors for home use are compatible either with iOS or Android, but FORA have designed a smart home testing kit with dual mobile platform connectivity.

The FORA Wireless Bluetooth BP Monitor can easily connect wirelessly via Bluetooth to both Android and iOS devices, giving you a smooth BP monitoring process.

With its free custom iFORA BP tracking app, you can upload your BP data and share it easily on Facebook or by Email with your loved ones or doctor.

It is not only easy to use, but the LCD Backlight Display codes your BP results by colors so you can interpret and understand the results easily. And if you want to view your results in chart form, all you have to do is tilt your Smartphone in a landscape orientation. It is that easy!

In addition, FORA Wireless Bluetooth BP Monitor has adjustable cuffs that allow for comfortable BP measuring. And it has 200 reading memory, which means you will have all the data you need to track your heart’s health.

Moreover, this smart BP monitor for home use is compact enough, making it portable. You can check your BP levels from anywhere you like, be it your home, your office, or even in the comfort of your own car.

And if you’re forgetful, chances are you may fail to switch it off after use thereby wasting the battery. If that is the case, you will be glad to know that the FORA Wireless Bluetooth BP Monitor for home use has automatic power off system that shuts it down when the kit is idle for 3 minutes.

FORA Wireless Bluetooth BP Monitor Best Features:

  • Dual mobile platform connectivity
  • LCD Backlight Display
  • Portable
  • Automatic Power off System

#5. Best Fast Reading BP Monitor: Welch 1700 Series BP Monitor

Imagine getting your BP readings within 20 seconds tops! That is exactly the time it takes for the Welch 1700 Series BP Monitor home kit to measure your blood pressure. On average, BP monitors take approximately 40seconds to 1 minute to complete the process. However, that time has been cut by 50% with the super smart Welch 1700 Series BP monitor.
And it does not just allow for fast BP reading, it also provides for an easy one-touch BP measuring process. Just wear the adjustable cuffs and press a button to get the process started. The cuffs will inflate automatically.The Welch 1700 Series BP Monitor home kit does not compromise accuracy with the fast process. It incorporates SureBP technology that guarantees accurate BP reading every time. You can be sure that with this home BP monitor, you will get fast accurate results always.

And you don’t have to worry about cuff size, because not only does it provide the standard cuff size of 8.7-16.5” circumference, but it also offers you the option to buy the extra small cuff size of 5.9-6.4” and extra large cuff size of 15.7-21.2”. All upper arm sizes are catered for with this at-home Welch 1700 Series BP Monitor home kit.

You can connect wirelessly to your Smartphone via Bluetooth and manage your BP data including sharing it with loved ones and doctor using its free Smartphone app.

Welch 1700 Series BP Monitor Best Features:

  • One-touch easy to use process
  • Incorporate SureBP for accurate reading
  • Comfortable upper arm cuff size
  • Bluetooth connectivity

#6. Best Long Battery Life BP Monitor: QardioArm Smart BP Monitor

If you travel regularly and still want to keep track of your heart’s health, you need a BP monitor that is portable, easy to use, and more importantly, has a long battery life. The BP monitor that has all these features is the QardioArm Smart BP Monitor by Qardio.

The QardioArm Smart BP Monitor has a sleek design, is very light and portable, and its battery life can last for up to a year with frequent use. You can carry it wherever you go and use it to check your BP levels from anywhere.

And if you have large upper arms, then you will be glad to know that the QardioArm Smart BP Monitor has adjustable cuffs of size 8.7-14.6” circumference, and this provides for comfortable BP checking with the home kit.

It is also easy to set up. It connects wirelessly to your Smartphone via Bluetooth. Your device must run on iOS 10 or later, or Android 5 or later. It is compatible with Android Wear and Apple Watch. In addition, it allows you to upload, store, track, and share your BP data with your doctor of close relatives through the app.

The QardioArm Smart BP Monitor does more than just measuring your BP levels. It also detects irregular heartbeats, and this could help you arrest cardiovascular disease before your health deteriorates.

The QardioArm Smart BP Monitor is a good and reliable home BP monitor, especially if you’re obese. Its adjustable cuffs provide comfortable BP testing, and it is easy to use.

QardioArm Smart BP Monitor Best Features:

  • Adjustable upper arm cuffs
  • Smart design
  • Secure data management
  • BP data share
  • Long battery life

#7. Best Colored Risk Indicator BP Monitor: Beurer Bluetooth BP Monitor

If your blood pressure easily gets out of control,, then you are at great risk for stroke and heart disease, and that is why you need a home kit for checking your BP levels. The best kit for you should not just measure your BP levels, it should also be able to check for irregular heartbeats and warn you accordingly. This way, you will be able to detect any heart rhythm and consult your doctor to initiate the best treatment.

Beurer Bluetooth BP Monitor is a reliable home kit worth checking out. It can detect heart rhythm disturbances and use colored risk indicators to notify you. With the colored risk indicator, you can easily read and interpret the results.

In addition, Beurer Bluetooth BP Monitor displays the systolic & diastolic pressures and pulse measurements on an extra large blue illuminated LCD display, making it easy for you to read the results. With this home kit, you won’t need any glasses to read your BP results.

And if you’re worried about comfort when checking your BP levels, then it will please you to know that the Beurer Bluetooth BP Monitor cuffs have a 8.7-17.3” circumference, and these can comfortably fit the upper arms of those with huge upper arm sizes.

Another good thing about this particular home kit is that it allows for multiple users. With 120 memory storage, it can store results of up to 4 individuals and record up to 30 readings per person. You can manage this data effectively through the Smartphone app once you connect the Beurer Bluetooth BP Monitor wirelessly to your phone via Bluetooth.

This particular BP home kit monitor is a good option to consider buying, because it has virtually all the features you would want in an automatic Bluetooth BP monitor.

Beurer Bluetooth BP Monitor Best Features:

  • Colored risk indicator
  • Adjustable upper arm cuffs
  • Extra large display screen
  • 4-user mode
  • 120 memory storage

#8. Best Comprehensive Heart Health Monitoring BP Monitor: MobileHealth Bluetooth BP Monitor

If you are extremely health conscious, or are at a great risk for stroke or heart disease, you will want a home BP monitor that checks for more than just the usual systolic and diastolic pressures. Especially those who are obese, the best BP monitor home kit should check for fast heart beat, slow heart beat, irregular heartbeat, atrial fibrillation, and cardiovascular evaluation. The MobileHealth Bluetooth BP Monitor check for all the above.
Furthermore, with MobileHealth Bluetooth BP Monitor that provides for wireless connection to your Smartphone via Bluetooth, you will be able to record, store, and share an unlimited number of readings on your phone to help you track your heart’s health. The kit can however store only the last 200 readings. It is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

In addition, its triple measurement averaging ensures accurate reading of your BP levels. You can also view averages on a weekly, biweekly, and monthly basis. And you can easily read the results on its extra large display screen

#9. Best BP Monitor with VIP Customer Service: GreaterGoods Smart Upper Arm Bluetooth BP Monitor

When it comes to consumer healthcare tools such as the BP monitors for home use, you can never ignore the importance of great customer service. You might have many questions about the product, such as how to use the kits properly and get the best results, and you’d appreciate if all your queries are answered promptly and satisfactorily. Therefore, we recommend you focus on products that are backed by great customer service to give you the best user experience.

One such product is the Greater Goods Smart Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor that comes with professional customer care service to give you all the support you need. With this particular model, you get video tutorials on how best to use the kit to measure your BP at home.

In addition, they have a knowledgeable support team that is available around the clock and will give you genuine answers to all your questions. Any time something goes wrong with your BP monitor, the support team will be available to make it right in a way that works best for you.

VIP customer service is not the only thing that makes Greater Goods Smart Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor a great tool to have at home. The device is thoughtfully designed to give you highly accurate results and makes it easy for you to read and interpret the readings by displaying them on a large, backlit LCD screen with oversized numbers. Also, it can support 2 users, each with 60 memory storage.

Furthermore, the ability of Greater Goods Smart Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor to sync results to the device of your choice via BT Smart Technology makes it easy for you to keep track of your blood pressure at home. This effective home kit measures your systolic and diastolic pressures, sends the readings to the Balance Health app, where you can store, manage and even share the healthy averages with your doctor. It is compatible with most recent Android phones and Apple devices running iOS 7.1 or later. And yes, it integrates with Apple Health.

