Countless Americans suffer from high blood pressure and blood pressure variations. What could that mean for high blood pressure patients in the future? What are the lasting effects of blood pressure problems?
The New York Times reports on the serious consequences of high blood pressure. What do you need to know in order to avoid a heart attack and other issues?
“Large variations in blood pressure readings from one doctor’s appointment to another are associated with cardiovascular disease and death,” according to The Times.
A new study was conducted where researchers utilized information from over 25,000 people taking in a study of medicines for hypertension. Experts took seven blood pressure readings during months six to twenty-eight of the study and then followed the patients for around 2.8 more years.
The study was recently published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers included thousands of participants to have a comprehensive analysis.
What did the analysis show?
Researchers compared with those in the lowest one-fifth for variability in systolic blood pressure readings, they found that those in the highest one-fifth were 30 percent more likely to die from cardiovascular disease or have a nonfatal heart attack, 46 percent more likely to have a stroke, 25 percent more likely to have heart failure, and 58 percent more likely to die from any cause at all.
How was the study conducted?
The experts used control variables for age, sex, race, smoking, diabetes and other related factors.
Critics say the study did find an association but not an exact cause and effect.
Paul Muntner, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, was the lead author of the study. He said,
“We usually use average blood pressure as a measure, because reducing that has led to reduced risk. The fluctuations get dismissed. But variability in blood pressure appears to be a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and it may be an important thing for doctors to look at.”
In the interim, what can you do to try to ensure that your blood pressure is controlled so that you do not face these fatal effects?
Doctors are saying it is crucial that people with a family history of high blood pressure and blood pressure variations see a doctor about whether they have high blood pressure and need to get it controlled via medication. Experts are saying for people who are not overweight and do not have a family history and are not at risk according to their doctor they can do simple things to keep their blood pressure at a normal rate such as exercising, eating healthy foods, and meditating/yoga.