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Saturday, April 01, 2006
Lowering blood pressure
By Henrylito D. Tacio
Health 101
FILIPINOS suffering from high blood pressure or hypertension are increasing in number and most of them are walking time bombs, which could explode anytime with serious complications.
They may die suddenly without realizing that they have the disease listed by the Department of Health as one of the top five leading cause of morbidity in the country.
The Philippines has one of the highest rates of hypertension prevalence in the Southeast Asia. "Two in every 10 Filipino adults, 20 years and over, are hypertensive," reports the Food and Nutrition Research Institute.
The Philippine Society of Hypertension revealed that around 12.6 million Filipinos have hypertension. About half of these people are unaware of their condition until they begin to suffer illnesses that have associated complication with hypertension. "Hypertension per se does not kill, but the complications are the ones that disable and kill a hypertensive," says Dr. Rafael Castillo, a cardiologist at the Manila Doctors Hospital.
Health authorities consider hypertension a stubborn problem because it involves so many of the body's interlocking systems, and lying at the center of it all is the heart. Blood travels through our body by flowing through arteries, carrying oxygen-rich blood from our heart to other tissues and organs. Once oxygen is delivered to our tissues and organs, oxygen-poor blood travels back to our heart through our veins. Our heart then pumps this blood into our lungs, where it is replenished with oxygen. After returning to our heart, the blood is pumped out into our arteries again.
Blood pressure (BP) is the force exerted by blood against artery walls as it circulates through our body. Normally, people have certain standards of BP, with a reading of 140/90 considered the median or average.
The upper number, called the systolic, refers to the pumping capability of the heart, while the lower number, termed the diastolic, refers to the pressure exerted by the blood vessels all over the body.
A person is said to be hypertensive if he or she has persistent elevations of BP: a systolic blood pressure greater than 140 mm Hg (millimeters mercury) or a diastolic blood pressure of more than 90 mm Hg.
An individual has a mild hypertension if the systolic BP is between 140 to 159 mm Hg or the diastolic BP is between 90 to 99 mm Hg. When the systolic BP is higher than 160 mm Hg or a diastolic BP is greater than 100 mm Hg, a person is said to have a moderate to severe hypertension.
Many things can cause blood pressure to rise. When we are asleep, our blood pressure is low because our body needs less oxygen-rich blood when it is at rest. On the other hand, when we are exercising, our body's demands are greater, and so our blood pressure increases.
"It is perfectly normal for your blood pressure to rise and fall in response to your body's needs throughout the day," says Dr. Willie T. Ong, a cardiologist at the Makati Medical Center.
If left uncontrolled, hypertension causes damage to various organs in the body resulting to other diseases. Among the dangerous complications of uncontrolled hypertension are stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, and blindness or impaired vision.
A study by Dr. Ng Wai Keong found that men and women with high blood pressure were eight more likely to suffer strokes than people with normal blood pressure.
"About 30 percent of patients have undetected high blood pressure when they present with a stroke," says the Malaysian doctor.
Generally, doctors prescribe medications to anyone with high blood pressure. However, there are ways they can do something about their hypertension without drugs. Here are some:
* Watch your weight. "For those overweight, weight reduction is extremely important," says Dr Ong. Studies have shown that if you lose 10 pounds, your blood pressure would drop by 5-10 mm Hg.
* Shake the salt habit. "Excessive salt leads to an elevated blood pressure," says Dr Alfred Cheng, head of the cardiac clinic at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre in Singapore.
* Cut down on alcohol. Moderate amounts may help reduce heart disease but "excessive drinking can lead to high blood pressure," says Dr Cheng.
* Get physical. Do this only if your blood pressure is controlled with diet or medications. Aerobic exercises like jogging, swimming, and cycling are the most beneficial. "Avoid isometric exercises such as weight lifting as they may cause blood pressure to temporarily skyrocket," says Dr. Cheng.
* Measure it yourself. "Take your medications religiously and monitor your blood pressure thrice a week," advises Dr Ong.
* Gobble down garlic. Garlic helps lower cholesterol and may lower the blood pressure. "But garlic would not be sufficient if you have moderate or severe hypertension," Dr Cheng points out.
* Don't lie around. Telling a lie makes your blood pressure goes up. The more lie, the more stressful you will be. "Always tell the truth," advises Dr Cheng.
* Be happy. Laughter is the best medicine. "If a person laughs more, he is more relaxed and is less likely to have high blood pressure," assures Dr Cheng.
* Avoid bad news. Murder, catastrophes, and coup threats won't help your blood pressure any. "Too much bad news, either real or imagined, is really bad for your health," says Dr Ong.
For comments, write me at tasyo2002@yahoo.com.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (April 1, 2006 issue)
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