Showing posts with label Cardio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cardio. Show all posts

Using Improper Size Blood Pressure Cuffs, May Prove A Big Mistake!

Posted by Admin Tuesday, March 29, 2011 5:42 AM 0 comments
Blood Pressure has something to do with the personality of an individual. Obese personalities have a higher rate of blood pressure. Their suffering and style of hypertension is different from that of the ordinary people. Every medical practitioner tells you about this.

Often, fat people face the problem of blood pressure monitoring. Wrong sized blood pressure cuffs are used, and they naturally give the wrong reading. Even when the blood pressure of the obese people is normal, the readings tell a different story.

Using improper size cuffs, at times may prove to be critical mistake! Many medical practitioners are aware of the seriousness of this discrepancy and yet they ignore it. Take the case of a pregnant woman-if she were to carry on with the use of wrong-sized blood pressure cuffs, it is not only harmful for her but also for the child. (When wrong medication is done by wrong reading of blood pressure level.)

Accuracy of data is important in treating blood pressure- high or low! Medication and blood pressure level are importantly interrelated! The blood pressure cuff that is being used must be according to your condition of health, all factors considered! In case of the pregnant women, the concern for the baby is more!

It is you who are having blood pressure, therefore, you must possess the accurate knowledge about the cuff that you are going use. In a situation where larger cuffs are needed, and you use the smaller ones, the damage will be difficult to repair at a later time. For, the damage might have already occurred! As a blood pressure patient, you must be in constant touch with the blood pressure related matters, through some authentic journals, and you must keep a tab on the latest research on cuffs also. It is in your interest!

There are scientific reasons why a large-sized cuff is needed. Use a regular cuff on a fat person. It will artificially inflate the level of blood pressure in fat individuals. There won't be meaning in further treatment, if the data before the medical practitioner is itself wrong! Cuff, when accepted and used as a measuring instrument of blood pressure, it should be a correct-sized tool.



Source : www.readbud.com

High Blood Pressure and the Effects of Alcohol

Posted by Admin Saturday, March 26, 2011 4:40 PM 0 comments
Alcohol has a meaningful outcome on high blood pressure, so it is important people pay more attention on the relation of alcohol and blood pressure and its outcome on the health.

People who drink large amounts of alcohol often show signs of having higher blood pressure than people that drink less. This becomes important, especially in incidents where people are regular drinkers. If the alcohol consumption is kept fairly limited, that is, occasional drinking then the blood pressure level is not so incline to lean towards dangerously high readings.

For instance, a person may have an alcoholic drink, such as 12 ounces of beer or 5 ounces of wine, each are considered a single drink per day. Some males may take 1 or 2 drinks and be within safe levels. Now a female may take only 1 drink in comparison as females do not have the same level of tolerance towards alcohol as males. When the consumption of alcohol is increased over this safe level by both males and females, there is an affect on the flexibility of the blood vessels and this can increase their blood pressure measurements towards critical levels.

Due to drinking habits, alcohol and blood pressure changes are reasons for concern by physicians who deal with these types of hypertension patients, another problem they need to take into account are people drinking alcohol in large amounts may develop weight increase problems due to the elevation in calories.

If the blood pressure is elevated because of weight problems, then further medication may have to be prescribed to control the hypertension. This can be difficult to administer because of the alcohol in the person's body can have an dangerous effect from the medication being prescribed for them.

Thinking about the strong relationship between alcohol and raised blood pressure, it's obvious that drinking less alcohol is a must. So people with cardiac illnesses such as myocarditis, severe high blood pressure or congestive heart failure should avoid alcohol based beverages at all cost. If they can't stay away from alcohol completely, they should keep their drinking down to a bare minimum.

From the intake of alcohol calcium and magnesium in the body can become decreased. By supplementing them may lead to their own indirect problems such as increase in blood pressure. So any patient with an alcohol dependence problem should have all their medicines thoroughly and carefully prescribed and monitored by their physician.

People with a drinking problem are prone to increased blood pressure and on top of that one of the problems of trying to correct the blood pressure with medication is the effect alcohol with the prescription has on the patient. It can increase its potency thus causing further medical problems.

A patient who has an alcohol problem and raised blood pressure should be well-advised and given support to reduce their drinking as much as possible. Limits and guidelines should be administered for drinking by the physician and these should be stuck to as much as possible by the patient.


Source : www.readbud.com

A More Convenient Approach To Heart Health

Posted by Admin Thursday, March 10, 2011 8:52 AM 0 comments
Here's news many Americans can take to heart. In addition to diet and exercise, there is a new heart health product with aspirin available to help reduce heart disease risk factors.

Cardiovascular disease poses a major health threat to both men and women in the U.S. According to the American Heart Association, more than 71 million adults in the U.S. have at least one type of cardiovascular disease. These include dysfunctional conditions of the heart, arteries and veins that supply oxygen to life-sustaining areas of the body such as the brain, the heart itself and other vital organs.

