How to Evaluate the Health Risk of Hypertension
QHHL 
Aug 30 2018
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0 QHHL
If you suffer from hypertension then you know how dangerous it can be. To lower this health risk, you need to make some changes to how and when you take measurements.
Hypertension is an extremely serious and common problem. It’s a very serious health risk and is linked to heart disease, stroke and other life threatening disorders. Because hypertension is so dangerous, it’s important that you monitor your numbers. Fortunately, this is fairly easy these days. Blood pressure monitors can be bought in a number of places and they’re easy to use as well. However, the real key to getting the most from these machines is how and when you measure.
In basic terms, hypertension is when you have abnormally high blood pressure. As the blood moves through your veins and arteries, it exerts pressure on the walls of the veins. If this pressure is too high, it can have very serious consequences. The exact cause of hypertension is unknown, but it can be influenced by a number of factors including:
When you measure your blood pressure, the machine takes two measurements. The first is the pressure of the blood as your heart beats, called the systolic pressure. The second is the pressure of the blood in between heartbeats, called the diastolic pressure. A healthy blood pressure is around 120 systolic and 80 diastolic. If your blood pressure is 140 over 90 then you have hypertension. And if it’s above 180 over 120 than the problem is severe and you need to see your doctor urgently.
Hypertension can be symptomless, so it’s important that you monitor this health risk for your own safety and well-being.
It’s fairly simple to measure your blood pressure. You get a machine, hook it up and then wait for the results. But in reality, it’s not quite that simple. For starters, it’s important that your body be at rest if you want to get an accurate measurement. Your blood pressure at any moment is a combination of your base rate, called the basal BP, and a labile component. This is an increase in your blood pressure caused by external factors.
A number of things can cause an increase in your blood pressure including physical activity, stress, and your food intake. The time of day is also important because your blood pressure rises steadily during the day, peaking in the afternoon. In the late afternoon and evening, your blood pressure drops again.
All of these factors need to be accounted for when you’re monitoring your blood pressure. The ultimate goal is to reduce or eliminate the factors which affect the measurements. If you have hypertension, this will allow you to fully understand and identify the extent of the problem. Obviously, eliminating these factors isn’t always possible, which could be increasing your health risk.
A recent study has highlighted the benefits of taking multiple measurements throughout the day. This helps to eliminate the problem of factors that increase or decrease the blood pressure. It also gives a more complete picture of the situation. For example, if you have high blood pressure during a doctor’s visit, it might be what’s known as “white coat” hypertension. This refers to people whose blood pressure increases when they visit the doctor because they find the experience stressful. Their hypertension actually has nothing to do with the health of their bodies, heart or arteries. This can cause people to start treatment for hypertension when they don’t actually have it. Taking multiple measurements can also highlight another issue with blood pressure management.
During the study, researchers found that participants with so called “masked hypertension” had the highest all-cause mortality rate. These participants had relatively normal blood pressure levels during clinic testing. However, during the study they were monitored for a 24 hour ambulatory period. Basically, they wore a monitor that recorded their blood pressure throughout the day. The participants with “masked hypertension” had high blood pressure throughout the 24 hour period. This is a serious problem because it wouldn’t show up during normal screenings. This would usually result in the hypertension going untreated, which is a concern because of the high mortality rate amongst this group.
There are some issues with this study. To start with, the participants were pre-selected for blood pressure problems. This means that the findings might not be the same for people who don’t suffer from hypertension. However, what it does suggest is that multiple measurements may be a better diagnostic tool. So if you’re concerned about hypertension, it’s worth taking measurements at different stages during the day. This will give you a better idea of the problem’s severity so you can receive the treatment you need.
If you suffer from hypertension, try using HomeLab to keep track of your condition and any preventative measures you take. And if you see signs of a significant problem, you should check with your doctor as soon as possible.
Tags: Health Risk, hypertension