Prevent Hypertension

prevent hypertension Why prevent?
Because the risk of cardiovascular disease doubles each time the systolic pressure increases by 20 mmHg and the diastolic pressure increased by 10 mmHg.
* Because controlling blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke by 35% to 40% and also reduces the risk of kidney disease, dementia and vision problems.
* Finally, because most people who adopt a healthy lifestyle will never hypertension.

Screening Measures
* Measuring your blood pressure should be done once a year by a doctor (at your periodic health examination).

Basic preventive measures
Maintain a healthy weight. Ideally, combining exercise with good eating habits.

Be active. The practice of physical activity of moderate intensity for 30 to 60 minutes, four to seven times a week is recommended to prevent and treat cardiovascular disorders. In a study of over 6 000 men aged 35 to 60 years, those who walked 11 to 20 minutes per day were reduced by 12% their risk of hypertension compared to those who had marché6 not. Better yet, those who walked more than 20 minutes per day had reduced their risk by 30%.

Pay attention to signs of chronic stress. The relationship between stress and hypertension is complex. All indications however, that adrenaline is secreted under stress raises blood pressure because of its vasoconstrictor effect. When stress becomes chronic, it damages the long arteries and heart. It is important to understand the origin of stress in order to better control it.

Consume with moderation highly salted foods. Maintaining a proper balance between sodium intake (in salt content) and that of potassium (found in fruits and vegetables) is important for maintaining blood pressure within normal limits. A report sodium / potassium 1 / 5 would be ideal for maintaining good blood pressure. But the average American diet contains twice as much sodium as potassium8.
It is advised to limit sodium intake to no more than 2 300 mg day7. A good way to reduce their sodium intake is to avoid meats, sauces, chips, fast food and some canned foods – including soups, which are often very salty.
Ensure also eating foods rich in potassium. Cantaloupe, potatoes baked with the skin, winter squash, bananas and cooked spinach are excellent sources.

Consuming two to three meals of fatty fish per week. Omega-3 they contain provide cardiovascular protection, according to numerous studies (see description fish oils). Focus on fatty fish such as herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and trout.

Eating fruits and vegetables in abundance. For their contribution beneficial dietary fiber, antioxidants and potassium.

Limit consumption of fat. To maintain cardiovascular health.

Moderate consumption of alcohol. It recommends a maximum of two drinks per day (two beers or two glasses of wine) for men and one drink per day for women. Some will be interested to abstain completely from alcohol.

Medical treatment

In a person who is doing well, treatment of hypertension designed to prevent possible damage to organs in the coming years, as the heart, brain, kidneys or eyes. When these bodies are already suffering, treatment of hypertension is very important. In people with diabetes, treatment goals are higher because the risk of complications is increased.

In cases of mild hypertension, adopt lifestyles more healthy, as described below, is usually sufficient to normalize blood pressure.

In cases of moderate or advanced hypertension, adaptation of lifestyle will reduce the consumption of drugs. A comprehensive approach has an even greater effect on blood pressure than taking medication.
Drugs

Several types of drugs obtained by prescription, can ensure adequate control of hypertension. Here are the most commonly used:

- Diuretics, which promote the elimination of excess water and salt through urine, there are several types that have different modes of action;
- Beta blockers, which reduce heart rate and force of blood ejection by the heart;
- Calcium channel blockers, which cause dilation of the arteries and reduce the cardiac stress;
- Inhibitors of the enzyme converting angiotensin, which also have an effect on arterial dilatation in countering the production of a hormone (angiotensin);
- Blockers of the angiotensin receptor, which like the previous class of drugs, prevent angiotensin tighten the opening of blood vessels, but by a different mechanism of action.

Standards management of hypertension in the British Hypertension Society supports the use of combination therapy (two or more medications), noting that “most patients require two or more medications to achieve the standards set 13.