High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

Harvard Medical School has derived a number of healthy practices for all of us to emulate. The following article will try to paraphrase the critical points on exercise, and why all of us should do it. And, for the ones who do it, perhaps they need to do more!

The Benefit of Fitness

Probably by now, everyone acknowledges the health benefits of exercise. Everyone should get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. Daily is not too much, as human beings we were designed to get a lot more exercise than just daily for 30 minutes. Benefits accrue quickly. Among them are:

Blood vessels are damaged for a wide variety of reasons; but especially due to diabetes and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). These damaged blood vessels become inflamed, and degeneration is progressive. Of course, the ultimate consequences of this process is significant: outcomes range from heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, peripheral vascular disease, neurological manifestations, etc.

Kidney disease affects almost 2% of the population. Deaths from kidney disease are approximately 50,000 annually. The problem, as with most diseases, is that symptoms do not exist until one is in the advanced stage (and then, it is too late to treat).

When a clinical trial is ended before the intended termination date, it usually means bad news. Most people might remember the study on Hormone Replacement Therapy which was ended suddenly due to increased amount of deaths which were occurring.

Therefore, it is always a pleasant surprise when a trial ends suddenly due to good news. That is exactly what happened with a study analyzing lowering blood pressure in elderly men. Men, all over 80 years old, were recruited internationally. Systolic blood pressure was between 140 to 190 and/or Diastolic was between 90 to 109. Medications administered were a low-dose diuretic (indapamide 1.5 mg sustained release) and an additional ACE inhibitor (perindopril 2 mg or 4 mg a day) if required.

One of the major signs one is having a heart attack is chest pain. This warning signal may save a life!

However, patients with chronic high blood pressure have less ischemic pain (i.e. pain with heart attack); therefore, mortality may be significantly higher.

Patients with chronic high blood pressure may be at risk for a heart attack that is a silent killer.

The most rigourous study today was performed to look at the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating mild to moderate hypertension.

The results were clear: acupuncture was as effective as monotherapy drug use in treating high blood pressure. Additionally, the side effects from acupuncture were none, as compared to hundreds of side effects which exist for drugs.

The downside? Acupuncture is not as convenient, taking 30 minutes per treatment, and being performed at least 3 times per week. Certainly, 'popping a pill' is easier.

Two studies by a Harvard research team, one last year for women, and one reported in February, 2007, confirm that daily, or near daily, use of analgesics like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and aspirin, increase the risk of new onset hypertension.

A new British study, published in May, 2006 in the Journal of the American Medical Association and based on self-reported illnesses and biological markers of disease, compared and assessed the relative heath status of older individuals in England and the United States. The study focused in particular on how (and if) health status varies by important indicators of socioeconomic status.

Different reactions to heart medications seem to be due to cultural and/or genetic differences between races. Blacks and East Asians are groups that have an increased risk for adverse reactions to some cardiovascular medications, so they should not ignore problems that arise when taking their medications.

Experts say lack of exercise, differences in the foods available and the acculturation of the Hispanic diet into the American system contribute to health problems of the country's largest minority group.