What is high blood pressure?
There are two types:
- Primary hypertension is the most common type of high blood pressure. This has no known cause.
- Secondary hypertension is less common but it has a known cause. Usually related to Kidney function.
High blood pressure is defined as having a resting systolic pressure (top number) above 140mm Hg.
This number represents the highest pressure reached when the heart contracts.
A high diastolic pressure (bottom number) is considered above 90 mm Hg.
This is the lowest pressure the heart reaches as it relaxes between beats.
How does it develop?
Lifestyle factors such as diet, salt intake, processed foods, obesity and stress affect some people.
Other common causes include:
- Excess alcohol intake
- Use of oral contraceptives
- Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s),
- Corticosteroids
- Cocaine
Secondary Hypertension is usually caused by kidney and renal disorders such as:
- Chronic glomerulonephritis or pyelonephritis
- Polycystic renal disease,
- Connective tissue disorders
- Cushings syndrome,
- Hyperthyroidism
- Kidney Stones
Symptoms & Signs
High blood pressure usually has no symptoms until problems occur in vital organs, such as:
- Severe cardiovascular problems
- Kidney problems
- Eye problems
How Is It Diagnosed?
A diagnosis is made by blood pressure readings.
Blood pressure should be measured twice laying or seated and after standing for 2 minutes on 3 separate days.
The average of these results is used for a diagnosis.
Additional tests include urinalysis, blood tests and sometimes thyroid stimulating hormone tests.
Dietary history focuses on salt intake, tea, coffee, caffeine containing sodas and energy drinks.
The Prognosis
The higher the blood pressure and the more evidence of target organ involvement, the worse the prognosis.
Systolic pressure predicts cardiovascular events better than diastolic pressure.
Ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke is often due to poorly managed high blood pressure.
Health Problems
The risks increase when it becomes high enough for long enough.
Risks include:
- Heart attack and stroke
- Chronic heart failure
- Kidney disease
- Arteries stiffen quicker
- Stiffer arteries further raise blood pressure
- Shortness of breath
- Swollen legs, and fatigue are seen
A reading of 135 over 85 may be “normal” but someone with this reading is twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as someone with a reading of 115 over 75.
Severely high or long term blood pressure without management damages other organs. This damage is primarily to the heart and lungs, brain and kidney’s.
This increases the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), MI, stroke and renal failure.
Western Medicine
Common drugs lowered blood pressure to the desired level in only 1 of 3 of patients in the US.
The goal often aims to reduce blood pressure to 140/90mm Hg.
Drugs are considered is blood pressure is 160/100mmHg or unresponsive to lifestyle changes.
Drugs may include:
Beta-blockers and sodium channel blockers which often are used for the rest of a patients life. This is because these drugs are help the symptoms, rather than the cause.
Pregnancy requires consideration because some drugs can harm the foetus.
Chinese Medicine
Blood pressure is an important part of the physical exam in Chinese medicine.
Aside from pressure readings, the numbers provide information about the nature of a persons health problems.
High readings above >140/90 indicate excess, heat and inflammatory conditions.
Low readings <105/65 indicate deficiency, cold and depletion conditions..
Treatment
Firstly, the treatment of high and low blood pressure in Chinese medicine is done mechanically.
This means, if blood pressure is too high, herbal medicine may be prescribed to expand the arteries, reduce tension in the vessels and clear inflammation, lowering the pressure.
When there is too much water in the chest, herbal medicine may be prescribed to clear excess water and fluid.
In the scenario where pressure is too low, herbal medicine may be used to strengthen the arteries and increase the tension to provide more normal pressure readings.
Finally, the additional benefit of Chinese medicine is the ability to help deal with stress and other imbalances not always considered in Western medicine.
6 Lifestyle Steps
Some types of blood pressure can be managed by lifestyle and diet choices such as:
- Aerobic exercise 30min per day
- Maintain a BMI of 18.5-24.9
- Stop smoking
- Reduce animal products
- Eat fruit and vegetables
- Avoid alcohol
In my clinic I have had good success in helping people manage high and low blood pressure through Chinese herbal medicine.
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David L. Edwards is an author, Chinese Medicine Physician and acupuncturist. He is the author of The Body Fat Formula and The Pocketbook guide to Chinese medicine and painless cures. David is the director of Barefoot Health and Wellness programs in Melbourne.
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