In addition to raising the risk of heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, often known as hypertension, can cause kidney and eye problems. Given that people with diabetes are already more likely to experience these problems, it’s critical to comprehend high blood pressure and learn how to prevent or manage it.
Understanding High Blood Pressure
Everybody has a blood pressure. The force that blood exerts on blood arteries during circulation is known as blood pressure. This force aids in the blood’s ability to carry out its function of delivering nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. When the force is too high, high blood pressure develops. Elevated blood pressure can lead to arterial damage and strain several vital organs, particularly the heart and brain.
Even in cases with extremely high blood pressure, there are frequently no symptoms. This is the reason getting your blood pressure checked frequently is crucial for looking for problems. You can take your own blood pressure reading at one of the many blood pressure kiosks found at pharmacies.
How is the measurement of blood pressure done?
Your heart beats and relaxes throughout each beat, pumping blood throughout your body. Your blood pressure is taken during both of these processes when it is measured. For this reason, two numerals are used to describe it. As an illustration, 130 over 80 mm Hg. Often, this is written as 130/80.
Systolic pressure, which is the top figure, represents the pressure at which your heart beats and pumps blood out. The second, lower value is the diastolic pressure, which is measured when your heart relaxes between beats. These two figures are significant.
What level of blood pressure is normal?
For those with diabetes, less than 130/80 mm Hg is the suggested goal. You may probably need to take one or more medications to lower your blood pressure and keep it at a healthy range if it is persistently higher than this. Maintaining a healthy diet and engaging in regular exercise can also significantly impact blood pressure regulation.
When they visit their doctor, some people have a sudden spike in their blood pressure because of anxiousness. The term “white coat hypertension” describes this.
Read Also: The top ten fruits and vegetables for a diabetes diet
How to Eat to Lower Blood Pressure
Reducing salt intake is one of the most crucial things you can do to manage hypertension. Aim for a daily salt intake of no more than 1,500–2,300 mg for those with diabetes. When you consider that the maximum recommended daily intake of sodium is 2,300 mg, which is included in one teaspoon of salt, this is not a significant amount of sodium.
Usually, following the suggestions entails much more than simply setting the salt shaker aside. Processed foods such as canned soups, pickles, cold cuts, frozen pizzas, salty crackers and chips, and bottled salad dressings account for a large portion of our salt intake. Additionally, a lot of fast food restaurant meals has a lot of sodium.
Speak with the dietician on your medical team to receive specific advice on reducing your sodium intake. Your dietitian can also teach you how to read food labels to determine a food’s salt content.
Observe D.A.S.H. dietary guidelines
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension is referred to as DASH. Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated the ability of the DASH diet eating plan to reduce blood pressure. It has a limited intake of salt and saturated and trans fats and is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.
Medications for Reducing High Blood Pressure
Many different drugs are available to treat high blood pressure. Every variety functions differently. To fully control their disease, many patients require changing their lifestyle and using two or more forms of medication.
The following are the primary categories of drugs used to treat hypertension:
- Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are known as ACE inhibitors. They support the regulation of hormones that impact blood pressure.
- Angiotensin Receptor Blockers, or ARBs. These aid in hormone regulation as well.
- Diuretics: these help the body rid itself of extra fluid.
- Calcium channel blockers: these aid in arterial wall relaxation and enlargement.
- Beta blockers: these aid in the regulation of a hormone responsible for blood pressure. They aid in blood vessel opening as well.
It’s critical to understand that many drugs may not start working well for up to six weeks. Until your next visit with your healthcare provider, continue taking your prescription drugs as directed.
Some persons may have adverse reactions to a variety of drugs or pharmaceutical combinations. If this happens, get help from your healthcare provider by calling. Take the prescribed medication(s) as directed unless instructed otherwise. Before determining the ideal medication combination for your particular ailment, your doctor may wind up experimenting with a number of alternative combinations.
Speak with your pharmacist if you have any questions concerning the prescription drugs you have been given.
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