Greater Goods Smart Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor Best Features:

  • Hypertension Indicator and Irregular Heartbeat detector
  • Compatible with Android and iOS
  • BT SMart Technology
  • FDA Cleared
  • Great Customer Service

#10. Best BP Monitor with Dual Screen: OMRON Platinum Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor Upper Arm Cuff

To effectively monitor and manage your blood pressure, you need a BP monitor that allows you to compare the current reading to the previous reading so you can have a clear picture of how your heart is fairing. That feature is available exclusively on OMRON Platinum Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor Upper Arm Cuff, and that is what makes this particular model attractive to many health-conscious individuals.

Not only is it a trusted brand, but it also features a backlit dual-display LCD monitor with easy navigation. You can easily compare the current reading to the previous reading, which makes it easy for you to read and interpret the results. Therefore, with OMRON Platinum Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor Upper Arm Cuff you will better understand the immediate state of your heart.

This BP monitor accepts 2 users just like other models by OMRON. However, this particular product can store 200 total blood pressure readings for 2 users, each with 100 readings storage memory, and this is the most per user of any OMRON BP monitor. Mind you, users are unlimited with the custom OMRON Connect free app that also works with Amazon Alexa-enabled gadgets on select iOS and Android devices.

With the OMRON Connect app, you can easily track your readings and even mail your records to your doctor.

Another unique feature of OMRON Platinum Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor Upper Arm Cuff is the high morning average indicator, which is only available on the gold and Platinum OMRON monitors. How this particular feature works is quite simple, yet amazing. It lets you know if your systolic and diastolic pressures exceed the normal range in the morning when there is usually a high risk of stroke or heart attack.

The OMRON Platinum Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor Upper Arm Cuff is easy to use and it is highly accurate, making it one of the most reliable blood pressure monitors for home use. It also comes with a 6-year warranty, which is also the longest warranty of any OMRON monitor.

OMRON Platinum Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor Upper Arm Cuff Best Features:

 High morning average indicator
 6-year warranty
 Dual Screen Display with Backlight
 2-user mode with 200 total blood pressure readings storage memory

#11 Best BP Monitor without Tubes or Wires: OMRON Evolv Bluetooth Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor

Forget the tubes and wires that are a common feature in most blood pressure monitors for home use, OMRON has created a compact one-piece design that is sure to take the portability of upper arm monitors to the next level! If you want that blood pressure kit that is compact and portable, then you need to check out the OMRON Evolv Bluetooth Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor.

It features compact, simple and intuitive controls, making it one of the easiest to use blood pressure home testing kits available in the market. By doing away with the tubes and wires, OMRON combined the effectiveness of its advanced accuracy technology with its exclusive heart health algorithm. The result is an innovative upper arm blood pressure monitor that checks for more data points and eliminates interference from movement during measurement. Therefore, with this model, you are guaranteed to get clinically accurate readings each and every time you measure your blood pressure at home. It also makes the kit highly portable, meaning you can take it with you and keep track of your blood pressure levels from anywhere and at any time.

Just like other OMRON BP monitors, the OMRON Evolv Bluetooth Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor is Bluetooth-enabled and allows you to connect to your smart device using the OMRON Connect App. With this app, you can transmit, track and share results of your daily measurements, including the systolic, diastolic, pulse rate, and irregular heartbeat data on your smartphone.

Furthermore, it comes with pre-formed cuffs that are comfortable to wear, and these fit around the standard and larger arms of 9” to 17” in circumference. The advantage of pre-formed cuffs is that you only have to slide your arm in and tighten, which is quite easy to do.
Buy this BP home testing kit if you want a blood pressure kit that is compact and portable. You won’t be disappointed, because it has all the features any effective blood pressure monitor would have.

OMRON Evolv Bluetooth Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor Best Features:

  • Trusted Brand
  • Compact design 
  • Clinically Accurate results
  • Portable BP monitor
  • Pre-formed cuffs
  • Compatible with Alexa-enable Devices

 

#12. Best BP Monitor with Pre-Formed Cuffs: OMRON Silver Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor

If you want minimal struggle when wearing a blood pressure monitor on your upper arm to take measurements of your blood pressure, you may want to consider buying BP monitors with pre-formed cuffs, such as the OMRON Silver Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor.

Unlike regular cuffs, pre-formed cuffs are easy to use. All you have to do is slide your arm in the cuffs and tighten them. With OMRON Silver Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor, the easy-wrap cuffs will inflate 360 degrees around your arm, and this will reduce measurement errors. This particular model comfortably fits adult arms ranging from 9” to 17” in circumference. Therefore, not only will you have an easy time wearing the cuffs, but the results you get will be highly accurate.

Being a trusted brand, OMRON Silver Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor is clinically approved. Furthermore, with its Advanced Accuracy technology, you will always get precise and consistent blood pressure readings.

The Bluetooth-enabled OMRON Silver Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor can store 80 total blood pressure readings for 1 user. This memory storage is a bit low compared to other OMRON BP monitors such as the OMRON Platinum Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor Upper Arm Cuff that boasts of 200 readings storage memory. However, if you use the OMRON Connect free app, you can enjoy unlimited memory and users with the OMRON Silver Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor. The app is compatible with Alexa-enabled devices on select Android and iOS devices.

It is also worth mentioning that the OMRON Silver Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor comes with a 3-year warranty. This is a testament of the trust OMRON have on the quality and longevity of their products. Acquiring this model to check your blood pressure at home would be an incredible investment, especially if you are a health-conscious person.
OMRON Silver Bluetooth Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor Best Features:

 Trusted Brand
 3-year warranty
 Comfortable pre-formed cuffs
 Clinically Approved
 Easy to use

#13 Best BP Monitor with Dock Design for Smartphone: iHealth Ease Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor

While most blood pressure monitors for home use provide seamless connection to your smartphone via Bluetooth, most of them lack a critical feature: a dock design for your smartphone. Well, iHealth took this factor into consideration and they developed an amazing blood pressure kit that converts your smartphone into a powerful, medically approved blood pressure monitor you can easily use at home or in your office. If this tickles your fancy, then there’s no need to think twice about purchasing the iHealth Ease Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor.

Think about this: the iHealth Ease Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor lets you use your smartphone and the iHealth Blood Pressure Dock to measure your blood pressure! And it is extremely easy to use. All you have to do is wear the cuffs correctly, launch the app and automatically connect, press the START button and begin testing. The results will be displayed instantly once testing is complete.

The cuffs of iHealth Ease Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor can comfortably fit upper arms with a circumference of 8.7” to 14.2”, and it takes an accurate measurement of your blood pressure, heartbeat, pulse wave and also detects Arrhythmia. This amazing BP monitor captures all these readings within 20-30 seconds while the cuffs inflate, which saves you a lot of time. And since the kit is medically accuracy approved, you can always trust it to give you accurate readings every time.

Furthermore, the iHealth Ease Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor uses a single charge to provide around 500 times testing, and this makes it a good kit to travel with. It uses a micro USB cable to charge.

iHealth Ease Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor is that home testing kit that provides you with reliable blood pressure readings anytime, anywhere, and more importantly, accurately. This is a great kit to have in your home or office to check your blood pressure.

iHealth Ease Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor Best Feature:

  • Medically approved and FDA validated
  • Fast and accurate reading
  • Provide comprehensive reading
  • Easy to use
  • Bluetooth connectivity

Many blood pressure kits for home use usually have a large LCD screen for displaying results, but this feature makes the BP kits appear bulky. If you’re somewhat put off by the bulkiness of such displays, you will be glad to know about this amazing option that lets you measure your blood pressure without the bulky display: the iHealth Feel Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor.It works similar to the iHealth Ease Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor, where you apply the upper arm cuffs and you press the Start button to begin testing. Results are displayed on your smartphone. The only difference between the two models is that one has a dock design for your smartphone, while iHealth Feel Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor does not. You simply connect the monitor to your smartphone via Bluetooth and all your readings will be synced automatically. You can then view your results on your smartphone.

iHealth Feel Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor Best Features:

Because it is not bulky, you can easily travel with it and take measurements of your blood pressure anytime and anywhere. In fact, its battery can last you around 80 tests with a single charge. Even though it is not as powerful as iHealth Ease Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor which can last you around 200 blood pressure tests with a single charge, the iHealth Feel Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor is still extremely effective. It is a good option to consider buying to use at home to check your blood pressure.

This amazing innovation from iHealth eliminates the need for bulky display and still provides medically accurate readings. Yes, it is FDA validated and medically accuracy approved. With iHealth Feel Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor, you simply use the iHealth MyVitals app to check your results. The app allows you to share the overall picture of your health with your doctor or family members, considering that you can easily export the blood pressure data as an Excel, PDF, or CSV file.

