Jain Digest 1998 01 Vol 14 No 01

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 16

FOR OUR HEALTH
High Blood Pressure or Hypertension...why bother?
It is the most common health problem of our times. Approximately 50 million people have hypertension. After 25 years of progress in treating high blood pressure (HBP), improvements have begun to slow as shown by an increase in strokes, kidney disease and heart failure. Although our understanding of hypertenstion (HTN) has increased, in 90 to 95% of cases, the cause remains unknown. HTN frequently has no symptoms, treatment usually is life long and expensive, and some medicines have troubling side effects.
The National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute has issued a sixth report in 1997, on prevention, detection and treatment of HTN. It classified stages as follows:
Category
Normal
High Normal
Hypertension
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Systolic Blood Pressure
<130
130-139
140-159
160-179
180
or
or
by Dr. Dilip Shah, Chicago, Illinois
or
The systolic reading measures arterial pressure when the heart contracts; the diastolic number is the pressure between the heartbeats.
E. Engage in 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise at least 5 times a week.
F.
Do not smoke.
G.
Diastolic Blood Pressure
<85 85-89
The person with Stage 1 HTN (140-159 systolic/90-99 diastolic) with no cardiovascular disease or risk factors (i.e. diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking) is advised to make life-style modifications as follows:
90-99
100-109
>110
A. Lose weight, if overweight.
B.
Daily salt intake 2.4 gm or less.
C. Potassium rich food or drinks to get 3.5 gm of minerals a day. A good source includes orange juice, bananas, potatoes, prunes and yogurt.
D. Limit alcohol intake to 1 oz. for a man and 0.5 oz for a woman.
14/JAIN DIGEST⚫ SPRING 1998 Jain Education International 2010_02
Follow DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) diet. That is a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grain, and non-fat dairy products while low in saturated and total fats in general.
This form of non-drug therapy in a group of 459 volunteers with Stage 1 HTN reduced blood pressure by 11 mm for systolic and 6 mm for diastolic.
In Stage 2 and Stage 3 when medication is needed, a small dose of thiazide diuretic (water pill) and beta blocker (i.e. propranolol) are recommended as the first line of treatment.
Self measurement of blood pressure at home may provide valuable information for initial detection and monitoring treatment. It has four advantages:
1. It distinguishes "white coat hypertension"-high blood pressure noted in doctor's office but normal at other times.
Assess response to medication.
2.
3.
Improve patient's adherence to treatment.
4. Reduces cost. For home monitoring, a validated electronic device with proven accuracy is recommended.
In summary, hypertension is a major risk factor for strokes, heart attack and kidney disease; therefore, prevention and treatment make perfect sense. It is important to work with a physician for an ideal approach.
Good Luck!