Treat Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a problem for many people.
My name is Doctor Gordon Cameron and thank you for visiting my hypertension website. It's my aim in life to help you to lower blood pressure and to keep you up to date with new blood pressure information and treatment tips with the information written in a simple clear way.
Treat high blood pressure with medication
Treat high blood pressure with medicationI'm sure you know by now - and you certainly will if you have browsed around this site - that there are lots of ways to
treat high blood pressure.
Many people are able to achieve their blood pressure goals by simply changing their diet or by altering their lifestyle.
Salt reduction certainly helps - you'll be horrified at how easy it is for salt to sneak its way into your diet and play havoc with your blood pressure. If you feel up to it then here's a way to test it out: go all out for it and take a diet consisting
only of fruit and low fat yogurt for up to a week. You can have as much fruit as you want and as much yogurt as you want - and take your normal fluid intake. In effect you'll be having a diet with almost no fat and almost no salt. I did it and the results were remarkable. My blood pressure levels came down by more than ten points systolic when I checked on my BP monitor.
Weight loss is also now proven as a method to
treat high blood pressure. You can expect a ten kilogram weight loss to lower your blood pressure readings by ten on the scale.
But for many of us - medication is still needed to treat high blood pressure and with that comes all the side effects and problems that we are all too familiar with.
Check out the links on this site for lots more about medications for hypertension.
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, diet-and-blood-pressure, treat-high-blood-pressure, treatment-of-blood-pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
The Pressure PointNew blood pressure discussion forumFor years now, I've had people email me to ask questions about high blood pressure or low blood pressure treatment. I do my best to email back but it can be really difficult to find the time to keep up - and - let's face it, I don't know all the answers.
I think I've hit upon the solution and have created a new discussion forum devoted to blood pressure and its treatment. You can ask questions, reply and share your knowledge or just simply spend time browsing around.
Take a look, join in, you'll love it.
Click here to visit
The Pressure PointLabels: blood-pressure-forum, blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-news, high blood pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
Blood Pressure Treatment Options
Blood Pressure Treatment Choices
Blood pressure treatment can seem confusing and the range of options available for anyone with high blood pressure grows day by day.
You or your doctor may choose to treat your blood pressure by medication, by lifestyle advice, by altering your diet or by doing all of these things and more.
This blood pressure site has grown a lot in scope and size since I first started producing it so, if you are visiting for the first time, here's a review of what's available.
You can explore the choice of blood pressure measuring machines now available and read about how to properly
check blood pressure at home.
Discover how
weight loss lowers blood pressure and find out if changing your diet will improve your heart health.
Read how to understand your
blood pressure readings and find out about
white coat high blood pressure.
If you look to the bottom of each page you will also find a summary of the most recently published articles.
I hope you enjoy the site and find it useful. Don't forget to sign up for regular blood pressure news updates in the box below
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-treatment, diet-and-blood-pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
Nuts Lower Cholesterol
Eating Nuts Can Lower Cholesterol Levels Most of us know that a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products will keep us healthy.
But now we should also take a much closer look at the health benefits of nuts.
Until recently, nuts were regarded as a high energy or high fat food and so their consumption was limited or even avoided.
But diet specialists have now shown that nuts are a wonderful wide ranging source of nutrients and protective non-nutrients. Just a small handful of nuts every day will protect your heart and has far reaching benefits on health.
Nuts contain high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids with a much smaller proportion of damaging saturated fatty acids.
Nuts also contain omega 3 fatty acids, which are important for cardiovascular health and the growth and function of the nervous tissue.
Nuts have other health promoting compounds including plant proteins, dietary fibre (both soluble and insoluble) vitamins like E and niacin, minerals like copper, magnesium, potassium and zinc, plant sterols, and phytochemicals.
There is a long list of health benefits associated with regular consumption of nuts.
There is convincing evidence to show that nuts can modify your cholesterol lipid profile favourably by increasing the good cholesterol, (HDL) and lowering the bad cholesterol (LDL). They also lower total cholesterol (especially in subjects with high cholesterol levels) and may reduce risk of coronary artery disease.
So - what are you waiting for? Go nuts and change your diet today.
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, diet-and-blood-pressure, heart-attack-risk, high blood pressure, omega-3-blood-pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
Lose Weight - Lower Blood Pressure
Body Weight and High Blood Pressure
Are you overweight? Do you have high blood pressure?
Half of overweight people with high blood pressure could have the condition as a result their size.
Italian research has shown that about 50% of overweight adults with high blood pressure between the age of 29 and 65 saw their blood pressure drop after six months on a diet.
This is important because it means that in people with high blood pressure and weight problems - the blood pressure was often due to their extra body weight
The study involved 210 overweight women and men with high blood pressure who had never been treated for the condition.
They were all only moderately overweight and were given an individualised reduced-calorie diet.
About half of the patients were also treated with orlistat, a medicine used with a low-calorie diet to help weight loss.
