Some misunderstandings about high blood pressure
2024-01-02
According to Chinese cardiovascular epidemiology data, the prevalence of hypertension among adults in my country is 23.2%, with the number of affected people reaching 245 million. In other words, 1 in 4 adults has high blood pressure.
However, whether in hospitals or in the community, people still have many misunderstandings about hypertension. These misconceptions must be clarified and hypertension should be prevented and treated scientifically and standardizedly.
Five common misconceptions about high blood pressure
For ordinary people, if upper arm blood pressure is measured three times on different days without the use of antihypertensive drugs, systolic blood pressure ≥140mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90mmHg is considered hypertension.
- Only take medicine if your blood pressure is high, and stop taking medicine immediately when it returns to normal
- Once you take antihypertensive drugs, you must take them for life
- Long-term use of antihypertensive drugs can damage the kidneys
- health products can cure high blood pressure
- High blood pressure cannot be prevented
Normal blood pressure after taking medication is the result of the action of the medication and is a balance under the control of the medication. After stopping the medication, the balance is broken and the blood pressure will rise again. The on-demand medication model of "take medication when it's high, stop taking it when it's normal" will cause blood pressure to always fluctuate, and complications such as myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction occur when blood pressure fluctuates.
of course not! After patients with early-stage and mild hypertension find that their blood pressure drops below normal (120/80mmHg) by taking medication and improving their lifestyle, doctors will recommend that the patient reduce their medication and observe. If the blood pressure remains normal even after reducing the dose to a very small amount, you can try to stop the medication and observe. Strictly follow the doctor's instructions when taking and stopping medication.
Arteriosclerosis caused by high blood pressure is the main cause of male erectile dysfunction. Lowering blood pressure and treating arteriosclerosis are also the main measures to treat male sexual dysfunction. Antihypertensive drugs such as Sartan, Prilim, and Dipine can protect the kidneys by lowering blood pressure. Especially the first two types of drugs are the first choice for chronic kidney disease and can improve sexual function. In short, it is high blood pressure that damages the kidneys, not antihypertensive drugs.
Many patients believe that antihypertensive drugs have serious side effects and are unwilling to take them for a long time, so they use non-drug methods to completely replace drug treatment. In fact, many businesses now exaggerate the effects of health care therapies and health food therapies, which are all lies! The vast majority of health products, such as natural health foods, drinks, and antihypertensive devices (hypertension pillows, watches, necklaces, etc.) do not have clear antihypertensive effects. Even if there is, it is very mild, cannot achieve the treatment goals, and will delay the time of standard treatment.
It is true that there is a genetic tendency to high blood pressure. If your parents or close relatives have high blood pressure, you are more likely to have high blood pressure than others, but just because the risk is high does not mean you will definitely have high blood pressure. blood pressure. Although a healthy lifestyle cannot guarantee that you will be 100% free from high blood pressure, it can reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
Five tips to correctly prevent high blood pressure
There are two types of high blood pressure: first suffering from a certain disease, and then developing high blood pressure. This kind of high blood pressure is called secondary hypertension. Secondary hypertension only accounts for 20% of people with hypertension, and 80% of hypertension has no clear cause. We call it essential hypertension. For essential hypertension, you cannot change your genes, but you can prevent high blood pressure by improving your living habits.
- Quit smoking & limit alcohol
- Weight loss & exercise
- Don’t stay up late & get enough sleep
- Keep a calm mind
The nicotine in tobacco causes vascular smooth muscle to contract, causing blood pressure to rise. After patients with hypertension quit smoking, their low blood pressure will directly drop by 5 to 10 mmHg. Alcohol will harden arteries, reduce the elasticity of blood vessels, and eventually lead to high blood pressure. In addition, drinking alcohol will reduce the efficacy of antihypertensive treatment, and excessive drinking can even induce acute cerebral hemorrhage or myocardial infarction. Therefore, it is urgent to quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption!
The 2017 edition of the National Guidelines for the Prevention, Treatment and Management of Primary Hypertension states: For every 10kg of weight lost, the blood pressure reduction effect is 5-20mmHg. Proper physical exercise can enhance physical fitness, lose weight, increase insulin sensitivity, treat insulin resistance, and consistent exercise can prevent high blood pressure. It is recommended to exercise 3 to 5 times a week, preferably 30 to 60 minutes each time. The intensity varies from person to person and should be done according to your ability.
A health and nutrition survey from the United States found that reduced sleep may be a risk factor for high blood pressure, especially among young and middle-aged people! For people aged 32 to 59 years old, sleeping less than 5 hours a night, the prevalence of hypertension is 24%; while sleeping for 7 to 8 hours is only 12%, indicating that lack of sleep increases the risk of hypertension; and for people aged 60 to 60, the prevalence of hypertension is only 12%. No findings were found in middle-aged and elderly people aged ~86. Therefore, for young and middle-aged people, staying up late less, socializing less, and getting enough sleep are helpful to prevent high blood pressure.
Obvious anxiety is an independent warning factor for the development of hypertension and can affect the efficacy of antihypertensive drugs. Anxiety and tension can stimulate the release of catecholamines from nerves to increase, thus manifesting as intermittent sinus tachycardia or hypertension. Regardless of whether you have high blood pressure, be optimistic and cheerful, combine work and rest, develop a hobby, and actively participate in cultural and sports activities. Music and sports can help relax your mood.
