Alcohol And High Blood Pressure

Most people who find themselves drinking alcohol excessively are ignorant of what it might lead them to. There are many consequences of drinking too much alcohol which are very dangerous to your health. One of the biggest threat of excessive drinking is high blood pressure. Although there are other major causes of high blood pressure, experts were able to discover that too much drinking of alcohol greatly increases your blood pressure.

It is therefore very important for you to understand that when you drink alcohol excessively, it will affect your blood system. You must know that your health is determined by your blood pressure. Perhaps you may be wondering how does drinking alcohol affects your blood pressure. I want you to know that your drinking alcohol continously will lead to other health problems in your body which in turn affects your blood pressure.

Let us see how alcohol affects your blood presssure. Do you know that drinking alcohol affects your kidneys? When you drink alcohol excessively, it exacts pressure on the your arteries, causing the blood to flow at high pressure. This is one of the causes of high blood pressure in your body. So the more you drink, the more pressure you exact on your arteries and the more your blood pressure increases.

It is also very important that if you are a woman, you must stop drinking alcohol because your level of tolerance to high blood pressure is minimal compared to that of men. Therefore you must avoid drinking alcohol excessively as it will be very risky and dangerous to your health.

Another negative effects of drinking alcohol is overweight. When you drink more alcohol, you add more weight because alcohol itself contains more calories. You must know that when you increase weight, you are also increasing the level of fat in your body. This fat usually add unnecessary pressure to your blood arteries, causing less blood to flow at high pressure. So, each time you drink more alcohol, you are increasing your blood pressure.

Finally friend, I want you to understand that drinking alcohol is one of the major causes of high blood pressure because it has a direct negative effect on your blood stream. As you drink alcohol excessively, you are exposing your health to more dangers in addition to high blood pressure. Therefore you must begin to address your drinking addiction if you must keep a good health. I also recommend you to your doctor for more professional advice if you must stop drinking alcohol now. Also see your doctor if you are already developing a high blood pressure today.

High blood pressure, which also is called hypertension, plagues millions of people in the United States. But, and this is problematic, many aren’t that educated on this issue. What causes high blood pressure? What are hypertension symptoms? How is it diagnosed? Should I be concerned about it? The goal of this piece is to provide you with answers for the sake of your health.

What is High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure sounds more complicated that it is. It’s just the pressure the blood gives off while it moves through the arteries. Blood pressure numbers appear as a ratio. For example, take 120/80. If you’re at all familiar with blood pressure, you probably recognize the word systolic, which is represented here by 120. Despite its ominous sound, systolic is just the pressure given off as the heart pumps. The second number, 80, is diastolic. Diastolic is the opposite of systolic. It chronicles the pressure exerted between beats. High blood pressure occurs when these numbers are elevated and there’s excess pressure. 140/90 and up is considered high blood pressure.

How Can I Tell if I Have High Blood Pressure?

A major problem with diagnosing blood pressure is that there are usually few hypertension symptoms. Consequently, around 30% of people who have hypertension don’t know it. This why you must get your blood pressure measured, using validated blood pressure equipment, frequently. Fortunately, doing so is fast and doesn’t hurt. The doctor places an inflatable band over your arm. He or she pumps it up and reads the pressure from a blood pressure meter. It’s entirely possible that you’ve seen blood pressure equipment at your local pharmacist.

Is High Blood Pressure an Issue That I Should Concern Myself With?

High blood pressure can damage blood vessels. Think about water going through a fire hose. If the water pressure is too great, it can harm the hose. This can result in damaging health issues. They include strokes, heart attacks, and harm to the kidneys. High blood pressure can actually result in the end of life! That’s why you need to be not only aware of high blood pressure, but also the causes of it so you can keep your pressure in check.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

Stress is one of several high blood pressure causes. Further, as you know, stress is an uninvited guest in the lives of many. In addition, sodium can contribute to hypertension. So can alcohol, and tobacco. Also, excessive weight gain can as well. Unfortunately, many of these high blood pressure causes come together. In other words, the same people who are overweight often also, for example, consume foods high in sodium.

As you can see, high blood pressure causes are legion. In addition, as a result of the harm hypertension can affect in your body, it should be top of mind. So get your blood pressure measured and read further for actions you can take to help lower it.