After six months, 49% of the women and 53% of the men had lost the necessary amount of weight.
It was also found that the blood pressure went down by a significant amount.
The main message from this is that of you are overweight and have high blood pressure then simple weight loss might avoid the need for blood pressure medication.
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-treatment, diet-and-blood-pressure, high blood pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
New Test Predicts Heart Attack Risk
Heart Attack RiskA new quick and painless test could save your life.
An ultrasound scan on the carotid arteries, the small blood vessels that run along either side of your neck can give insight into the health of your whole vascular system.
Ultrasound of the carotid arteries allows doctors to measure the thickness of those arteries and the thickness predicts how likely you are to have a stroke, heart attack or sudden death.
Carotid ultrasound is a test that shows how thick the carotid artery walls are as well as how much blood flows and how fast it travels through them.
Ultrasound waves - the same ones used in imaging the fetus in a pregnant woman - are used to make an image of the arteries. This image can be used to find out if there is an abnormality or blockage of the carotid arteries that could lead to stroke.
The test is simple and reliable and - when combined with a full assessment of other risk factors and preventitive factors - can predict your risk of heart attack or stroke. Treatment can be started at an early stage - early enough that it might well save your life.
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-treatment, heart-attack, high blood pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
Treat high blood pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
Alcohol and Blood Pressure
Alcohol and Blood Pressure
Is alcohol good or bad for your blood pressure?People with high blood pressure need not be teetotal and may benefit from a regular tipple, a US study suggests. The research showed that men with high blood pressure reduced their risk of a heart attack by having a drink or two a day.
But experts warned too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and said the findings should not be used as a licence to drink. It's a no brainer really but you need to remember that alcohol can harm and should not be used as a medicine.
On or two glasses of beer or two small glasses of wine or a small glass of spirits reduced the risk of a heart attack, even if they had high blood pressure.
Light drinkers, who consumed less than one drink every two or three days, did not have a lower risk of heart attack than non-drinkers, however.
The study authors stressed that more than three drinks a day raises blood pressure and the risk of hypertension, adding, "so our findings are not a license for men with hypertension to overindulge".
However, lead author Joline Beulens, at the Harvard School of Public Health, added: "Because excess alcohol intake clearly increases blood pressure, many men with hypertension are counselled not to drink, but our results suggest that may not be necessary if men drink safely and responsibly."
Past research has shown that one way alcohol consumption decreases the risk of heart disease is by increasing the levels of "good" cholesterol and possibly thinning the blood.
Judy O'Sullivan of the British Heart Foundation said: "With alcohol consumption there is a fine line between benefit and risk.
"This study concluded that drinking alcohol in moderation is safe for men with high blood pressure. However, alcohol should not be used as a medicine and those who are teetotal do not need to start consuming alcohol to benefit their heart health.
"It should be remembered that drinking to excess carries serious health risks.
"If you want to improve your heart health our advice is to avoid smoking, eat a balanced diet low in salt and saturated fat and take regular physical activity," she advised.
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-treatment, diet-and-blood-pressure, salt and blood pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
A Vaccine Against High Blood Pressure?
A vaccine against high blood pressureCan a simple vaccine jab protect you from stroke and heart disease?Researchers think they have developed a vaccine to control high blood pressure. The vaccine is derived from a protein found in limpets and the hope is that it would need a course of just three jabs, with a booster every six months.
The commonest way of treating blood pressure at the moment is with pills, but they can cause side-effects and some patients simply stop taking them.
Now Protherics - a British drug company - says its vaccine will make it much easier for people to control their blood pressure.
The jab, which has been successfully tested on people, uses the limpet protein to attack a hormone called angiotensin, which is produced by the liver. This is similar to the way that medicines like lisinopril, ramipril and perindopril work.
People who have tried the new vaccine have suffered few side-effects, although one in ten did complain of a brief, flu-like illness. Ideally, patients would be given an initial course of three injections, with a week or fortnight between each jab. A booster shot every six months, or even once a year, would keep blood pressure low.
It is not known how much the vaccines will cost but they are not expected to be much more expensive than current blood pressure tablets, some of which cost just a few pence a day.
In time, the vaccine may be given to ward off problems in young men and women with a family history of heart disease.
Some blood pressure tablets already available work by targeting angiotensin, either by cutting production of the hormone or by stopping it from working properly. But many people stop taking the daily tablets simply because there are no obvious signs that they are boosting their health.
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-treatment, high blood pressure, treatment, vaccine-for-blood-pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
Start a Heart - Save a Life
Heart Start Machine
Could you save a life if you had to? Could you? Right now? Right this minute now?
Research has shown that if someone has a cardiac arrest then the clock starts ticking from the very first second and every minute is vital if they are to have a chance of survival.
Only one person in every twenty lives to tell the tale if they have a cardiac arrest outside of hospital - and yet statistics show that the commonest place to have a cardiac arrest is at home or at work.
