Heart Problems / Heart Health
Could Millions Be Mistreated As Hypertensive?
In my last post about High Blood Pressure: Your High Blood Pressure Isn’t The Cause Of Heart Disease, I mentioned a fact that half of heart attacks happen to people with without clinical High Blood Pressure. Let me also say in some cases half of heart attacks happen to people with hypertension.
Having hypertension is definitely a tell-tale “sign” you are in a high risk category. My whole point is that heart disease is NOT caused by hypertension.
Still too many of us are under the false impression that treating the symptoms is the same as treating the cause.
The reasons for High Blood Pressure can be many and it is clearly not good to have sustained high levels of blood pressure. If you are suffering from onset of heart disease HBP will kill you even quicker.
It is vital to keep it under control, but how can you do this naturally?
What is causing heart disease and can you address the cause of it while also reducing the risk of developing hypertension? Just because your blood pressure reading was high in your doctors office today doesn’t mean you have to take drugs for HBP at all.
In fact many people misdiagnosed with HBP are because of White Coat Hypertension. This common phenomenon is triggered by psychological factors, such as the fear of doctors.
Another common problem is doctors and nurses often use an arm cuff that is too small, giving the false impression you have a health problem. “A survey showed that 96% of primary care physicians habitually use a cuff size too small,” (Thomas G Pickering, 1994).
My point is to discover how to “genuinely care” for your own health, before you take someone else’s recommendations, doctor or not.
Most people who develop heart disease have common factors that are present before hypertension becomes apparent.
Here are 7 possible causes of the inflammation problem:
1. Dehydration
2. High calcium blood levels
3. Low vitamin D
4. Calcification of arterial linings
5. Magnesium deficiency
6. Neurogenic abnormalities
7. High blood sugar
No where in all the evidence-based research available can I find where a drug deficiency is the cause of hypertension or heart disease. If taking drugs was the solution no one would have a heart attack when on them, right? My biggest concern is why are people with normal blood pressure having heart attacks?
The pharmaceutical companies would have you believe they all have high blood pressure and that’s just not true.
I realize any study can be skewed to show a desired result and I’m sure in some groups more than 50% who have heart attacks have HBP. But I also know the opposite to be true as well.
Bottom line is rather than argue statistics; people are dying with and without High Blood Pressure from the same heart attacks. If you are clinically diagnosed with hypertension, you need to work with your doctor to keep a watchful eye on it . . . however there are more things you need to do.
Just because the High Blood Pressure drugs you’re taking has your blood pressure controlled chemically, doesn’t necessarily mean the causal risks are gone. There is no magic pill that is going to cure you by treating “the effect,” or “symptom,” of a core health issue.
High blood pressure is one of the signs that you may be at risk for heart attack or stroke, there is no doubt about that. If your heart is weakened and your arteries are damaged you need to know why.
By understanding why, you are a whole step ahead of western medicine. There is a self-health revolution happening with both doctors and patients in the world today. The body has a natural ability to “heal itself,” without drugs. Some call it an inner wisdom, or innate intelligence, all you need to do is work with it.
Drugs do not work with the mystery that is your body; they chemically control parts without helping the whole person at all.
So if you are on High Blood Pressure medications ask your doctor if he or she can help you get away from them. If you are willing to change your life by making a commitment to natural healthful solutions, why shouldn’t you be encouraged?
Arthritis pain medications: Do they raise blood pressure?
One of our readers send us the following question:
I take acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) every day to control joint pain from osteoarthritis. Recently, I heard that acetaminophen may increase my risk of high blood pressure. Is this true? If so, which arthritis pain medications are safe for my heart?
Answer
from April Chang-Miller, M.D.
It is true, but there’s some debate about how much additional risk you take on when you use acetaminophen regularly. Unless you already have high blood pressure or other risk factors for heart disease, acetaminophen is relatively safe for your heart.
Other over-the-counter arthritis medications — specifically, the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and naproxen (Aleve, others) — seem to be a little riskier than is acetaminophen, as far as cardiovascular disease is concerned. Even so, many people with arthritis value the benefits of NSAIDs enough to accept their risks.
Keep in mind that medication isn’t the only treatment for arthritis pain. Mild to moderate arthritis pain may be relieved with a combination of self-care measures and lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, exercise, heat or cold therapy, and physical therapy. Many doctors now recommend trying this combined approach before starting medication.
If you need medication to help manage your arthritis pain, use the lowest dose necessary for the shortest time possible. Also, discuss with your doctor which pain medication is most appropriate for your specific situation. All medications — prescription and nonprescription — have risks and potential side effects.
When taking over-the-counter pain relievers for arthritis, keep these tips in mind:
- Get your blood pressure checked regularly.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Tell your doctor about any herbal supplements, nutritional supplements or other medications you are taking.
Warning Signs of Heart Disease & Heart Attack / Educational Video
Preventing Heart Disease and Heart Attack Educational Video. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; Act in Time to Heart Attack Signs; Item #56-042N, September 2001; The dramatic, moving stories of three heart attack survivors and their families illustrate the importance of heeding heart attack warning signs and seeking medical care quickly.
They vividly convey how a real heart attack may differ from the stereotypical “movie heart attack” and how getting immediate treatment can save lives. The warm and sympathetic narration by an emergency department physician explains what a heart attack is, the treatments that can save lives if given quickly, why many heart attack victims delay seeking care, and how to make a heart attack survival plan. Useful for health fairs, medical waiting rooms, community groups, and home viewing.
Producer: National Institutes of Health; Keywords: hhs.gov; public_safety; Creative Commons license: Public Domain. Heart Attack Warning Signs. A heart attack is a frightening event, and you probably don’t want to think about it. But, if you learn the signs of a heart attack and what steps to take, you can save a life–maybe your own. What are the signs of a heart attack? Many people think a heart attack is sudden and intense, like a “movie” heart attack, where a person clutches his or her chest and falls over. The truth is that many heart attacks start slowly, as a mild pain or discomfort.
If you feel such a symptom, you may not be sure what’s wrong. Your symptoms may even come and go. Even those who have had a heart attack may not recognize their symptoms, because the next attack can have entirely different ones. Women may not think they’re at risk of having a heart attack–but they are. Learn more about women and heart attack. It’s vital that everyone learn the warning signs of a heart attack.
These are: Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort. Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness. Learn the signs–but also remember: Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, you should still have it checked out. Fast action can save lives-maybe your own. After you learn more about heart attack, try a brief quiz to see if you know what to do if you or someone else has warning signs. How do you survive a heart attack?
Fast action is your best weapon against a heart attack. Why? Because clot-busting drugs and other artery-opening treatments can stop a heart attack in its tracks. They can prevent or limit damage to the heart–but they need to be given immediately after symptoms begin. The sooner they are started, the more good they will do–and the greater the chances are for survival and a full recovery. To be most effective, they need to be given ideally within 1 hour of the start of heart attack symptoms.
You can reduce your risk of having a heart attack—even if you already have coronary heart disease (CHD) or have had a previous heart attack. The key is to take steps to prevent or control your heart disease risk factors. Six Key Steps To Reduce Heart Attack Risk; Taking these steps will reduce your risk of having a heart attack: Stop smoking; Lower high blood pressure; Reduce high blood cholesterol; Aim for a healthy weight; Be physically active each day. Manage diabetes.
Duration : 0:13:12