What is high blood pressure? Despite popular myth, high blood pressure is not nervous tension. This page on the eMedTV site debunks myths about high blood pressure and provides links to detailed information about this condition.
Risk factors, as this eMedTV resource explains, are not actual high blood pressure causes. However, they can increase a person's chance of developing hypertension. Other possible causes of the disease include obesity, smoking, and diabetes.
In many cases, symptoms of high blood pressure don't exist until the disease affects organs. As this eMedTV page explains, high blood pressure symptoms, when present, include vision problems, nausea, and lightheadedness, among other things.
This eMedTV article explains how to take blood pressure and offers tips to help ensure you get the most accurate reading possible. Your healthcare provider will probably use a device called a sphygmomanometer to take blood pressure readings.
Lifestyle changes are often used first in the treatment of high blood pressure. This eMedTV resource describes these changes (such as losing weight and reducing salt intake), as well as drugs that have found to be helpful in lowering blood pressure.
This section of the eMedTV library identifies the different types of blood pressure medicine and explains how they help treat hypertension, including ACE inhibitors, diuretics, calcium channel blockers, vasodilators, and beta blockers.
High blood pressure can result in problems that affect the brain, kidneys, heart, and blood vessels. This eMedTV Web page describes the effects of high blood pressure on these vital organs in more detail.
One reason why high blood pressure is a health concern is because it increases the risk for conditions such as heart attack and stroke. This eMedTV article explains in detail why high blood pressure is a health concern.
High blood pressure prevention strategies include following a healthy diet, drinking less alcohol, and exercising. This eMedTV article highlights the benefits of high blood pressure prevention methods in reducing the risk of conditions like stroke.
As this eMedTV article explains, combining foods that lower blood pressure can have the same effect as blood pressure medicine. The DASH diet contains foods such as whole grains, fish, and vegetables; it calls for a reduction in salt, fat, and sugar.
This eMedTV page explains the link between exercise and high blood pressure reduction. For example, studies on exercise and high blood pressure reduction show that 30 minutes 3 days a week is enough exercise to bring about a drop in blood pressure.
This segment of the eMedTV archives explores the connection between alcohol and high blood pressure. While moderate amounts are usually fine, too much alcohol can make hypertension worse or decrease the effectiveness of medications.
A variety of conditions are made worse by smoking, and high blood pressure is just one of them. This eMedTV resource explains the dangerous link between smoking and high blood pressure and offers tips for quitting.
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