How to Lower Your Blood Pressure

 
High blood pressure is a lifelong disease. It can usually be controlled but not cured. Once you begin to manage it and start a treatment program, maintaining a lower blood pressure is easier. By controlling your high blood pressure, you'll lower your risk of diseases like stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease. You can do it!

The first thing to do is to have your blood pressure checked. If you have high blood pressure, you can do a lot to reduce it. Work with your doctor to determine the best treatment for you.

• It may include reducing the fat (particularly saturated fat) in your diet, eating less salt and changing your lifestyle by losing weight and getting regular physical activity.
• Quitting smoking is also important to reduce your overall risk for heart attack and stroke.
• Your doctor may recommend reducing how much alcohol you drink.
• Many medicines also can help reduce and control high blood pressure. Your doctor will decide whether you need medicine in addition to dietary and lifestyle changes.
• Monitor your blood pressure with a blood pressure kit

WARNING: HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS A SILENT KILLER!
(learn more here)

Check your blood pressure from the comfort of your own home.

Order A Blood Pressure Kit
Order A Digital Blood Pressure Kit


This information is from

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2133

To the best of our knowledge, the information contained herein is accurate. However, neither Binson's, or any of its subsidiaries assumes any liability whatsoever for the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein. This information is for educational purposes only.
 

Inexpensive Blood Pressure Kits

 
Many blood pressure kits costing $10 or less are cheaply made and highly inaccurate. A&D Medical/Lifesource, Accu-Chek, Bayer are all good brands. Good home blood pressure kits start around $25 and range anywhere between $25 and $200. There are three different types of blood pressure kits.

• Mercury Sphygmomanometer (Manual Blood Pressure Kit)
• Aneroid Equipment (Manual Blood Pressure Kit)
• Automatic Equipment (Digital Blood Pressure Kit)

(Digital blood pressure kits are easier to use and manual blood pressure kits are more accurate)

Order A Manual Blood Pressure Kit
Order A Digital Blood Pressure Kit

Types of Blood Pressure Kits

Mercury Sphygmomanometer - This has always been regarded as the standard for blood pressure measurement, but this is likely to change in the near future. The mercury sphygmomanometer is durable, easy to read and doesn’t require readjustment. It has a simple mechanism and works by gravity to give consistent, accurate readings. It has a long, tubular gauge, usually made of plastic to prevent breakage. It's not often recommended for home use due to the hazards of mercury.

Disadvantages include:

• May be bulky to carry
• Mercury spills can be hazardous
• Must be kept upright on a flat surface during measurement; the gauge must be read at eye level for accuracy
• May not work well for the hearing or visually impaired or for those unable to perform the hand movement needed to squeeze the bulb and inflate the cuff

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Aneroid Equipment - This is often inexpensive, lightweight and more portable than mercury sphygmomanometers. The aneroid gauge will work in any position if the reader is able to view it directly. Some models have an easy-to-read, extra large gauge; D-ring cuff for one-handed application; built-in or attached stethoscope; and a self-bleeding deflation valve for increased reading accuracy.

Disadvantages include:

• Has a delicate and complicated mechanism
• Less accurate than mercury sphygmomanometers and requires calibrating at least once a year or when dropped or bumped
• Can be easily damaged without the user’s knowledge and requires factory repair and readjustment
• Gauge can be clumsy to position, and without a D-ring cuff can be difficult to apply by oneself
• May not work well for the hearing or visually impaired or for those unable to perform the hand movement needed to squeeze the bulb and inflate the cuff

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Automatic Equipment - This is contained in one unit, so it's easier to handle than systems with a separate gauge and stethoscope. It’s easy to use, minimizes human error and is good for people with hearing or vision loss. Most units are very portable and have a D-ring cuff for one-handed application. The cuff may fit around the wrist or arm. More expensive models have automatic inflation and deflation systems; large, easy-to-read digital display and error indicator; reading printouts; and built-in pulse (heart rate) measurement.