#14 Best BP Monitor without Bulky Display: iHealth Feel Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor

  • Eliminates the need for bulky display
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Medically approved and FDA validated
  • Powerful battery

When shopping for blood pressure monitors to buy for use at home, you’ll want those monitors that can be used anywhere and anytime. And you’re not limiting the use of the kit to just within your home; you may have to travel around and this would require you to bring the BP monitor with you everywhere you go. As such, you’ll want a product that has a powerful rechargeable battery to guarantee availability each and every time you need to measure your blood pressure.Withings BPM Connect Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor is FDA cleared; meaning the accuracy of the results is unquestionable. Also, the results are provided instantly once the testing is complete.If you travel frequently and need assurance that you will be able to monitor your blood pressure, the powerful rechargeable battery makes the Withings BPM Connect Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor an ideal blood pressure kit to buy. Think about it: with only one charge, you will be sorted for the next six months!

Withings BPM Connect Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor Best Features:

What is more, you get unlimited data storage and unlimited access to your blood pressure data through the Health Mate app on your smartphone. Yes, Withings BPM Connect Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor provides for seamless connection to your smartphone through Wi-fi or Bluetooth. However, the sharing option is only available on iOS devices, but Android users will also get to enjoy this feature soon enough since the update for the Android version is in the pipeline.

The best BP monitor with powerful rechargeable battery is the Withings BPM Connect Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor. Imagine, with only one charge, this blood pressure monitor can give you up to six (6) months of use! Once you charge the battery using a micro USB cable, you are assured of measuring your systolic and diastolic pressures plus your heart rate for the next 6 months before the next recharge is due. Talk of convenience!

#15 Best BP Monitor with Powerful Rechargeable Battery: Withings BPM Connect Smart Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor

  • A powerful rechargeable battery that can last up to 6 months with one charge
  • Medically accurate and FDA cleared
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
  • Unlimited data storage

Sometimes you want more than just accurate measurement; you also want a comfortable experience when measuring your blood pressure. If that is the case, then you need a BP monitor that uses gentle inflation to make the experience as comfortable as possible. A&D Medical Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor is the best candidate for this category.

A&D Medical Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor is clinically validated, and the accuracy of its results meets the international standards of the European Society of Hypertension. You can never go wrong with this blood pressure home testing kit because the results it gives you are highly accurate. It measures your systolic and diastolic pressures, as well as, check for any irregular heart beat. The A&D Medical Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor is a good option to consider buying considering that it provides not just accurate readings but also a nice soothing experience. If you want a comfortable blood pressure measuring experience, this monitor would be ideal for you.

A&D Medical Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor Best Features:

Managing your blood pressure data is made easier with A&D Medical Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor since it has the A&D Connect app that connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. The app is available for Android and iOS. It syncs your readings on your phone allowing you to interpret the results easily. Yes, you can view graphs/trends in your dashboard. In addition, the app provides a convenient and secure way for you to share your blood pressure records with your doctor or close family members.

If you have upper arms with a circumference range of between 9” and 14.6”, then the medium cuffs of A&D Medical Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor will fit your perfectly and comfortably. Once wrapped around your arm, the device will inflate gently giving you the most soothing and relaxing experience. And it is extremely easy to use. It features automatic one-button operation, meaning you can start the process by pressing a button only once.

#16 Best BP Monitor with Gentle Inflation for Comfortable Experience: A&D Medical Upper Arm Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor

  • Gentle inflation for a comfortable experience
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Clinically validated
  • Accurate readings
  • Irregular Heartbeat Detector

Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor Buying Guide

When buying a Bluetooth BP monitor for home use, there are some important factors you need to consider. There are many models currently available in the market, meaning you’ll be spoilt for choice. However, if you consider the following factors, you will make the right purchasing decision.

The cuff size range

Upper arm BP monitors require a cuff to measure blood pressure and give you accurate results.

The size of most cuffs is adjustable, but even so, you need to ensure that the model you go for fits your arm properly as this will determine the accuracy of the results you get. Too large cuff will give a false low reading and too tight cuff will give a too high reading.

Therefore, for the most accurate results, ensure that the cuff size of the upper arm monitor is not too large or too small, but fits you just right.

The cuff should be snug. Not tight. Not loose. You should be able to slide your finger under the cuff. However, there should not be any space between you skin and finger and finger and cuff.

Complete Reading

For effective tracking of your blood pressure levels, you need a monitor that reads both the systolic and diastolic pressure.

In measuring blood pressure, you need to know the force exerted on the walls of your arteries by the blood when the heart beats. This force is known as the systolic pressure.

You also need to know the amount of pressure exerted between heartbeats, and this is what we call the diastolic pressure.

It is important to know these measurements because they can tell you if your health is deteriorating. For instance, if you have an elevated systolic pressure, it could point to signs of cardiovascular disease.

So, when shopping for Bluetooth blood pressure monitors, limit your search to those that give complete readings, including the systolic and diastolic pressure.

Features of the kit

For the best investment, ensure that the model you buy has the special features you want in a Bluetooth blood pressure monitor.

Different models have different features, so you need to identify those models that have the right features for your needs.

There are some models that offer basic BP readings while others can do more, such as tracking and graphing your data, time-stamping features, Bluetooth connection to your Smartphone, and others can even accommodate more than one user.

Ease of Operation

The ease of operation is an important factor to consider when investing in a Bluetooth BP monitor kit for at-home use.

Some BP monitors are easy to set up and use while others are complex. It is wise to limit your buying options only to those that are easy to use. You wouldn’t want to buy wireless BP monitors that make it difficult for you to use or interpret the results, would you?

Manual or automatic?

Some BP monitors operate manually, requiring you to pump it by hand, while others operate automatically by just a press of a button.

For you to use the manual BP monitors, you need proper training. However, anyone can use the automatic BP monitors because all you need to do is press a button.

Cost

The price of the Bluetooth BP monitor should be reasonable. If you are working with a budget, find one that fits the budget but still has all the features you want in a BP home testing kit.

It is important to consider these factors to help you make the best buying decision for the best blood pressure monitors for home use.

Calibration

Calibration of the device is a must. As you notice some of the devices are not clinically validated. Therefore, you might be wondering if you should purchase a device that is not clinically validated. In my opinion I think you should. However, regardless of whether is clinically validated or not you should have it calibrated.

The manual should come calibration instruction. But the most important thing you should do with your device is to take it with you to your doctor’s appoint so they can show how the right way to take your blood pressure and make sure the cuff is the right size. Furthermore, the should compare the measurements obtained using your device and the measurement using their device.

There should no more than 5mmhg difference in difference.

If there is a difference then you should consider returning the monitor. You do not want use a monitor that is giving wrong results.  That being said, be mindful of the return policy of the retailer and save the package.

Final Advice

We’ve listed top 10 of the best wireless blood pressure monitors for home use. The goal is to have purchase a monitor that you can use with ease. Taking your own blood pressure should not disrupt your life. Therefore , the device you select should be one that you can seamlessly include in you every day ritual

Does Alcohol Raise Your Blood Pressure? The Relationship Between Alcohol Use, High Blood Pressure And Heart Disease

The Relationship Between Alcohol Use High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease

You must have heard a lot about the dangers of consuming too much alcohol. Excessive drinking is linked to liver disease, violence, cancer and death via homicide and suicide. However, you might not be aware of the relationship between alcohol, blood pressure and heart disease.

Maybe your doctor advised you on one or more occasions to cut back on your alcohol usage.  Have you ever wondered why? Although, it is unclear how alcohol affects younger people’s heart, a research published in Harvard Health suggest excessive alcohol consumption in older adults can affect the structure of the heart.

If you have high blood pressure reducing and or eliminating your alcohol intake can improve your blood pressure

Blood pressure is the force, which the circulating blood exerts on the walls of the blood vessels, and normal blood pressure is vital for health and life. An abnormally high blood pressure (hypertension) on the other hand, can damage the blood vessels causing heart or cardiovascular diseases.

Heart diseases describe a wide range of disease conditions that could affect the heart. Such diseases include blood vessel diseases, e.g., coronary artery disease, heart rhythm problems, heart failure, heart muscle diseases, etc. Alcohol is said to be linked somehow to some of these diseases.

Here we would talk about the connection between alcohol, hypertension, and heart disorders.

The link between alcohol and high blood pressure

Several factors can contribute to elevated blood pressure, and alcohol consumption happens to be amongst those factors. Some studies propose that drinking alcohol in ‘moderation’ is beneficial to the heart because of the antioxidant properties contained in some alcoholic drinks and its tendency to lower the cholesterol level. However, lots of studies have confirmed that drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure to highly unhealthy levels.