These conditions can be caused by a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure and poor circulation. Patients with cardiovascular disease are at increased risk for heart attacks, strokes and death.

A healthy diet and regular exercise are important steps in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. In addition, a new and complete heart health product has been developed that combines the known benefits of doctor-recommended, low-dose aspirin with heart health vitamins and other supplements. These ingredients have been clinically shown to reduce the chances of heart attack and stroke, and may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and help manage other cardio risk factors.

Called CardioEA™ Enhanced with Aspirin, each safety-coated caplet contains 81 mg of doctor-recommended, low-dose aspirin plus a complex of vitamins B6, B12, Folic Acid, L-Arginine and Aged Garlic Extract™ (AGE). It provides heart health-conscious consumers with the opportunity to help manage many of the risk factors that contribute to heart disease with a single daily caplet instead of taking various supplements and aspirin every day.

This is the first in a new category of preventive and wellness products called OTCeuticals™, manufactured by the Alan James Group, a health care-focused consumer products company based in Boca Raton, Florida. OTCeuticals are vitamins, minerals, herbs and other supplements that are combined with FDA-monographed, Category 1 USP-grade ingredients in rational, safe, effective and convenient combinations.

In addition to CardioEA Enhanced with Aspirin, the Alan James Group's OTCeuticals pipeline includes products for bone & joint and gastrointestinal health, among others.

CardioEA Enhanced with Aspirin is available in the vitamin section at most major supermarkets, chain drug and discount retailers.


Source : www.readbud.com

What You Should Know About The Causes Of Low Blood Pressure

Posted by Admin 8:49 AM 0 comments
When someone talks of blood pressure problems, in most cases they refer to issues of high blood pressure. But low blood pressure is also a fairly common condition and it needs attention.

What are the causes of low blood pressure? It turns out there are quite a few of them.

Unearthing the causes of hypotension is important because they have to be dealt with before treating the clinical conditions of low blood pressure.

Anti-hypertensive drugs are one possible cause. If someone with high blood pressure continues to take such drugs without adequate supervision, it can result in a buildup of the drug in the body which can cause blood pressure to drop below acceptable levels.

That is why patients on beta-blockers must be monitored closely to ensure that they do not end up with adverse effects like hypotension.

Diuretic medications can cause this problem if the drugs are overused. In fact, they can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels if not taken correctly.

Cardiac problems can, of course, cause low blood pressure. Problems like tricuspid regurgitation, which is a valve-related issue, can result in the condition.

Traumas such as severe burns can lower blood pressure drastically. Burns affect the permeability of blood vessels which triggers the problem. Heat stroke is another possible cause of lowered pressure because it disrupts the fluid mechanism in the body.

Inflammation to organs like the pancreas may result in hypotension. So can respiratory problems like pneumothorax, as well as dysentery and other severe gastro intestinal problems.

Patients on nitrate medication may have a tendency to suffer from this condition. This is particularly true if they consume alcohol. For this reason, doctors usually advice against alcohol consumption when the patient takes nitrate drugs.

In reality, what constitutes low blood pressure often depends on the patient. There is a fine line between healthy low pressure and clinical hypotension.

As you can see, there are many possible causes of low blood pressure. Your health care giver's judgment is crucial in deciding if you have hypotension and what treatment it requires.

Source : www.readbud.com

How to Properly Begin a Jogging Routine

Posted by Admin 8:34 AM 0 comments
Jogging is not only one of the best ways to burn fat and lose weight; it also makes your heart and lungs stronger. You can jog almost anywhere and just about any time you want, making it very convenient to do. This is why there are so many people who do it.

The trouble that most people have in the beginning is not knowing how to get started properly and they usually end up doing it wrong. This has prompted scores of people to quit doing it before it has had enough time to do them any good.

Let's take a look at some things that may make it a little easier to get started on a jogging routine without running yourself into the ground.

The first and probably the most common mistake people make when starting a jogging routine is that they start out too fast. They go out and pace themselves much to fast and end up huffing and puffing out of breath after 5 or 10 minutes. This is an instant recipe for failure and many people quit within a few days.

Some people who are a little more resilient may keep going for a while thinking that if they just stay with it long enough, it will start to get easier. Usually what happens is it gets harder because even though they might be getting in better condition, they continue to push harder along the way so it seems that there is no progress.

When you are about to set out on a jogging routine, the best thing you can do is buy a heart rate monitor before you ever jog your first step. With one of these, you can set up a pace that is comfortable for you and you can keep within that level throughout your jog. This means that you will not have to "guess" about the pace and you will not have to feel like your lungs are on fire when you are finished.

The key here is to always jog between 50% and 70% of your maximal heart rate. This is easy to do with a heart rate monitor because you can keep a close check on your heart rate as you go. You can speed your pace up if it goes a little low, and slow down if it goes a little high. You can even slow to a walking pace if your heart rate goes too high, and resume a jogging pace once it goes below 50%.

