Private Health Care Management: Hypertension

Showing posts with label Hypertension. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Hypertension Causes, Prevention and Treatment

Terrence Jacobs of Peoria couldn't believe it. Dr. Spencer at the Peoria East Clinic broke the bad news. He had arterial high blood pressure.

Terrence had a good excuse. After all, as a field executive in GenCorp, he certainly had his share of stress. And, let's not even talk about the pipe smoking.

According to Dr. Spencer just being male was a strike against him. The fact that he was 44 years old certainly didn't help.

Unfortunately, arterial hypertension rarely causes any symptoms until it has caused some arteriosclerosis and possibly a stroke. In fact, hypertension can be surprisingly severe before there are any symptoms.

Your blood pressure goes up and down throughout the day. If you play racketball for half an hour your pressure will go up. Even if you just see a exciting scene on television you will see a rise in your blood pressure.

If you took your blood pressure right after that, it would be high, but not diagnostic.

Things you eat, drink and smoke can also increase your blood pressure. Caffeine drinks like coffee or will do the same. Nicotine from cigars stimulates the heart to increase your pressure as well.

You may think that alcohol relaxes you, but the long term effects of all those alcohol, cocktails, and liquers drinks take their toll as well.

Spending too much time in your favorite recliner instead of getting some exercise increases your chances of blood pressure problems.

Fortunately, there are many places you can get your blood pressure checked today. Many stores and pharmacies have automatic blood pressure machines you can use. Just sit down for a couple minutes and get it checked. If you pressure is up slightly three different times, you should see a doctor. If it is over about 160 just once, you should also seek medical advice.

Rest makes your blood pressure go down. Because of that, the best time to take your blood pressure is when you first get up in the morning.

But, back to Terrence. His family history made a big difference in his hypertension. He had a father who died at age 50 of a arteriosclerotic heart disease. Genetics can really increase your chances of needing treatment for hypertension.

Fortunately, these days, there is a lot you can do to decrease hypertension.

Changing your diet will definitely help. You will improve your blood pressure as well as your overall health by increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables. You should get regular exercise, lots of water and a good night's sleep. If you can stop using tobacco and limit or cut out your alcohol altogether that will help a great deal.

If you don't completely normalize your blood pressure by those means, many different medications are available today that will help. You will want to find a physician that you can work with on keeping your pressure normal.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Hypertension in Pregnancy

Pregnancy comparison. 26 weeks and 40 weeks.

Image via Wikipedia

Pre-Eclampsia (Hypertension in pregnancy) is the most common problem likely to be enountered during your pregnancy. In fact two to three percent pregnant women have Hypertension in pregnancy.

Bertha Reed of Aurora, IL had Pre-Eclampsia (Hypertension in pregnancy) during her 3rd pregnancy. firstname found out on her third doctor visit.

As she found out, first pregnancy, a new sexual partner, age younger than 18 years, obesity, and time since your last pregnancy of less than 2 years or more than 10 years increase your chances of Pre-Eclampsia (Hypertension in pregnancy).

Other things that increase the likelyhood of Pre-Eclampsia (Hypertension in pregnancy) are chronic hypertension, thrombophilia, renal disease and obesity.

Pre-Eclampsia (Hypertension in pregnancy) might not cause any symptoms. However, it can cause visual disturbances like scintillations (flashes of light) and scotomata (blind spots) - probably from spasm of cerebral arteries, headache, upper abdominal pain from swelling and inflammation of the liver and rapid weight gain. Upper abdominal pain might suddenly occur and is usually constant and fairly severe. Headaches are often in the front, throbbing and similar to migrane headaches.

The big problem of Pre-Eclampsia (Hypertension in pregnancy) is that it can cause thromboembolism (blood clots), two dangerous problems with blood clots called disseminated intravascular coagulation and consumptive coagulopathy, seizures, kidney failure, placental abruption where the placenta detaches from the uterus and even death of the mother. In fact, from 1991 to 1999 over 15% of the deaths of women during pregnancy were caused by Pre-Eclampsia (Hypertension in pregnancy).

