Four Habits That Can Increase Your Blood Pressure



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4 habits that can increase your blood pressure

Credit: American Heart Association

With nearly half of American adults with high blood pressure, it is important for everyone to understand that some common habits can affect blood pressure, making the disease more difficult to control.

That's why the American Heart Association provides healthcare providers with quick reference tools to guide their patients in the discovery of "blood pressure elevators" that often hide at the view of all:

Bad measure: Tensioning errors can lead to high false readings. Ideally, patients will follow in-office measures with regular home checks to rule out hypertension cases in white coats, due to anxiety in the clinic. In both cases, patients should be instructed to read blood pressure by emptying their bladder, avoiding cigarettes or caffeine half an hour before the measurement and sitting for a few minutes before reading. During the test, the patient should rest the arm measured on a surface at breast height, feet flat, not to mention.

Over-the-counter medications: Common analgesics called NSAIDs, such as naproxen and ibuprofen, can increase blood pressure. Ask patients what they use to treat minor pain. Drugs such as acetaminophen are less likely to increase blood pressure. Decongestants are also known to increase blood pressure. People with heart problems should limit or avoid them, especially if their blood pressure is not controlled.

Some prescription medications that may have an effect on blood pressure should be screened: medications for mental health treatment, corticosteroids, oral contraceptives, immunosuppressants and some anti-cancer drugs.

Alcohol and caffeine: Excess of one or the other can increase blood pressure. Learn about these habits during office visits. Limited use is encouraged. Caffeine should be limited to three cups a day in general and avoided in most people with hypertension.

Herbs and food combinations: Make sure patients understand that "natural" supplements and home remedies are not necessarily safe. Some herbal supplements, such as licorice, can increase blood pressure. Other foods can interact with drugs to have a negative effect. Anyone taking antidepressants, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), should avoid strong cheeses, cold cuts, soy products and other foods containing tyramine.

A downloadable toolkit and other guides at www.heart.org/BPtools can help healthcare providers and patients manage their blood pressure well.


Rethink blood pressure readings


Provided by
American Heart Association

Quote:
Four Habits That Could Increase Your Blood Pressure (February 20, 2019)
recovered on February 21, 2019
from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-02-habits-blood-pressure.html

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