High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, is a condition that is sharply increasing in America in spite of attempts at its reduction. More than 55 million adults in the United States have high blood pressure. For those 65-75 years of age, the percentages increases to 54.3% and staggers to approximately 72% for African-Americans in the same age group. In about 90% of the cases the cause of hypertension is unknown and is therefore termed essential or primary hypertension. Elevated and sustained pressure damages the cardiovascular system, making it the single most significant contributing factor for life threatening conditions such as strokes, cardiovascular and kidney disease.
The condition is correctly called the silent killer because usually there are no clear symptoms until there is an emergency health crisis or it is unsuspectedly diagnosed during a routine office visit. Therefore, prevention and early detection, followed by a conservative, nonpharmaceutical management of mild cases is crucial to avoid the catastrophic health consequences of high blood pressure. The aim of this discussion is to introduce the condition of hypertension and follow up with a later discussion of the latest advances currently available in the prevention and nonpharmaceutical management of the early stages of high blood pressure.
Blood pressure is a variable force created by the pumping of the heart. When the heart contracts, blood flows into the arteries, the highest pressure is exerted on the vessel walls at the end of the contraction. This is the systolic pressure in a blood pressure measurement. It is the top number, which for the average 70 kg man a normal reading is 120mmHg. When the heart relaxes, blood flows from the veins into the heart and the pressure falls to its lowest level. This is the diastolic pressure and it's on the bottom of a blood pressure measurement. The normal average diastolic pressure should be 80mmHg. Classically diastolic pressure was the key concern for clinicians; however, more recent studies are showing that the systolic pressure is also of important clinical relevance. If the body is under elevated pressure for a sustained period of time, there will be damage to arteries and consequently any organs that have arteries will be affected. Thus it is a concern when any components of the blood pressure is not appropriately controlled.
A very intricate and complex system regulates blood pressure, allowing it to fluctuate normally with changing conditions. Increased blood pressure for short periods of time is a normal compensation mechanism that serves as a protective signal when the body is imbalance. It is only a pathological condition when the pressure remains high. Medication is vitally essential to immediately reduce blood pressure and prevent further damage, but it should not stop there, as is often the case. The cause of essential hypertension should be treated. In other words, the physiological imbalance should be addressed. If this is done, the body would be able to fluctuate back to its original, normal pressure. Regulating blood pressure is not only dependent on physiological mechanisms from kidneys, arterioles and blood volume, but environmental factors such as stress, nutrition and ones overall psychic play a major role. Superimposed on all these variables is a person's genetic predisposition and individual tolerance to stress. Treatment of hypertension is complicated with medication because of the different factors involved. However, if preventive and early conservative therapy or an integrated approach is used, it becomes simple and elegant as nature itself.
Approximately 60 percent of the adult population with high blood pressure fall into the borderline-to moderate range which can be controlled with diet and lifestyle modifications. The Joint National Committee on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure as well as other leading medical authorities recommend conservative treatment of borderline to mild hypertension. Drug therapy is recommended only after conservative therapy has failed. Even moderate to severe hypertension should be integrated with alternative therapies to reduce the amount of medication required for successful management of the condition. Ultimately, the goal of essential hypertension should be a balanced body and the elimination of medication. This is critical especially for the 30-50% of hypertensives that are under the age of 65 years of age.
If one is concerned with her blood pressure, a qualified clinician should be consulted for the assessment and diagnosis of this condition. The diagnosis is subdivided into stages according to the severity. These are:
. High normal 130-139/85-89
. Stage 1 140-159/90-99
. Stage 2 & stage 3 160+/100+
Although high blood pressure can go undetected for long periods of time, there are signs that should be reported to the doctor or cause some concern. When the pressure is elevated, the heart works against an increased load and is not as efficient in delivering nutrients and removing waste from the blood stream. This leads to symptoms such as sluggishness, lightheadedness, dizziness and blurred vision. The advantage in treating high blood pressure with nonpharmaceutical means is that the whole person, including his environment has to be considered. With this approach, a cause can actually be identified and corrected. Once this is done, the body is allowed to restore its normal physiology
Nonpharmaceutical approaches to healthcare have its drawbacks. In today's fast paced lifestyle, it is sometimes inconvenient to take time out and appropriately take care of the body. It takes consistent effort and commitment on the patient's part to implement the therapies. It also may take 2-6 months before the full effects of the therapy are observed. Usually by then the whole body has been balanced and most other problems are also eliminated. Although it takes conscientious effort to develop a healthy lifestyle, this process can actually be quite enjoyable. The benefits of regular exercise, purposeful and intelligent eating, implementation of efficient stress management techniques such as yoga, music, breathing, etc will not only result in superior health, but will also lead to a fun way of living! Who doesn't want to have fun?
REFERENCES:
Pizzorno, ND and Murray, ND - Encylopedia of Natural Medicine, 1998
