While there is no one single reason why people get high blood pressure, there are things you can do to lessen your chances of getting high blood pressure as well as stabilize an elevated blood pressure level. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, occurs when the arteries, which carry blood from your heart throughout the rest of your body, build up too much pressure from blood moving trough them too quickly.

When you go to the doctor, they almost always take a reading of your blood pressure which is read, as an example, as 120 / 80. The top number, 120, represent systolic blood pressure and the lower number, 80, represents your body’s diastolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure is the level of blood your heart is pushing out, and the diastolic blood pressure is the level at which you heart is pumping blood while relaxing between each beat. 120 / 80 is an average reading – a patient with a blood pressure level of 140 / 90 is considered to have high blood pressure. Any numbers between that are considered to be “pre-hypertension”, and a reading at this level acts as a warning that unless you take preventative measures you will more than likely wind up with high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is no laughing matter as it can lead to more serious complications, including stroke, diabetes, heart disease and even death. It is known as the “silent killer” for a reason – most people who suffer from high blood pressure don’t even know they have it until it’s too late. Get your blood pressure checked starting at age 18 at least once every 2 years, and more frequently the older you are as getting your blood pressure checked is one of the only ways to detect high blood pressure since there are no tell tale symptoms.

There are some symptoms of high blood pressure – including nosebleeds, dizziness, ringing of the ears, and blurred vision – however most of these symptoms are brushed off and ignored as every day common problems. Several factors that have been attributed to high blood pressure are age, race, family history, and gender.

• Age: As you get older, your arteries begin to get stiffer, arteriosclerosis – hardening of the arteries, and your capillaries begin to die off (rarfication ).
• Race: Studies have shown that African Americans have an increased risk of high blood pressure, as well as developing high blood pressure at a younger age and developing more severe complications.
• Family History: High blood pressure has been shown to be hereditary. If high blood pressure runs in your family, you have an increased risk of developing it.
• Gender: Studies have shown that men are at greater risk of developing high blood pressure than women, but other factors come into play including age and race.

If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, you have a few options. There are certain types of medications that are prescribed by doctors to treat high blood pressure, however it should be noted that there are reported side effects of high blood pressure medicine. Common antihypertensive medicines include diuretics, beta blockers, alpha blockers, calcium channel blockers, and ACE inhibitors. For the more health conscience people out there, there are a number of natural supplements for high blood pressure, including vitamin c, calcium, and potassium. There are also reports of certain herbal remedies such as turmeric and garlic. Two of the easiest ways to treat high blood pressure are to increase your levels of exercise and change your diet.

High Blood Pressure Medicine:

• Diuretics: Widely used to control mild blood pressure, diuretics increase sodium excretion and urine output, as well as decrease blood volume.
• Beta-Blockers: Beta-blockers reduce the pressure generated by the heart by decreasing heart rate and the force of heart contractions. Beta-blockers are primarily prescribed to patients with coronary heart disease or suffered a heart attack.
• Angiontensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors: Halts the production of angiotensin II, a potent chemical that causes blood vessel contractions. Blocking the chemical allows the blood vessels to relax.
• Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARB): Prevent the uptake of angiotensin II, inhibiting the vasoconstrictor effect.
• Calcium Channel Blockers: Relax the arterial muscle walls.
• Direct Vasodilators: Dilate the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow under a low pressure. Often given through IV lines.
• Alpha Blockers: Relax blood vessels by blocking the nervous system, thus halting muscular contraction.

Natural Supplements For High Blood Pressure:

• Potassium: Electrolytes that stimulate the kidneys. Improper kidney function can lead to improper blood flow throughout your body.
• Calcium: A calcium deficiency can cause an imbalance of several nutrients which can cause improper blood flow.
• Vitamin C: Vitamin C was shown to increase the body’s nitric oxide activity, a chemical compound that allows the body to relax, or dilate, the blood vessels.
• Coenzyme Q10: An improper balance of Coenzyme Q10 will lead to less energy being transferred to the heart, causing poor blood circulation that will eventually increase your blood pressure.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acid: Studies show that omega 3 fatty acid does a good job of maintaining good cholesterol known as HDL, which helps lower blood pressure levels.

Herbal Remedies for High Blood Pressure:

• Garlic: Has been able to lower bad cholesterols (LDL), as well as helping maintain proper blood flow and strengthening the heart.
• Hawthorn Berry: Studies show that it can open up coronary arteries, which helps improve blood flow throughout the body. They have also been known to prevent hardening of the arteries, as well as strengthen the heart.
• Gingko Biloba: A greta source to help dilate the arteries, as well as an agent to help improve blood circulation throughout the body and improving brain functions.
• Turmeric: Contains curcumin and helps improve blood circulation, strengthen blood vessels, and improve the livers metabolism due to its antioxidant properties.
• Ginger: Used to improve blood circulation, help problems with digestion, and as a muscle relaxer.
• Maitake: A great herbal remedy to fight both systolic and diastolic cholesterol levels.
• Olive Leaves: Used for normalizing blood pressure, as well as help balance irregular heartbeats.

High Blood Pressure Treatments