If you are battling high blood pressure there are some things you will want to know. First thing you want to understand is what the numbers mean. Your blood pressure will read with a top and bottom number. The top is your systolic pressure and the bottom number is your diastolic pressure. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 so if your blood pressure reads 130/90 you are at risk for developing high blood pressure. This reading is called prehypertension which is basically a stage before developing high blood pressure. By having your blood pressure checked and monitored often you can easily lower it where it needs to be. The best way to do this is by maintaining or adopting a healthier lifestyle. Have you always had normal blood pressure until recently? If this is the case, consider what you have recently started doing different that may have caused it to rise. Did you change your diet? Have you been exercising less? Maybe you are on a medication; some medications can cause your blood pressure to rise. If you do have high blood pressure you can easily monitor it at home if you choose. If you do this you still want to keep your regular doctor visits. You can share your own results and you can both see what is and isn’t working for you. If you are on other medications consult your doctor. Chances are one of these could be raising your blood pressure and you want to take control as soon as possible. If your blood pressure gets too high without proper treatment you are at more risk of having a stroke or heart and kidney diseases. If you have recently changed your diet you should talk to your doctor, especially if your blood pressure has risen since then. Lots of salt and sodium can cause high blood pressure and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables. If this is the case, try to limit your salt intake and get more vegetables in your diet. Also physical inactivity can be a cause for high blood pressure. Have you recently stopped doing regular every day physical activity? If so, consider starting again. You might have stopped because of an inevitable reason; broken bone, etc. If this is the case talk with your physician. Together you can find a way to still get a little bit of physical activity in your daily routine. You also want to cut off or limit your use of tobacco and alcohol consumption. Many people do not realize these cause high blood pressure. There are many over the counter medicines and even doctor prescribed medicines to help you quit smoking. There are also many different resources to help you quit drinking. If your doctor prescribes blood pressure medicine for you, you want to be sure and remember to take it. Some people are bad at remembering to take medication. There are many different ways you can help yourself remember. You take the risk of a stroke or heart disease by not taking your blood pressure medication. This should be reason enough to take your medicine, but sometimes people just forget. While it sounds like reason enough, if you are not used to taking daily medication it is rather easy to forget. If you have certain questions or concerns talk with your doctor. They will gladly answer any questions you have and do their best to get your blood pressure at a normal rate again.

High blood pressure, or hypertension indicates a reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher. Nearly one out of every three American adults has high blood pressure. Once it develops, it all too often lasts a lifetime.
High blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer because it usually has no symptoms. It is, therefore, very important to have a regular medical check-up. When it is not treated as soon as it’s discovered, it can cause the heart to enlarge, which in turn may lead to heart failure. The heart works harder, your arteries take a beating, and your chances of a stroke, heart attack, and/or kidney problems increase considerably.
Your pressure is at its highest when the heart beats, pumping the blood. When the heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. When the level stays high consistently for more than three checkups, you are likely to have hypertension.
Many factors are involved in elevating your blood pressure. It is, therefore, highly recommended not to use caffeine, alcohol, or tobacco products at least thirty minutes before your medical. As well, go to the bathroom and rest for three to five minutes before the procedure.
Most doctors will check your blood pressure several times on different days to ensure that, in fact you do have hypertension. Once you know you have the condition, you will need to check the pressure regularly and keep in touch with your family doctor. Talk to your doctor about what is considered high blood pressure for you.
What is high for the majority of people may or may not be so for you. As there are many causes that may show high readings, ranging from nervousness, tension, obesity, heavy alcohol use, family history of high blood pressure, high salt intake, and aging.
Some people will actually show high readings every time they’re in a doctor’s office whereas, if done at home, or they are in a relaxed frame of mind, the results will be normal. Even routine activities, such as attending a meeting, commuting to work, and exposure to cold can bump up your blood pressure into the high zone
A sedentary lifestyle, stress, low potassium intake, low calcium intake, and resistance to insulin are factors that may cause your blood pressure to rise. Constant headaches, visual disturbances, nausea, and vomiting can be an indication of hypertension and should be checked carefully.
Usually you will not feel any warning signs or symptoms, though. That’s why getting your blood pressure checked regularly is of utmost importance to your health. In most cases, a doctor may not be able to pinpoint the exact cause.
Lifestyle issues that are in your control to lower your risk of developing hypertension include obesity, inactivity, lack of regular exercise, alcohol consumption of three drinks a day or more, a diet of salty or processed foods, and a lack of calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Risk factors you can’t control include a family history of high blood pressure, your race (being African-American increases your risk), and aging.
A few simple adjustments in your habits can help keep your blood pressure in the normal zone, or even bring a slightly high reading back to normal. Eating less salt, losing a few pounds, drinking less, and reducing your intake of processed foods can make a difference in your overall health. Find out all you can take control over. Here’s to your health!