The extent to which alcohol would affect your blood pressure level is also dependent on certain factors such as your lifestyle, genetic constituents as well as your age. For instance, your weight, constant exposure to stress, and your dietary intake could also play a role here.

The fact is , alcohol affects each person in a different way.

According to Arthur Klatsky, MD and an investigator for Kaiser Permanente’s research division, “A good number of people are not meant to drink alcohol at all because of specific reasons like a family history of alcoholism as well as heart or liver diseases. However, one or two glasses can be justified for people without hereditary predisposition”. He also stated that adults that are 50 years and older have a higher risk of heart attack and light-moderate drinking might only have little effect on their health.

This is to say that younger people are not better off as light-moderate drinkers because their risk of developing heart attack is still on the low; thus, they are likely not to gain any benefit (like antioxidant effect and reduced cholesterol level) from drinking. From every indication here, a drinking rule would hardly apply to everyone. From a medical viewpoint, it is dependent on an individual’s entire health profile.

Another factor to consider asides the amount of alcohol taken per sitting is the frequency. Having too much of a drink in one sitting would temporarily increase the blood pressure; however, frequent excessive intake can cause long-term increases. Cutting down on drinking can reduce your systolic blood pressure by about 2 to 4 mmHg and the diastolic blood pressure by 1 to 2 mmHg.

Another link that alcohol has with blood pressure is that it contains calories, which can cause increased weight gain. Excessive weight gain is another risk factor for high blood pressure. Also, if you have already been diagnosed with hypertension and is placed on medication, you should know that alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness of your medication as well as increase its side effects.

Alcohol and heart diseases: Is alcohol good for the heart?

Does alcohol have an effect on the heart? Lots of studies have shown that it does; however, this effect seems to be a combination of both positive and negative effects. Some studies show that alcohol could contribute to a healthy heart while some other studies have shown alcohol as a risk factor to heart diseases.

Chronic excessive alcohol usage can damage the cells  the cells of the heart. When this occurs, the heart will stop working efficiently.

Professor Jonathan Chick, the Medical Director of Castle Craig Hospital and Dr. Fiona Sim, the Chief Medical Advisor at  agree that alcohol and the heart are linked and that it is not advisable for men and women to drink more than 14 sevings per week. This was in line with the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk guidelines, which says that it is better to restrict alcohol to not more than 14 servings  per week, in order to avoid health risks. Also, this guideline states that the more one drinks on a regular basis, the higher the chance of developing different health complications. (One unit of alcohol here is equivalent to 10ml of pure alcohol).

Dr. Sim is also of the opinion that alcohols are likely to affect cholesterol levels in the blood, thus reducing the number of fatty acids known as atheroma. Atheroma causes narrowing of arteries predisposing them to clog. He also said that alcohol could help prevent blood clot formation, which can narrow the arteries and lead to a heart attack.

A study published online in March 2017 discovered that drinking less than 14 units for the women and less than 21 units for the men reduced the risk of the initial development of some common cardiovascular diseases. Another study also found that the risk of having heart diseases was increased in drinkers by a distinct dose-response relationship. Thus, the more you drink, the higher the risk. This ultimately means what you get from alcohol consumption is also dependent on the quantity you consume.

Drinking alcohol might have a slight protective effect on the heart, but its risk and harmful heart effects surely outweigh such benefit. You are likely to benefit from it only when you drink lightly and have it spaced out during the week. Consuming much at a go could even lead to a heart attack, also termed, ‘holiday heart.’

Is wine really good for your heart and why?

There is always this debate as to whether the wine is good for health. The adage that ‘red wine is good for the heart’ seems to be in support of its benefit to the cardiac system. However, how true is this?

It may help increase the ‘good’ high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level

According to John Williams, a cardiologist at the John Hopkins hospital, the truth here is not clear-cut. Asides the evidence that shows that moderate amounts of alcohol can slightly increase the levels of the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, some researches have shown that red wine, in particular, has protective effects on the heart.

On this issue, Professor Chick thought that the protective effects that seem to be attributed to wine could be because wine is often taken during meal times than beers and spirits. Dr. John William, in relation to this, said that perhaps the cause of this effect could be that red wine shippers have greater access to healthier foods and are thus, more likely to consume heart-healthy diet.

It may help reduce the risk of heart diseases

Red wine is indicated to contain antioxidants and produce anti-inflammatory effects. Antioxidants prevent the formation of free radicals. Both properties tend to reduce the risk of heart diseases.

It lowers the risk of death that could have resulted from heart diseases

Most times, diseases that affect the heart ultimately result in death. A study carried out in Danish reported that people who consumed low to moderate amounts of wine were much less likely to die from heart diseases or even stroke when compared with people who consumed beer and other spirits.

What kind of wine is good for your health?

When we talk of wine, let’s not forget there are types of wine. Broadly, wine can be classified under four main categories;

  • Red wine
  • White wine
  • Sparkling wine
  • Dessert wine or fortified wine

However, the major ones or the most popular ones are red wine and white wine. The process of making each type can be slightly different, however, they all go through the process of harvesting of grapes, crushing and pressing the grapes, fermenting the grapes, aging the wine and then bottling the wine.

The major backbone of white wine is its acidity, which lends it a crisp or dry flavor. On the other hand, tannins provide the backbone of red wine. That is to say; red wines contain more tannins than the white wines; this gives it the astringent or slightly bitter taste.

Red wine is said to be healthier than white wine because red wines are particularly abundant in the plant compounds present in the grape skins (since they are allowed to ferment before they are pressed). White wine, on the other hand, contains some of these healthy plant compounds but only in smaller amounts.

Red wines specifically are the wines linked with protective properties to the heart. It is, in fact, believed to be responsible for the ‘French paradox.’ The phrase ‘French paradox is used to refer to the fact that the French people seem to experience low rates of heart diseases despite the fact that they consume excessive amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat. Some experts believe that the red wine, which formed part of their dietary constituents, was responsible for creating that sort of immunity from the harmful effects of the cholesterols.

Some studies have reported that tannins, as contained in red wines, reduce blood pressure. A survey carried out in France by Crozier and Roger Corder of Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, London to identify the exact compounds in red wine that makes for a healthy heart showed that flavonoids which are basically condensed tannins inhibited the production of the peptide which is responsible for arterial hardening.

  • Antioxidants such as resveratrol, proanthocyanidins, catechin, and epicatechin contained in red wines are also indicated to be responsible for its health benefits.
  • Resveratrol has been linked with health benefits such as inhibiting inflammation and blood clotting as well as reducing cancer risks and the risk of developing heart diseases.
  • Proanthocyanidins lower oxidative damage in the body and also acts to prevent heart diseases.

What quantity of wine or alcohol is recommended for men and women?

Even though studies have repeatedly shown that moderate consumption of red wine seems to reduce the risk of certain diseases such as heart disease, you should, however, know that there is seemly only a thin line between moderate and excessive consumption. Usually, the alcohol content in red wines ranges from 12% to 15%. A study showed that people who consume about 150 ml (5 oz.) of red wine a day seemed to have about 32% lower risk of developing heart diseases than non-drinkers. However, higher intake has indicated to increase the risk of heart diseases drastically.

As regarding the right quantity of red wine to take, a study has shown that consuming 1 to 3 glasses of red wine per day in about 3 or 4 days of the week is very much likely to reduce the risk of having a stroke in middle-aged men. Another study reported taking 2 to 3 glasses of dealcoholized red wine could reduce blood pressure.

According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the moderate red wine consumption or recommended quantity to be consumed is as follows:

  • 1 – 1.5 glasses per day for women
  • 1 – 2 glasses per day for men

Note here, that a standard drink is defined as 148 ml (5 ounces) glass of 12% alcohol wine even though some red wine such as those from California contain higher alcohol (about 13 to 15% by volume). Some other sources also advice that you shouldn’t consume it all days of the week, it is recommended that you have at least 1 to 2 alcohol-free days a week.

In Summary,

Light or moderate consumption of alcohol, especially red wine, has been linked with certain benefits to the heart. However, this is not a reason why alcohol consumption should be encouraged, especially among youths.

Alcohol consumers should be aware that even moderate consumption of alcohol could increase blood pressure as well as the risk of other disease conditions such as cancers and alcohol-related liver diseases. Instead of relying on alcohol to protect you from coronary or heart diseases, you should instead adopt healthy lifestyles that includes being more active, decrease sodium , increase potassium  and lose weight.

