Best position to take blood pressure
For better health, most people should take their blood
pressure at home.
Blood pressure monitoring at home can be more accurate than
going to the nearby hospital.
Under blood pressure monitors that have been confirmed are
accurate, simple to use, and don't have to be expensive.
Monitoring your blood pressure on a regular basis provides a
vital window into your health and allows you to keep your heart and brain in
good shape.
However, according to the University of Michigan National
Poll on Healthy Aging, older persons who would benefit most from this habit do
not keep track of their statistics at home. The findings, which were based on a
nationally representative sample of Americans aged 50 to 80, were released this
month.
A stroke, heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes,
chronic renal disease, or hypertensions have affected almost 60% of people in
this age range.
This puts them at risk of a health emergency if they don't
control their blood pressure, but only half of them, 48%, regular basis measure
it at home, a simple habit that can help to keep levels in a healthy range,
according to Dr. Deborah Levine, an associate professor at the University of Michigan
Medical School.
"It's impossible to predict what will motivate a
particular patient."
Doctors played a "enormous role" in encouraging
individuals to monitor their blood pressure at home, according to Levine, and
patients who were told to do so were more likely to do so. The poll respondents
mentioned a doctor's encouragement as the No. 2 reason for making it a habit,
second only to wanting to be "as healthy as possible."
However, more than a third indicated their doctors never
advised it.
A Silent
killer
Another major motivator, according to Levine, is focusing on
brain health.
"People are terrified about dementia or stroke,"
she said. "There is mounting evidence that high blood pressure is a risk
factor for cognitive impairment and dementia later in life." Some adults
aren't aware of this."
Furthermore, a recent study demonstrated that maintaining
ideal blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg kept a person's brain six months healthier
than his or her actual age.
Blood pressure is measured in a range. When to see a doctor
and how to read it
Blood pressure that is less than 120/80 is considered normal. The numbers typically climb as persons become older, with women seeing a faster and steeper rise than men.
According the American Heart Association, almost 100 million
persons in the United States have high blood pressure, which is known as the
"silent killer" since it often has no symptoms. Only about half of
them have something under control.
According to a new study, uncontrolled high blood pressure
in the United States is growing worse.
Last year, the American Heart Association and the American
Medical Association urged "wide - spread" home monitoring as a more
convenient and superior way to know those numbers as it can prevent "white
coat hypertension," a condition in which a person's blood pressure rises
as soon as he or she tries to enter a doctor's office.
Over-the-counter blood pressure monitors that have been
validated are accurate, simple to use, and don't have to be expensive.
Individuals with chronic health concerns such as stroke,
heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure should check their numbers at
home regularly between doctor's appointments, according to Levine.
Young, healthy people can also benefit. She recommended that
people begin monitoring their blood pressure at home at the age of 35.
How to
check blood pressure at home naturally
And get a sense of how your blood pressure is "during
ordinary living outside of the doctor's office," Levine suggested the
following advice:
Try
doing it once a month in the first week. Check twice per day, between
6 and 10 a.m. in the morning and 6 to 10 p.m. in the evening — that is, four
hours after waking up and four hours before bed for most people.
Prepare
your body. Going to the bathroom first can help you get a better
reading. Before taking a reading, sit still for five minutes. In the 30 minutes
prior, don't eat, exercise, smoke, or consume alcohol. Your back should be held
by a chair, your feet should be flat on the ground, & your arm should be at
heart level.
Take at
least two minutes apart readings. After that, add them up. This
is due to the fact that the initial value is frequently greater than expected.
Keep a
diary then discuss whether or how often you should share it with
your doctor.
Think about making lifestyle changes instead of using
medication to reduce blood pressure.
These include limiting sodium intake, exercising for 30 to
60 minutes five days a week, & keeping a healthy weight.
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