Disadvantages include:

• Complex, fragile and sensitive mechanism
• Must be checked for accuracy at regular intervals
• Even the most accurate devices don’t give accurate readings on certain people
• Body movements may influence accuracy
• Can be expensive, requires batteries and an AC adapter for large arm cuffs and may require factory repair and readjustment when faulty
• Requires careful cuff placement and arm positioning for accurate operation, especially the wrist cuff model. (Some models are designed for use on only the right or left arm.)
• Large cuffs may be relatively expensive or difficult to obtain.

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WARNING: HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS A SILENT KILLER!
(learn more here)

Check your blood pressure from the comfort of your own home.

Order A Blood Pressure Kit
Order A Digital Blood Pressure Kit



Portions of this information are from

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=576

To the best of our knowledge, the information contained herein is accurate. However, neither Binson's, or any of its subsidiaries assumes any liability whatsoever for the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein. This information is for educational purposes only.
 

High Diastolic Blood Pressure and High Systolic Blood Pressure

 
Blood pressure is measured in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. On a standard blood pressure kit, the systolic blood pressure is displayed over the diastolic blood pressure. High systolic blood pressure is when your hearts' beating blood pressure is too high. High diastolic blood pressure is when your heart's resting blood pressure is too high.

A normal systolic blood pressure reading would be less then 120. A normal diastolic blood pressure reading would be less than 80. Usually, the lower your blood pressure the better. There is no cause for alarm if you have low blood pressure unless it produces symptoms like, lightheadedness, dizziness or unusual weakness.

However, there may be cause for alarm if you have high blood pressure or suspect that you may have high blood pressure. Symptoms for high blood pressure usually occur after it's much too late!


WARNING: HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS A SILENT KILLER!
(learn more here)

Check your blood pressure from the comfort of your own home.

Order A Blood Pressure Kit
Order A Digital Blood Pressure Kit



To the best of our knowledge, the information contained herein is accurate. However, neither Binson's, or any of its subsidiaries assumes any liability whatsoever for the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein. This information is for educational purposes only.
 

Causes of High Blood Pressure

 
In 10% of all high blood pressure cases, secondary hypertension is the cause. Some causes of secondary hypertension are kidney abnormality, structural abnormality, or a narrowing of the arteries.

The high blood pressure causes in the other 90% of all high blood pressure cases are actually unknown. However, we do know that certain factors do seem to be linked to high blood pressure.

• Obesity
• Heavy Salt Usage
• Heavy Alcohol Usage
• Birth Control Pill Usage
• Lack of Exercise
• Certain Drugs
• Heretical Factors

How Does High Blood Pressure Develop?

Your heart pumps blood through the body's arteries. The large arteries that leave your heart taper into smaller arteries called arterioles. The arterioles then taper into smaller vessels called capillaries, which supply oxygen and nutrients to all the organs of your body. The blood then returns to your heart through the veins.

Certain nerve impulses cause your arteries to dilate (become larger) or contract (become smaller). If these vessels are wide open, blood can flow through easily. If they're narrow, it's harder for the blood to flow through them, and the pressure inside them increases. Then high blood pressure may occur. When this happens, your heart becomes strained and blood vessels may become damaged. Changes in the vessels that supply blood to your kidneys and brain may cause these organs to be affected.

Your heart, brain and kidneys can handle increased pressure for a long time. That's why you can live for years without any symptoms or ill effects. But that doesn't mean it's not hurting you. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure.


WARNING: HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS A SILENT KILLER!
(learn more here)

Check your blood pressure from the comfort of your own home.

Order A Blood Pressure Kit
Order A Digital Blood Pressure Kit



Portions of this information are from

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2152

To the best of our knowledge, the information contained herein is accurate. However, neither Binson's, or any of its subsidiaries assumes any liability whatsoever for the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein. This information is for educational purposes only.