References

  1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/expert-answers/blood-pressure/faq-20058254
  2. https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/features/hypertension-and-alcohol
  3. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/changes-you-can-make-to-manage-high-blood-pressure/limiting-alcohol-to-manage-high-blood-pressure
  4. https://www.alcohol.org/effects/blood-pressure/
  5. https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/effects-on-the-body/is-alcohol-good-for-the-heart/
  6. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-wine-good-or-bad
  7. https://www.wideopeneats.com/10-health-benefits-get-drinking-daily-glass-wine/
  8. https://www.primermagazine.com/2019/learn/different-wine-types
  9. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/alcohol-and-heart-health-separating-fact-from-fiction
  10. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-vs-white-wine

 

Can High Blood Pressure Cause A Stroke? 13 Facts You Must Know About High Blood Pressure

13 Facts About High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is called hypertension. It’s the most important, modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. This means it’s the one thing that you can change if you want to prevent yourself from dying from heart and blood vessel disease – and doing this one thing could make a big difference in your life.

High blood pressure is common in those who are older than 50 years old. It’s something that is really important to pay attention to. For every 20/10 mm Hg increase after blood pressure starting at 115/75 mm Hg, the risk for cardiovascular disease doubles. Even if you have normal blood pressure at 55 years old, there’s a 90% lifetime risk of developing high blood pressure.

If your blood pressure (BP) is 120-139 mm Hg on the upper side and 80-89 mm Hg on the bottom number, lifestyle changes are needed to prevent the BP from going up further.

Even your children are at risk to develop high blood pressure, and doctors now have separate guidelines for BP problems in children. The number one way to prevent high blood pressure is to watch salt intake. Even changing your salt intake by cutting it in half can make a big difference in your blood pressure numbers.

What to Know About High Blood Pressure

Interested in finding out more information that has been reported in medical studies about high blood pressure? Check out these 12 facts below.

  1. Why Do I Have High Blood Pressure?

According to presenters at the National High Blood Pressure Education Program at the Boston University School of Medicine and others worldwide, obesity and excessive consumption of calories are major causes of hypertension.

High intake of salt is another one of the biggest culprits. Anthropologists studying hunters and gatherers thousands of years ago state that the average amount of sodium consumed per day in those times was only 690 mg. We don’t know if they considered how hunters preserved meat in salt and ate the salty meats or if they only considered fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds in the diet with occasional fresh meat. This amount that hunters and gatherers ate daily is a far cry from today’s expected intake of 4000 mg per day, and 690-1200 mg in one serving of canned soup!

Other Causes of High Blood Pressure

Doctors and scientists at the Cardiovascular Medicine department at the University of Michigan reported that there are factors in the environment that can cause high blood pressure: high altitude, loud noises, ambient air pollution, and cold temperatures. Brief exposures of any of these actually elevate BP over the long term but if any of these factors are sustained over time, then the BP may not come down. Thus, where you live – and work – is important to your health.

When it comes to air pollution, it’s when the fine particulate matter levels reach 2.5 that BP rises. This is something that Italian scientists reported in 2016. When the particulate matter causes the BP to rise, it may be a potential triggering factor for a heart attack.

Interestingly, here’s a personal story from one of my friends with left ventricular damage (heart failure) and mildly elevated BP. “I had heard of the fires that occurred in Redding, California and wanted to take a trip out there to see if I could help in some way with jobs and new businesses. Even though the fires had stopped for about a month, the air still was not good. It smelled funny and kind of acrid. You didn’t need a fine particulate matter reading to know the particulate matter was high. As it turns out, I never got the chance to go sight-seeing in the area. Even driving at 1000 feet elevation with all the particulate matter in the air, my heart began hurting and my blood pressure rose. I felt as if I was not going to be able to drive out of the area without a heart attack occurring and was glad to get to fresh air.”

Scientists say that acute and chronic exposures to air pollutants cause autonomic nervous system imbalance and the arteries constrict. Inflammatory compounds and mediators are released that affect the circulatory system. The exposure also increases the release of high levels of free radicals. All these contribute to high blood pressure.

  1. Who is Most Likely to Develop High Blood Pressure?

In China, doctors knew that high blood pressure caused problems and then checked the other end of the spectrum. Frail elderly patients that had lower BP levels (not normal but low) were actually found to be more at risk for dying than those with higher BP levels. Surprisingly, those with hypertension had a protective effect in lowering the risk of overall mortality.

Scientists in many countries have reported problems with noise in work situations. For example, in the paper industry, workers exposed to noise were compared to those not exposed to noise. Those exposed to noise had significantly higher BP readings, were more often diagnosed with hypertension, and had ECG abnormalities compared to those who weren’t exposed to noise. People who work in certain types of industries are more at risk to develop high blood pressure.

This study tells us that both high and low blood pressure are potential problems in one’s health.

People that drink a lot of alcohol are also likely to suffer from hypertension. Those who are in stressful situations and under severe stress for long periods of time find that the stress affects the nervous system, and the nervous system makes arteries constrict. This raises the BP. Sometimes, people will feel their blood pressure rising but most of the time, it’s non-detectable. When it rises, you may feel as if you are going to explode or get a headache.

Those who smoke are more likely to develop high blood pressure. Those who have low calcium levels can be subject to hypertension, as calcium supplementation reduces blood pressure in the medical studies. A high calcium diet allows the blood vessels to relax.

  1. Can High Blood Pressure be Cured? Can High Blood Pressure be Reversed? Can High Blood Pressure be Cured in 30 Days?

Blood pressure is one of those indices in the body that fluctuates daily and even hour to hour. It responds to the nervous system, to your hormones, to your thoughts, and to the external environment. Thus, to think it can be ‘cured’ is not accurate thinking. You can lower it to the normal range but may still have brief ‘blips’ of high blood pressure when exposed to loud noises or air pollution. The key to good blood pressure is to have a healthy functioning nervous system that is able to respond to the pressures of the day and night and your environment.

If your BP is high right now, there are things you can do to bring the levels down to normal for most of the day and night. You’ll feel better when this happens. The ‘what to do’ involves changing your lifestyle, changing your stress levels, how you think about things and the stressful situations in your life, changing your diet and your weight, and exercising. You can also take herbs such as artichoke and hibiscus tea to bring down high BP levels. When you do these things over time, you can get your ‘cure’. You could see a major difference in BP within 14 days, as many herbalists will attest. However, if you go back to your old ways, the BP will rise again.

  1. Can High Blood Pressure Kill You?

High blood pressure can kill you. When your blood pressure is high, your arteries are under a lot of pressure, similar to a garden hose that has the water turned on to high but the spout has been closed. Any weakened areas of the arteries will potentially blow out with this high pressure. This results in internal hemorrhage within an area of the body where the artery ‘blew out’, usually the brain or area weakened by an aneurysm.

You can prevent this from occurring by two ways: 1) lowering the blood pressure, and 2) strengthening the artery walls and clearing out their plaque.

  1. How to Reverse High Blood Pressure Permanently?

The foundation for a healthy blood pressure consists of a healthy diet, adequate exercise, stress reduction, and sufficient amounts of potassium and magnesium.

In Poland, doctors have reported that there are lifestyle changes that can be initiated to reverse high blood pressure. They recommend natural methods including: lifestyle, regular physical activity, training in breathing, reducing body weight, lowering sodium intake, taking potassium supplementation, eating a balanced diet enriched with herbs, reducing caffeine and alcohol intake, stop the smoking habit, avoid stress and regularly monitoring BP.

  1. What Foods Do I Eat for High Blood Pressure?

Medical professionals have used the DASH Diet for decades to bring BP levels down lower. This is a diet that is low in sodium (about 1500-2000 mg daily), high in potassium (4000-6000 mg), low in saturated fat and cholesterol, high in vegetables, and low in dairy products. Essentially, the DASH Diet could be called a diet close to a plant-based diet. Interestingly, if you eat foods that are canned or frozen, these foods are usually low in potassium. The potassium is destroyed during the processing in these ways but remains high in fresh fruits and vegetables that are not wilted.

At the Harvard School of Medicine, doctors tested 412 patients on the DASH diet. Fifty-seven percent of them were women and 57% of them were black and all were over the age of 48. When the lowest levels of sodium in the diet were mandated along with the other dietary recommendations, everyone with high blood pressure had reduced levels of BP. Those who had the highest BP levels had the highest reduction of BP.

Those on the DASH Diet alone showed better improvements in brain thinking speed compared to those who were on a usual weight loss diet. The best overall brain improvements in those with high blood pressure were in those who lost weight plus exercised.

