Fluctuating Blood Pressure Readings And Treatment

By James Timba

Including Fluctuating Blood Pressure Readings and Treatment

Blood pressure fluctuation apparently affects a significant number of people suffering from high blood pressure. High blood pressure medically known as hypertension is defined as the force exerted on blood vessel walls as blood is flowing through the arteries. It is measured in blood pressure numbersrepresenting systolic and diastolic readings. Fluctuating blood pressure is usually associated with people who already have high blood pressure. Their readings do not remain stable but often move up and down during different times of the day. Blood pressure may peak in the morning for some people a condition known as morning hypertension. It may fall by mid-day and then peak again at different times through out the day.

Hypertension cannot be cured. It is a chronic disease that doctors work hard to control and effectively manage. This is all done in an attempt to prevent it from reaching end-stage complications such as stroke, heart disease, heart failure, kidney disease and even blindness even though rarely so. New studies show that blood pressure which fluctuates raises the risk of stroke. This entails that in this respect individuals with consistently high readings may actually be less at risk compared to individuals with ever changing blood pressure ranges. Due to these risks controlling high blood pressure is of paramount importance. Hypertension guidelines currently available that gives doctors a treatment goal and treatment algorithm aim to lower blood pressure. This essentially means that doctors focus more on a lower average blood pressure and possibly ignore the occasional high readings.

On the contrary studies into the effects of fluctuating blood pressure warn that doctors must aim to achieve steady blood pressure levels. It therefore does not matter what the current average blood pressure is. As long as blood pressure keeps fluctuating there is an increased risk of stroke in the future. The effectiveness of high blood pressure meds, the studies reveal, may also be affected by blood pressure which fluctuates. On the other hand particular hypertension medications were shown to increase blood pressure variation. This was particularly the case with beta-blockers. Some hypertension experts point out that a solution might lie in drug combo that not only lower blood pressure but will also stabilize it. As to why fluctuating blood pressure puts an individual at increased risk of stroke is unknown as far as research goes.

It is however believed that turbulent blood flow in the arteries associated with blood pressure fluctuating may cause damage and stiffness to the arteries. Yet another study published in the Archives of Neurology linked blood pressure fluctuations to increased risk of cerebrovascular disease in general. It noted that the disease appears to be of a higher prevalence among individuals with fluctuating blood pressure. Apart from stroke celebrovascular disease includes other disorders affecting blood vessels in the brain and cognitive decline and disability in older adults. Cognitive function which is poor has been shown to be associated with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease.

In as far as who is at risk of cerobrovascukar disease, it's been shown that the disease primarily affects elderly people or people who have a history of diabetes, smoking or ischemic heart disease. Blood pressure fluctuations can be sharp and astounding. Some patients have reported fluctuations monitored using home blood pressure monitors. These fluctuations are of 150/100mmHg at one time and dropping to 80/60mmHg. Some have had blood pressure raising from 117/73mmHg to 140/80mmHg and then coming right back down. Some patients with high blood pressure have particularly noted sharp elevations in blood pressure even ending in hospitalization after dentist visits. Particular drugs used at the dentist such as epinephrine in Novocain may lead to sharp peaks in blood pressure in some people.

Fluctuating blood pressure associated with this drug will make it necessary for you to inform your doctor if you have hypertension. Novocain works as an anesthetic and contains epinephrine which has an effect of increasing heart rate, contracts blood vessels and plays a role in the fight-or-flight response. Fight-or-flight has been identified with the association between stress and high blood pressure. All in all there are certain factors that one can think about in as far as the significance of blood pressure fluctuation is concerned. How long and how often your blood pressure fluctuates is important. If your blood pressure stays elevated most of the time you will also likely suffer more severe adverse effects. How high your blood pressure goes and how long it stays up is of paramount importance. Some patients have reported having their blood pressure crossing all the three types of hypertension namely prehypertension. stage 1 hypertension and stage 2 hypertension.

In terms of treatment some experts apart from recommending drug combination to both lower and stabilize the high blood pressure give full endorsement to the use of lifestyle modifications. These mainly consist of natural remedies for high blood pressure such as exercise, healthy eating, salt reduction and use of other effective yet safe herbs and supplements.

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