There are three types of Pre-Eclampsia (Hypertension in pregnancy): Chronic Hypertension, Preeclampsia and Transient hypertension.

Chronic Hypertension

Most frequently chronic hypertension has no other cause. But, it can be caused by kidney disease like polycystic kidneys, glomerular or interstitial disease, coarctation of the aorta, too much growth hormone or even using oral contraceptives.

Preeclampsia

Nobody knows for sure what causes preeclampsia. One thing that we know is that it is caused by a problem with the inside lining of the blood vessels. This causes the blood vessels to spasm. When the arteries get smaller, the blood pressure increases. The damage also causes the blood vessels to leak causing swelling. It can cause problems with the brain, lungs and kidneys. These changes also can cause lower blood flow to the growing baby.

Transient hypertension

The elevated blood pressure called transient hypertension just happens late in pregnancy. Then after delivery, the blood pressure goes back to normal. But, it probably increases your chances of getting high blood pressure later in life.

Pre-Eclampsia (Hypertension in pregnancy) is one of the major reasons that you should keep your regular appointments with your family doctor.

Hypertension in Pregnancy Treatment

You may recall the case of Ruby Bates of Kansas City, Kansas who got preeclampsia. It was diagnosed in the first trimester. And it was complicated by pulmonary edema.

Her physician had some important decisions to make. Fortunately Dr. Ortiz was able to use the best treatment and things turned out alright for mom and baby.

The treatments that Dr. Ortiz had to choose from included medication, hospitalization and early delivery of the baby through pitosin or C-section.

Several types of treatment are still considered even though there is no proof that they work. Those include restricting activity and dietary changes. Supplemental calcium, salt restriction, supplemental magnesium, and fish oil therapy have been tried without evidence of helping. There is some evidence that low dose aspirin does help.

Medications used for hypertension in pregnancy include Alpha-adrenergic inhibitors such as Methyldopa (Aldomet), Vasodilators like Nitroprusside (Nitropress) and Hydralazine (Apresoline), Beta-adrenergic receptor blockers such as Labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), Pindolol (Visken), Oxprenolol (Apsolox, Trasicor, Captol), Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL) and Atenolol (Tenormin), Calcium channel blockers like Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), Diuretics such as Hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix, HydroDIURIL) and Furosemide (Lasix) and Anticonvulsants like (Phenytoin (Dilantin) and Magnesium sulfate.

The Alpha-adrenergic inhibitors are probably the safest during pregnancy and are usually the first medication most doctors would use. If there is an allergy to the medicine or liver problems it is not as safe. But, there has not been any studies that show any harm to the baby.

Beta-adrenergic receptor blockers include some medications that are very safe and some not quite as safe. The safe ones can also be the first choice for treatment.

Calcium channel blockers may not be as safe. They have been labled 'C' because their safety for use in pregnancy has not been proven.

Centrally acting alpha-adrenergic agonists are usually saved for use in those that can't take the more frequently used medications. Like the calcium channel blockers, it has not been proven safe in pregnancy. (However, that does not mean they should not be used - but you should discuss it with your doctor.)

Diuretics also have a 'C' rating so their use is limited to cases where your doctor has determined that other safer drugs cannot be used and your high blood pressure is dangerous to you or your baby.

Vasodilators have to be given intravenously so are restricted to in hospital use. Therefore, you have to have pretty bad hypertension problems to have these used.

The seizure medications include the only medication in the group with an 'A' rating meaning that it is absolutely safe in pregnancy. That is magnesium sulfate. This is used in women who have severe pregnancy induced hypertension (eclampsia or preeclampsia) to prevent any dangerous seizures.

Naturally, any of these medications need to be used under your physician's care and frequent monitoring will be required.

Private Health Care Management

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Hypertension Causes, Prevention and Treatment

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Hypertension in Pregnancy

Hypertension in Pregnancy Treatment

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