The Mediterranean diet, declared by the UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2013, according to one medical journal, is rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits and virgin olive oil. Thanks to its many beneficial effects, including those with regard to lowering BP, the Mediterranean diet may help people from modern countries to achieve a lower occurrence of CV disease. That’s what they say; however, other studies report that there’s not much of a BP lowering effect.

Data from human and animal studies have shown that the consumption of virgin olive oil shares most of the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet. Virgin olive oil is the only edible fat that can be consumed as a natural fruit product with no additives or preservatives, and contains a unique constellation of bioactive entities, namely oleic acid and minor constituents. Some of these lower BP.

Omega 3 fats, protein and vitamin D are nutrients that can help lower blood pressure levels. One health care practitioner commented for this article that her patient, a man in his late 50s, had dangerously high BP levels. She sent him to the ER and they checked his Vitamin D levels, finding them low. They gave him an injection of vitamin D and his BP immediately fell down to a more manageable level.

Other studies show that the following foods lower blood pressure:

  • amino acids
  • tea
  • green coffee bean extract
  • dark chocolate
  • foods high in nitrates

Magnesium is known to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease – and can lower BP. In one Korean study of11,685 adults over the age of 20, women who were obese and had a low magnesium intake were more prone to have high blood pressure than those with high magnesium intake. Health practitioners usually recommend 500 mg magnesium per day for those who have high BP.

In a review of the medical literature, scientists analyzed BP levels of those on vegetarian diets. The vegetarian diets were associated with a reduction in mean systolic BP (-4.8 mm Hg) and diastolic BP (-2.2 mm Hg) compared with meat-eating diets. Although this certainly is significant, it can’t do much for those who have a BP of 145/92, and other means to lower the BP must be taken.

  1. What Foods Do I Avoid for High Blood Pressure?

Many people wonder whether or not foods containing sugar and processed foods – ones that are considered high glycemic index foods – contribute to the development of high blood pressure. A high glycemic index food is a carbohydrate food that raises blood sugar level high after eating the food. Some examples include whole wheat, jasmine rice, puffed rice products, donuts, pop-tarts, baked potatoes, pretzels, pizza, desserts high in sugar, and breakfast cereals.

The high blood sugar level you get from eating these foods then causes a lot of stress on every body organ and system and leads to the development of degenerative diseases, including high blood pressure.

In one study, scientists reviewed all the studies that had been done on this topic. They totaled up the glycemic index scores for the foods eaten every day and called this the glycemic load. When the glycemic load was reduced by 28 units, their BP fell by 2 mm in both the upper and lower numbers of the BP (systolic and diastolic pressures). They concluded that a lower glycemic index diet may lead to important reductions in blood pressure.

Other foods to avoid include salty foods. These are foods that contain an appreciable amount of salt per serving. For example, a food that contains 400 mg sodium per serving is too high for those who have high blood pressure.

  1. How Long Does It Take to Lower High Blood Pressure?

Herbalists may be the best person to answer this question, as they see clients with high blood pressure frequently. Their answer is that BP starts showing up lower on BP readings within two weeks but the client has to continue taking the herbs – and lifestyle changes – over longer periods of time. How much the BP has to fall determines how long it will take. For example, someone with BP levels of 220/88 is going to need a good 3-5 months to lower the BP and reduce body weight and start exercising. Someone who has a BP level of 140/82 could only need 21 days.

  1. Can I Exercise If I Have High Blood Pressure?

As a general rule, a regular practice of physical activity decreases the risk of death by up to 60%. When you participate in regular exercise, each session of exercise lowers your blood pressure, whether or not it’s endurance or strength exercise.

Aerobic exercise combined with dietary modifications makes a big difference in neurocognitive functioning (brain functions) in those who have high blood pressure. Those who combined the DASH diet along with a behavioral weight management program (that includes exercise) had the greatest improvements in memory and learning in some studies.

  1. What Happens If High Blood Pressure Doesn’t Go Away?

Hypertension is a silent killer. This means there are no obvious symptoms. BP will continue to rise if nothing is done about it. If you go to the doctor and he requires you to be on BP lowering medications, you will be put on one or more of these types of medications: beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotenisin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers, or two or more of these medications. Each of these medications has side effects associated with it.

High blood pressure increases the risks of stroke, dementia, and causes brain dysfunction, too.

  1. How Long Does It Take for High Blood Pressure to Come Down?

You will start seeing blood pressure reductions of 10-20 mm Hg within a few weeks of starting your lifestyle changes. The more changes you make simultaneously, the sooner the changes will occur and the greater the drop in BP. However, BP will not go lower than the normal range of BP unless you combine the lifestyle changes with medications to lower BP. Thus, you will have to monitor your BP to see if your medication dosage should be lowered by your physician.

  1. Will Losing Weight Lower High Blood Pressure?

Weight loss will generally lower high blood pressure. A loss of 10% of body weight will often be enough for many people to lower their BP. However, if you have 80 pounds to lose, you may have to lose 26-30% of your body weight in order to get to normal body weight. Ideal body weight is always your goal, but do remember that even people with ideal body weight can have high BP. This is because they still have to ‘fix’ their lifestyle factors that are contributing to high BP.

You can do a lot to lower your BP on your own. Don’t let anyone tell you that high BP is always going to be a problem unless medication is taken for the rest of your life. This simply is not true. You have a lot of control over a lot of the factors that make BP rise. It’s just a matter of getting down to work on the problem.

  1. What is the relationship between high blood pressure and stroke?

Death from stroke has decreased over the last decade but the bad news is that stroke is still the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Modern medicine contributes the prescription of statins and high blood pressure medications to this decrease.

Having a stroke can leave you with paralysis on one side of the body with major repercussions for the rest of your life. With damage like this, you will go from being totally independent to becoming dependent on other people for everything from eating, bathing, walking, dressing, to using the bathroom. Many people end up with speech impediments or the use of an arm.

If you have high blood pressure, increasing your potassium intake can lower your risk of having a stroke by 24%. However, this is something that kidney disease patients are unable to do. The sooner you can start making changes in your lifestyle habits to prevent stroke, the better it is.

 

 

Sources:

Hypertension. 2003 Dec;42(6):1206-52. Epub 2003 Dec 1.

J Hypertens. 2016 Oct;34(10):1887-920. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000001039.

Cardiol Clin. 2017 May;35(2):213-221. doi: 10.1016/j.ccl.2016.12.003. Epub 2017 Jan 30.

Curr Pharm Des. 2016;22(1):28-51.

Geriatr Nurs. 2016 Sep – Oct;37(5):385-392. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2016.05.006. Epub 2016 Jul 1.

Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris). 2014 Jun;63(3):197-203. doi: 10.1016/j.ancard.2014.05.003. Epub 2014 Jun 2.

Iran J Kidney Dis. 2016 Sep;10(5):237-263.

Curr Pharm Des. 2017;23(17):2453-2461. doi: 10.2174/1381612823666170215144649.

Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2016;14(4):323-9.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Mar 2;3:CD008274. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008274.pub3.

Annu Rev Nutr. 2010 Aug 21;30:365-401. doi: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-010510-103954.

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2016 Jan;48(1):42-53.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2015.08.023. Epub 2015 Oct 21.

Steroids. 1991 Mar;56(3):131-5.

Nutr Res Rev. 2017 Dec;30(2):208-219. doi: 10.1017/S0954422417000063. Epub 2017 May 17.

Nutrients. 2014 May 27;6(6):2131-47. doi: 10.3390/nu6062131.

JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Apr;174(4):577-87. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.14547.

Eur Heart J. 1987 May;8 Suppl B:3-8.

Curr Hypertens Rev. 2014;10(2):67-76.

J Korean Med Sci. 2013 Apr;28(4):555-63. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2013.28.4.555. Epub 2013 Mar 27.

PLoS One. 2015 Jun 15;10(6):e0130405. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130405. eCollection 2015.

Clin Ter. 2014;165(4):e304-11.

J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017 Dec 12;70(23):2841-2848. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.10.011. Epub 2017 Nov 12.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 May;105(5):1176-1190. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.143685. Epub 2017 Apr 12.

Hypertension. 2010 Jun;55(6):1331-8. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.109.146795. Epub 2010 Mar 19.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28157742

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23558164

 

 

 

Does Sleep Apnea Cause High Blood Pressure?

Do you need a sleep study?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition that manifests itself in your activities of daily living without you realizing it. If you have high blood pressure, constant daytime sleepiness or your energy level is low sleep apnea might be the culprit agent. However, not everyone who experiences these symptoms requires a sleep study.

