| It's easy to imagine the cardiovascular system in | | | | treatments to have been used is diuretics which |
| a simplistic way. First of all, the heart is the pump. | | | | reduce the fluid volume in the system. They work |
| It can vary the fluid flow in the system by either | | | | by causing the kidneys to excrete sodium, or salt, |
| pumping more forcefully, more frequently, or by | | | | and this salt takes fluid with it. The beta blockers |
| increasing pump volume. Then there are the pipes, | | | | and calcium channel blockers reduce heart |
| which are the arteries and the veins. The | | | | pumping force and rate, and relax blood vessel |
| pressure and velocity in the vascular system | | | | constriction. Then there are the so-called ACE |
| depends on the diameters and tone of the pipes. | | | | inhibitors which interfere with the kidneys making |
| Think of squeezing a garden hose and feeling the | | | | angiotensin II from renin, a kidney-secreted |
| pressure and velocity rise. The main plumbers in | | | | hormone. Angiotensin II is a substance which |
| the system are the kidneys, making constant | | | | constricts blood vessels in the vascular system. |
| adjustments in the fluid viscosity and in the pipes' | | | | Finally, there are the ARB's which actually block |
| diameters with chemical vascular tone enhancers | | | | the receptors for angiotensin II in the blood vessel |
| or tone reducers. | | | | walls. |
| This is, of course a very simplistic model for a | | | | So here's the deal with your blood pressure: |
| living system. The true system is infinitely more | | | | you've got to check it frequently. Mostly it is silent |
| complex. The heart has both innate mechanisms | | | | in its relentless destructive processes, and unless |
| and brain hook-ups which make moment to | | | | it is advanced to the point that you're having |
| moment changes in its pumping capacities. The | | | | severe headaches, passing out, going blind, or |
| pipes are alive and stretch and contract, altering | | | | going into kidney failure, you won't otherwise |
| the force within the system. Rather than two | | | | know its elevated. Stick your arm in those blood |
| plumbers, there are numerous cells and chemicals | | | | pressure measuring devices when you're waiting |
| which make continuous adjustments in the | | | | at the pharmacy. Have it checked when you're at |
| system. Sometimes these mini-plumbers can | | | | a health fair. If it is showing up elevated, go ahead |
| work against one another in a counter-productive | | | | and invest in a blood pressure device you can use |
| fashion or too much to drop the pressure or too | | | | at home especially with a printer that can record |
| little to decrease the pressure. | | | | your pressure accurately and permanently. Be |
| Before we proceed, we need to clarify why blood | | | | sure you know how to use it; have it checked for |
| pressure and hypertension are such critical | | | | accuracy at your physician's office. Keep a |
| determinations. Simply put, they are major | | | | notebook with your blood pressure readings in it, |
| factors in the occurrence of coronary heart | | | | and always take it with you when you see your |
| disease, stroke, kidney failure, aneurysms, and | | | | physician. |
| overall health and longevity. | | | | Take your blood pressure medicine every day, |
| What are desirable and undesirable blood | | | | and don't miss a dose. Remember the lifestyle |
| pressures? Any values less than 120/80 are | | | | changes that can benefit your blood pressure like |
| considered normal and desirable. If blood pressure | | | | slimming down and getting moderate exercise |
| is 120 to 139/ 80 to 90, this is called | | | | every day. A diet that's low in salt, cholesterol, |
| prehypertension. This is a strong indicator of | | | | and saturated fat can't do anything but help you. |
| blood pressure problems to come. 140 to 159 | | | | Evaluate your alcohol intake: if it's more than a |
| 90 to 99 is called Stage I hypertension. Values | | | | drink a day, it would be good to reduce it to that |
| above 160/99 are called Stage II hypertension | | | | level. Smoking is something else that elevates |
| and can lead to serious consequences. | | | | blood pressure. Be aware that you may have a |
| If there are underlying medical causes for high | | | | family or ethnic history that predisposes you to |
| blood pressure like thyroid, pituitary, or adrenal | | | | high blood pressure. If you are diabetic, it is |
| conditions; these are called secondary | | | | especially important that you keep your blood |
| hypertension. If there is no apparent underlying | | | | pressure at the lowest desirable values. |
| cause, it is called essential hypertension. 90% to | | | | There is probably nothing more significant that |
| 95% of hypertension is essential. This is not to | | | | you can do for your immediate and long-term |
| say we don't know things which can contribute to | | | | health than maintaining a normal blood pressure. |
| hypertension like obesity, family history, being of | | | | There are enough medicines available, and at |
| African-American or Native-American race, | | | | reasonable cost, that everyone should be able to |
| excessive use of alcohol, poor physical | | | | do this vital step. It is a tragedy when someone |
| conditioning, and excessive intake of salt. Although | | | | has a stroke or a heart attack, or ends up on a |
| these factors contribute to hypertension, their | | | | dialysis machine, because he or she had high blood |
| effect is still considered essential hypertension. | | | | pressure which could have been controlled with a |
| The medicines for hypertension basically work on | | | | simple office visit to their physician several times |
| the cardiovascular system at various levels to | | | | a year. |
| reduce the blood pressure. One of the first | | | | |