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| Myths About blood Pressure |
High Blood Pressure (HBP) or hypertension is one of the diseases that have many myths (misconceptions) that you need to educate yourself about. In this article, I separate facts from misconceptions to help you avoid risky behavior regarding information about blood pressure. Only the truth can help you make healthy choices.
HBP occurs when the blood pumping force circulating through
your blood vessels is higher than normal. This can damage your blood vessels
and render them stiffer, diminishing the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart
and resulting in heart disease at the end.
Here are some of the misconceptions I debunk and safe ways
you can reduce your risk for HBP:
1.
Myth: High
blood pressure runs in my family. So there’s no way I can prevent it.
Fact: HBP can
run in families and you are more likely to have it if your parents or close
blood relatives also have it. But you can still avoid HBP even if your family
has a history of HBP, depending on your lifestyle choices.
2.
Myth: The
signs of HBP are obvious.
Fact: HBP has no
symptoms except when the condition becomes dangerously high. For example, the
long-term damage hypertension has on your arteries would occur irrespective of
whether the symptoms show up or not.
3.
Myth: I
don’t consume table salt. So my sodium intake and BP are under my control.
Fact: Sodium can
increase blood pressure in some people, but it takes more than only controlling
sodium by avoiding table salt or the salt shaker. It also includes checking
food labels because we consume 75 percent sodium in processed foods such as
soups, canned foods, condiments, tomato sauce and prepared mixes.
4.
Myth: I
don’t have nervousness, sweating, sleep difficulty, a flushed face or any
related sickness. So, I don’t need to bother about high blood pressure.
Fact: You need
to worry because statistically, about 103 million adults in the U.S have HBP,
and many of them are unaware that they have it. They experience zero typical
symptoms. Note that HBP is also a key risk factor for stroke. Uncontrolled HBP
can result in severe health problems.
5.
Myth: If
you drink coffee regularly, your blood pressure can go high.
Fact: Generally,
coffee doesn’t increase blood pressure, but alcohol can. Though caffeine is a
stimulant, it still doesn’t raise our blood pressure level even in cases of
regular consumption though it may be a factor to heavy consumers including
drinks like soda, coffee or energy drinks.
Limit alcohol consumption to 2 drinks only for men and 1
drink for women per day. This helps you decrease systolic BP by 2 to 4 mm Hg.
6.
Myth: I’ve
HBP, and my healthcare provider checks it for me, so I need not check it at
home anymore.
Fact: HBP should
be checked both by your doctor and at home because it can fluctuate. Blood
pressure monitoring at home, as well as its recordings and readings, provide
your healthcare provider with vital information about whether you have HBP or
not. And if you have, the doctor will know how your treatment plan works.
7.
Myth: I’ve
HBP but maintain lower readings. This means I don’t need to take my medication
any longer.
Fact: HBP can be a lifelong disease. Only follow the medical
advice and recommendations your doctor gives you. If that means taking
medication 24/7 for the rest of your life, do so to have better health.
8.
Myth: HBP
is over 140/90 mm Hg.
Fact: HBP is over 130/80 mm Hg.HBP is no longer defined as
over 140/90 mm Hg. According to Parveen
Garg, MD, a cardiologist at Keck Medicine of USC who also doubles as an
associate professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
Today, a physician may recommend HB medication to a person with a history of
cardiovascular disease if their blood pressure is over 130/80 mm Hg.
Go to the next article and read 10 more HBP Myths and Facts.
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