Facts about Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

• Obesity is major risk factor

• Affects 10% of women and 25% of men (Weeks Jr).

• Rates are increasing due to increase rate of obesity

• 40-60% of patient with cardiovascular disease is affected by OSA

• Gold standard treatment is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)

Don’t Hold Your Breath

When you are hospitalized and connected to monitoring equipment, sleep apnea can be easily be observed just by looking at your respiratory rate,  pulse rate and oxygenation as you sleep.


At home your loved one can look at the rise and fall of your chest and take note of when the apnea episode occurs. This information can be shared with your doctor but you still need a sleep study.

But the best way to diagnose sleep apnea is via a sleep study. In addition, the severity of OSA can also be determined. Sleep apnea occurs when you have frequent episodes of breath holding (apnea) while you sleep. Your airway collapses, narrows and your respiration stops. This can last until you gasp for breath then wake up.

If not treated OSA can become severe and decrease the quality of your life. In addition, you have a higher chance of having heart disease, stroke, and dementia (Force). There has been an increase rate of motor vehicle accident due to sleepiness possible associated with OSA.

Sleep in Peace

Not all sleep is good sleep, therefore you might need a sleep study to determine if you are having good quality sleep. A sleep study is a painless, needle less, incision less test done in a sleep lab to analyze the quality of your sleep. This can be in a hospital or sleep center. During the procedure you are connected to monitoring devices that tracks and record activities while you are asleep. Activities such as leg movement, rapid eye movement, snoring, oxygenation, respiration amongst other things are tracked, recorded and analyze to determine if you sleepy quality is good. Find out below if you should talk to your health care provider about considering a referral for a sleep study.

Snoring

If you are a heavy snorer then you may want to consider being tested for sleep apnea through a sleep study. Most people only know if they snore or not through reports of a sleep partner, roommate or house mate. Some people snoring can be so loud that it wakes up the entire house. Although snoring alone is not a diagnosis of OSA, snoring and being overweight along with other symptoms might be a good indicator that OSA is imminent.

Unexplained fatigue, non-restorative sleep, or daytime sleepiness

There are numerous reasons for being tired including sleeping with at snorer or being the same house with a snore. From low iron levels to busy lifestyles or even depression, it is not uncommon to complain of fatigue. However, if you feel your life is not particularly stressful and you live a healthy lifestyle but are still fatigued, you may want to consider having a sleep study to further assess for sleep apnea. Speak to your health care provider to ensure other concerning causes are not to blame, such as abnormal blood counts or thyroid issues.

Chronic insomnia

Do you frequently wake up in the night tossing and turning? Although there are a number of causes for insomnia, such as stress and anxiety, sleep apnea could be the cause. Heavy snoring can wake you up regularly throughout the night. If you or your partners have noticed that you snore heavily, you may benefit from a sleep study for further assessment. Some patients state they feel themselves stop breathing and gags for air. This might be you too.

Restless legs

Are you aware that your legs wiggle and kick throughout the night? A partner is often the one to report that his/her partner is frequently moving his/her legs at night. If this is the case, there may be an underlying diagnosis of sleep apnea present. Leg movements can be monitored during a sleep study. If a condition called restless leg syndrome is identified, medication may be recommended.

Hypertension

High blood pressure, or hypertension, can actually be associated with sleep apnea. This is often questioned when an otherwise healthy person following a healthy lifestyle with no family history of hypertension is found to have elevated blood pressure readings. Undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure. Our bodies need rest to function normally. Chronically interrupted sleep can stress the body and cause hypertension.

Cognitive Decline

Research suggests that there might be a correlation between OSA and cognitive impairment in adults and Alzheimer’s . This happen because intermittent periods of low oxygen and high carbon dioxide in the blood going to the brain can cause metabolic changes in the brain. Symptoms of dementia such memory loss can be observed.

Are You CPAPing Tonight?

Some people may avoid talking to their health care providers about a sleep study because they are not fond of how sleep apnea is managed. Sleep apnea is typically managed through wearing a face mask at night that is attached to a tube and small machine to provide continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). With advances in management techniques, such as oral devices or mandibular advancement devices, sleep apnea can be managed more comfortably. Lifestyle modifications may also be recommended, such as weight loss, certain sleep positions, and avoiding alcohol.

If you are normotensive CPAP can reduce your systolic blood pressure by 2 to 3 mm Hg. If you are hypertensive CPAP can lower blood pressure 6 to 7 mm Hg (McEvoy et al.). Therefore, it is well worth the effort.

Proper management of sleep apnea helps prevent ongoing fatigue and some chronic conditions, particularly related to cardiovascular disease. If you or someone you know is worried that they might have obstructive sleep apnea, speak to a health care provider to decide if a sleep study is warranted.

Works Cited

Force, US Preventive Services Task. “Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults.” JAMA (2017): 407-417.

Peppard, P. E., Young, T., Barnet, J. H., Palta, M., Hagen, E. W., & Hla, K. M. (2013). Increased prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in adults. American journal of epidemiology, 177(9), 1006-1014.

McEvoy, Doug R. “CPAP for Prevention of Cardiovascular Events In Obstructive Sleep Apnea.” The New England Journal of Medicine (2016).

Weeks Jr, Kenneth D. “The Basics of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.” American College of Cardiology (2012).

Force, US Preventive Services Task. “Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults.” JAMA (2017): 407-417.

McEvoy, Doug R. “CPAP for Prevention of Cardiovascular Events In Obstructive Sleep Apnea.” The New England Journal of Medicine (2016).

Rosenzweig, I, et al.. “Sleep Apnea and Dementia | Ten Points to Remember.” Lancet Respir Med 14 April 2015.

Weeks Jr, Kenneth D. “The Basics of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.” American College of Cardiology (2012).

(Rosenzweig, Glasser and Leschziner) Sleep Apnea and Dementia | Ten Points to Remember

The New Normal Blood Pressure Range: Are You Normal?

For some individuals, blood pressure control is a challenge. Studies show that most people do not have their blood pressure within the normal range even though they take blood pressure medication. One reason can be due to the recent changes made by the American Heart Association. With the new changes more and more people are being diagnosed with elevated blood pressure or high blood pressure.

This means they are also required to start taking medications as well and make adjustment to their lifestyle such as being more active.

It can be very frustrating that you are doing all the right but even with three blood pressure medication your blood pressure remains elevated. There might be a good explanation that can be easily corrected. Continue reading to find out what might be preventing you from reaching your blood pressure goals.

Blood Pressure Range

AHA Blood Pressure Range

Back in 2017 AHA decrease the ranges for blood pressure. The new normal blood pressure is a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 and diastolic blood pressure less than 80. Some experts say this is too low. But as of now, they have not changed their recommendation.

It can take up to 3 medication to meet this new goal. But it is worth every effort. High blood pressure kills and disables individuals. It is the leading causes of stroke and the leading cause of cardiovascular-related death.

Whatever steps you can take to diminish your risk of developing complication from high blood pressure, take it and take it now. Not later.

It does not have to be major changes. Small changes here and there can make a big difference. All your small incremental efforts will lead to success.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Besides lifestyle modification and taking your prescribed blood pressure medication another way you can help control your blood pressure is by examining some of you other recreational habits that might be interfering with you reaching your target blood pressure.

Many of the substances that we indulge in on a regular basis can be harmful to us. We know recreational drugs and alcohol is bad for us, but too much coffee can also be bad for your blood pressure causing it to be worse. This can make it seems like the blood pressure medications are not working.

Do you drink coffee every day? How much coffee do you drink daily? Do you know how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee? You should keep track of this information. Cut back on the amount of coffee you drink and see what happens to your blood pressure.

Also, some prescribe medication might also be affecting your blood pressure. What’s good for the goose is not always good for the gander.

The goal of this post is to bring awareness and make you think about the possible causes of your persistent high blood pressure. Put your detective hat on and start investing your habits.

However, do not stop taking your medication without first talking to your doctor.

Even if you do not have any of the risk factors associated with high blood pressure, this information may still apply to you.

Prescribe Medications that Increases Blood Pressure

✔ Systemic corticosteroids – This class of prescription medication is used to treat autoimmune conditions, inflammatory conditions, and sometimes allergic reaction. Some examples are prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, or fludrocortisone.

✔ Ketoconazole – This class of medication is used to treat fungal skin infections. An example is Nioral.

✔ Erythropoietin -This class of prescription medication is used to treat anemia. An example is Procrit or Epogen.

✔ Antiemetics -This class of medication is used to treat nausea. Examples are Reglan and Litican

✔ Angiogenesis inhibitors – This class of medication is prescribed by physician to shrink tumors. An example is bevacizumab.