The way for you to know where your heart rate should be to be between 50% and 70% is by using this formula:

Subtract your age from 220. This will be your maximal heart rate. Now, simply multiply this by .50 and .70 and that will give you your targeted heart zone. Below is an example of this formula.

Say you are age 40

220 minus 40 equals 180

180 times .50 equals 90

180 times .70 equals 126

By looking at this example, you can see that if you are 40 years old, you would keep your heart rate between 90 and 126 while doing your jog.

The fact is, you do not need to go fast to get benefits from jogging, it is how long you are moving that counts. It is more beneficial to cover a mile in say, 15 minutes than to cover it in 7 minutes and then be exhausted.

If you stay within the limits of your heart rate capabilities, you will begin to add more time and miles to your jog as you go and jogging will become something you look forward to instead of something you dread doing.


Source : www.readbud.com

New Guidelines For High Blood Pressure Treatment

Posted by Admin 8:28 AM 0 comments
Today, high blood pressure treatment emphasizes lifestyle as much as medicine. Approaches to lowering blood pressure may also involve using alternative medicines to supplement traditional medication.

In other words, sole reliance on drugs is now being replaced by more comprehensive methods of disease management.

One of the centerpieces of this approach is replacing a sedentary lifestyle with a more active one. Physical activity is very helpful in reducing hypertension.

Increasing levels of physical fitness has many benefits including bringing blood pressure closer to normal levels. Of course, taking up an exercise regimen should be done under medical supervision, particularly if the patient has been leading a sedentary lifestyle.

Exercise also cuts down on excess weight, which is another factor that pushes up blood pressure above normal levels. There is a strong correlation between obesity and hypertension and the latter can often be controlled by taking care of the former.

Stress is a big factor in most people's lives these days. And stress can contribute significantly to hypertension. Therefore contemporary treatment for hypertension includes making patients aware of the factors that contribute to stress levels.

They are also taught to manage these stress factors better. That includes managing the stress-causing situations better as well as managing the patients' internal reactions to the stress. The latter can include, among other things, yoga, meditation and relaxation exercises.

Many stressors cannot be eliminated, but may be successfully reduced. Both work and home related stress needs to be managed to help control high blood pressure.

A healthy diet is, of course, essential for hypertensive patients. They are advised to avoid excessive intake of dairy products and salt. Blood pressure can be controlled much more easily when diet is managed well.

Alcohol consumption needs to be moderated or eliminated. Now, there is some evidence that alcohol in small quantities can actually be beneficial to the body. However, continued excess consumption of alcohol puts considerable strain on many organs of the body including the heart. Part of the problem arises from the sheer bulk of alcohol, particularly if beer is consumed.

Foods like garlic and onions as well as some herbs have been found to contribute to lower blood pressure. Herbs that contain an amino acid called L-arginine are said to be useful for this purpose. Utilizing alternate medicine should be done only under adequate supervision.

There are also newer drugs to control high blood pressure, including calcium channel blockers. Some of these drugs effectively counteract side effects caused by medication.

High blood pressure treatment has evolved into a well-rounded approach that relies on more than just medication to handle the condition.


Source : www.readbud.com

Know Your Heart Health

Posted by Admin 8:20 AM 0 comments
We all know that keeping up with our heart health is an important thing to do. We all know that there are a wide variety of factors that cause heart problems, and we should know by now that there are some basic ways to help protect the health of our hearts. What many people do not realize, however, is that keys to their heart health may be different than keys to the heart health of others.

There are almost as many strategies and tips for having good heart health as there are people with hearts in the world. It is important that each person takes the time to learn about his or her own heart health and to learn about the possible methods of ensuring heart health for years to come.

One of the best ways for anyone to become familiar with the needs of their heart is to see a physician. Schedule a visit to see your doctor and plan to discuss your heart health with him or her. If you can think of any questions or concerns you have regarding your heart health, write them down and bring them along. It will also be very helpful if you have a record of your extended family's heart health history. It is likely that your physician will want to discuss more than just your own heart health. He or she will want to look for patterns or trends that have affected other people you're related to.

A physician can help you determine not only the current health of your heart, but also give you a better understanding of specific things you can do to help prevent heart attack or heart disease. For some people, the most significant factor in achieving and maintaining heart health is to change their diet. The foods we choose to put into our bodies affect our heart health in more ways than we know. Eating large amounts of sugar, carbohydrates or processed foods will eventually take their toll on our heart health. Your physician can set you up with a dietician who specializes in creating unique diet plans that promote heart health.

For other people, it is their exercise and physical fitness habits that a physician will address. Heart health can be significantly altered based upon a person's level of exercise. Your physician will be able to help you create a fitness plan that will be effective for you and your heart health needs.

It is never too late to take your heart health seriously. Make an appointment to see your physician today.

Source : www.readbud.com