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WHAT LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION CAN DO FOR HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS?

by: Jinky C. Mesias

One way of treating high blood pressure is by means of lifestyle modification. You might be wondering just what is meant by lifestyle modification-lifestyle modification pertains to some specific recommendations for changing some habits, diet as well as exercise. These modifications are recommended to aid in lowering the blood pressure which in turn will improve a patient’s response to blood pressure medications.

Patients who drink excessive alcohol have a greater risk of having hypertension. The connection between the alcohol and high blood pressure is so imminent that an alcohol intake that exceeds five drinks per day of alcohol will definitely result to hypertension. Another is smoking; although it is not associated with the increase in the development of hypertension, the fact remains that smoking boost the risk of vascular complications in patients who have existing hypertension. However, continuous smoking of cigarette may have an effect in the blood pressure by temporarily raising the blood pressure to 5 up to 10 mm Hg. Moreover, it may be noted that regular smokers have actually lower blood pressure compared to nonsmokers. The rationale behind this phenomenon is that the nicotine in cigarettes causes a decrease in appetite which usually leads to weight loss which in turn lowers the blood pressure.

Another is coffee drinking which might seem harmless but in reality can actually increase blood pressure. Studies shows that a daily intake of 5 cups of coffee a day may cause a mild increase in blood pressure especially among elder people who are already experiencing hypertension however, for those individuals with normal blood pressures an intake of the same number of cups of coffee will not increase their blood pressures. Another is the salt which is also known to increase blood pressures of people with hypertension. The recommendable daily consumption of salt is less than six grams per day in the general population and a much lower level for people with hypertension.

Obesity is another contributor in increasing blood pressures. In fact, obesity was known to contribute to hypertension in many ways. For one thing, obesity was known to lead to greater output of blood since the heart needs to pump out more blood in order to supply the excess fat tissues. The increased in the pumping function of the heart can actually raise the blood pressure. Aside from that, obesity is also known to provide the tendency for the kidneys to retain salt.

About the author:
Author’s Bio: Jinky C. Mesias is a lover of simple things and of nature. She spend most of her time reading and writing poetry.

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