✔ Tyrosine kinase inhibitors – This class of medication also fights tumors. Two examples are Sunitinib and sorafenib.

✔ Immunosuppressants – This class of prescribed medication is used to suppress the immune system and is given to post organ transplant patient. It can also be used to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis. An example is a cyclosporine.

✔ NSAIDs – This class of the drug can be purchased with or without a prescription. It can be used to treat pain, fever or prevent a blood clot. Nonprescription examples are aspirin, and Ibuprofen. Prescription option is Celebrex.

✔ Antidepressants – This class of medication is prescribed to treat depression. Examples are Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (Marplan) and Tricyclic Antidepressants (Doxepin)

✔ Oral contraceptives – this class of medication is prescribed to women to prevent pregnancy.

✔ Atypical antipsychotics -This class of medication is used to treat psychosis. Examples are Clozapine and Olanzapine.

✔ Amphetamines – Conditions like ADHD and narcolepsy are often treated by amphetamines such as dextroamphetamine, methylphenidate or dextroamphetamine.

 

The items listed in this category can be elimated without discussing with your doctor. Furthermore, none will not improve your health so why not just stop consuming it .But if you must continue, a few have substitution. For instance , instead of drinking regular cofee drink decaf.

✔ Recreational drugs – This class of drug is used recreationally and strictly for fun. Examples are MDPV which is known as bath salts,  methamphetamine, and cocaine.

✔ Caffeine – This substance is found in coffee, tea and chocolate. Amount over 300mg /day can cause high blood pressure.

✔ Alcohol – This substance is also consumed socially and found in beer, wine, rum.

✔ Herbal supplements – This substance can be plant or herb based and found in many foods, drinks and pills Example Ma Huang, St John’s  Worth.

✔ Decongestants – These substances can be purchased without a prescription and are used to treat sinus congestion. Examples are pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine

Always keep a current medication list of all prescription, over the counter and herbal supplements and make it available to your doctor.

As for the non-prescribed substance, avoid the ones that might potentially increase your blood pressure. For instance, if you have a cold or sinus problems ask the pharmacist about other options that are available to help  alleviate your symptoms.

 

When Should I Check My Blood Pressure at Home?

Way too many billions of people worldwide suffer from high blood pressure, also known as hypertension (HTN) and they don’t know it. Some never check their blood pressure while others don’t check it enough. They only have it checked when they go to the doctor’s office.

Furthermore, 45% of individuals with known high blood pressure do not have it within an acceptable range even though they go to the doctor. They are taking prescription  blood pressure medication that is failing to control their blood pressure. This might be you.

Elevated or not, you should get into the habit of checking your blood pressure especially if you are overweight, diabetic, drink alcohol, eat a high sodium diet, inactive, smoke, snore, abuse drugs or if you have a family history of high blood pressure or have kidney disease.

A question frequently asked by individual that are ready to take steps to lower their blood pressure is when should I take my blood pressure at home? And its good question. Plan to check your blood pressure when you wake up and before bedtime. Also plan to take it if you had a stressful day or feel symptoms of high or low blood pressure such as head ache or dizziness.

Facts about High Blood Pressure

  •  75 million people in the US have high blood pressure
  • 81% are unaware that they have it
  •  75% are treated and only 51% is adequately controlled
  • Occurs more often in blacks at a rate of 41%
  • Morbidity and mortality are greater in blacks
  • 2/3 of people over 65 have high blood pressure
  • High blood pressure increases with age

Statistics show that the most common reason why we visit the doctor is for blood pressure management. Yet still our blood pressure is poorly managed and out of control leaving us at risk for complications.

I Got 99 Problems and Getting a Doctor’s Appointment is One

When you first found out that you were hypertensive with a BP of 150/95, you refused to take the prescription. If being more active can help, then you are on it like white on rice.  However, 6 months later your blood pressure did not budge, so you decided to take the blood pressure pill prescribed by your doctor, continue walking and ditched the  french fries and hamburgers.

Fast forward now.  You feel the same. Well you did not have any symptoms of high blood pressure to begin with. So how do you know if any of this is working?  According to the chart in the doctor’s office, by now you should see a decrease in your systolic blood pressure by approximately 15- 20 points. But you have not followed up with your doctor. Now what?

There is no denying that we sometimes have too much on our plate like career and family, but sometimes it also very difficult to get a doctor’s appointment. After waiting two months for your visit, you had to wait 2 more hours to be seen by the doctors.

I appreciate and respect doctors and their expertise, but they are also a part of the problem. Have you ever tried to call your doctor after hours or on the weekend? What kind of help do you get? None!!

Doctors play a role in this problem too because once the office closes for the day, holidays and weekends, they are impossible to reach and sometimes they  take days to return a phone call or call in a prescription to the pharmacy. Forget about the physician on call. They never want to make changes to your medication because they don’t know who you are. You are told to wait for the office to reopen and go the emergency room in the case of an emergency.

Self Management of Blood Pressure

Did you know that studies have shown that if you check your blood pressure on a regular basis, you will have better control over it? However, you cannot rely only on your visit to the doctor to have your blood pressure check. Fortunately, you have options including checking it yourself. But don’t be misled. You will still need support and guidance from your physician.

Hopefully, you have a physician that understands the role you will now play to help control your own high blood pressure. He/She will guide you on how to take, track and report your blood pressure readings. You might even receive instructions on how to adjust your medication base on the readings.

The only way to know if your lifestyle changes and blood pressure medication is working is to take your blood pressure regularly. Depending on where you live, you can also have your blood pressure taken at the pharmacy. Some churches and community centers offer blood pressure screening. Look for one in your area.

If your blood pressure is elevated only when checked in the doctor’s office, then you might have a condition called white coat hypertension. Being able to check your blood pressure outside of the doctor office will help the doctor decide if you have true hypertension. If it is still then your are most  like hypertensive.

However, the reverse can also be true, your blood pressure can be normal at the doctor’s office but high at home. Therefore, having the right tools and resources to check your blood pressure regularly is crucial for you over all health and well-being.

Tricks of the Trade from a Nurse

Experts recommend that you check your blood pressure two times per day. Take your blood pressure 2-3 times, one minute a part as follows:

  • Relax for 5 mins before checking
  • Sit in a chair with your back  supported
  •  Uncross legs
  •  Feet flat on the ground or supported by a foot stool
  • Relax Arm at the level of the heart on a hard surface
  •  No talking, text, watching TV or activity
  •  No caffeine, exercise, or smoking 30mins before checking.
  •  Empty bladder
  • Take your blood pressure at the same time everyday

BP Devices

  •  Automated (recommended]
  • Manual

Select the right site

  • Upper arm (recommended)
  • Wrist
  • Thigh
  • Lower Leg

Select the Right Arm Circumference Cuff Size

  • 22-26cm Small Adult
  • 27-34cm Adult
  • 35—44cm Large Adult
  • 45-52cm Adult Thigh

Select a device that is Validated and Certified by one of the following;

  • Association for the Advancement of Medical Instruments
  • British Hypertension Society
  • European Society of Hypertension

Somebody Please Call 911 or Your Doctor or Go to the Emergency Room

Now that you understand the importance of taking your blood pressure and you learned the skills of proper blood pressure measurement the next step is to know when to call 911.


If you experience any of the below symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Nosebleed
  • Sudden difficulty speaking and understanding
  • Sudden loss of vision or vision problems
  • Sudden weakness in one arm, one leg or one side of the face
  • Sudden spinning sensation in head
  • Sudden severe headache
  • Sudden chest or arm pain
  • Sudden Confusion
  • Several high blood pressure reading
  • SBP greater than 180 or DBP greater than 110

Because I don’t know your circumstances, I cannot advice you  on which action to take if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms. I am very aware that we don’t all have access to the same healthcare. But you should know that something serious might be happening to you and you need to seek help.

If you are diagnosed with hypertension but despite taking medications, your blood pressure is still high then start to monitor your blood pressure.  You will increase your chances of getting it within normal range.

If you are overweight, diabetic, smoke , stressed, eat and drink too much of the wrong things then you will develop high blood pressure. No questions ask. You should also start checking your blood pressure too and get a head of it.

The most effective way for you to be successful with checking your blood pressure often  is to have your own equipment at home. Select a  machine that is easy to use. Preferably one that stores your information . This way you can  keep track and report your measurements to your doctor. Taking your blood pressure is a quick and painless process. With the right mindset, support and tools you will be on  your way towards good health.