New autotmatic electronic defibrillator devices (AED's) or Heart Start machines as they are sometimes called are easy to use and really quite inexpensive.
I've written a comprehensive article about saving a life with an automatic defibrillator heart start machine on the website Squidoo.
Read more about this by clicking on the link below:
Heart Start MachineLabels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-monitor, blood-pressure-treatment
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
Zocor and High Blood Pressure
Zocor and High Blood Pressure
Can Zocor Increase Blood PressureZocor is a drug used to treat high cholesterol levels.It's other name is Simvastatin.Simvastatin is one of a widely used group of drugs called statins.
Most people who take zocor have no significant side effects but some experience pain in the joints and muscles.
Common side effects associated with zocor therapy or simvastatin treatment include:
· zocor related sore joints and muscles,
· mild transient gastrointestinal symptoms,
· altered liver blood tests,
· headache, insomnia, dizziness and
zocor related fatigue.
By the nature of having high blood pressure, many people who need to take zocor will also have high blood pressure.
Zocor and high blood pressure often go hand in hand - this is probably due to a combination of genetic and metabolic reasons.
Zocor needs be used with caution in people who have liver problems because, like all statin drugs, zocor can cause changes in liver blood tests.
Other severe side effects are rare in those who take Zocor but muscle pain or muscle inflammation sometimes occurs and can be a major problem. This goes away when the treatment is stopped but you should seek a doctors advice if you develop muscle pains when taking zocor.
There is no published research that connects Zocor and High Blood Pressure in a causative way - it's merely the case that the zocor is often given to high blood pressure patients because they also have high cholesterol.
So - can zocor increase blood pressure?
There is no published evidence to suggest that this is the case
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-treatment, zocor-and-high-blood-pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
Zantac and Blood Pressure
Zantac and Blood Pressure Does Zantac affect blood pressureI've received a few emails recently asking if there is any connection between zantac and blood pressure?
Zantac or Ranitidine as it is also known is a drug for the treatment of excess stomach acid, heartburn and ulcers.
To my knowledge there is no proven connection between Zantac and Blood Pressure.
Zantac does not interact with any of the commonly used blood pressure treatment medications and thus should not affect you if you are taking tablets to control blood pressure.
Most people who take zantac have no side effects at all but a few known side effects of zantac are:
- diarrhoea
- altered liver blood tests
- headaches
- dizziness
- rash
- fatigue
Rare side effects of zantac are:
- pancreas problems
- slow heart rate
- depression
- confusion
- skin eruptions with blisters
- swelling of the breast tissue in men
- impotence in men
So - as far as zantac and blood pressure goes there is no known connection
If you are concerned about taking zantac medication then consult with your doctor to discuss things.
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-treatment, zantac-and-blood-pressure
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
Blood Pressure Medicines - Norvasc Side Effects
Blood Pressure Medicine - Norvasc Side Effects Most people who take Norvasc for blood pressure treatment experience no side effects at all.
Norvasc is the world's most commonly prescribed blood pressure treatment.
It works by altering the way that blood vessel wall cells handle calcium and causes the blood vessels to relax. More relaxed blood vessels leads to lower blood pressure.
Norvasc is usually taken as either a 5mg tablet or a 10mg tablet. Side effects are more common with the 10mg tablet. If you think that Norvasc treatment is giving you side effects then you should consult with your doctor for advice.
Here are the commonest
Norvasc Side Effects:
The rates are compared to those in research studies who took placebo drugs or "dummy tablets" with no norvasc in them
- Norvasc Swollen ankles - swollen ankles are five times more likely on those taking 5mg of Norvasc and nearly twenty times more likely on those taking Norvasc 10mg per day.
- Norvasc Dizziness - feeling dizzy is twice as likely if you are taking Norvasc 5mg but the incidence of dizziness does not increase if you are taking the 10mg tablets
- Norvasc Palpitations - palpititations are three times more likely if you are taking 5mg of Norvasc and nine times more likely if you are taking Norvasc 10mg
- Norvasc Flushing - flushed feelings or sweating is twice as common if you are taking Norvasc 5mg and three times more common if you are taking Norvasc 10mg.
- Norvasc Fatigue - fatigue is a very common reaction in those taking Norvasc and most studies suggest that it can affect up to one in ten of those who take the drug - even at the 5mg tablet dose
If you think you are experiencing these Norvasc Side Effects then please consult with your doctor
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-treatment, norvasc, treatment
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
Blood Pressure Medicines - Norvasc
Blood Pressure Medicines - NorvascNorvasc or Amlodipine (as it is also called) is a medication for the treatment of high blood pressure. It is one of the commonest
Blood Pressure Medicines worldwide
Blood pressure medicines come in many different varieties. Norvasc works by altering the way that calcium is handled by the cells in blood vessel walls.
Norvasc is also sometimes used in the treatment of angina.
Norvasc works to relax the blood vessel walls by changing their sensitivity to calcium in the blood stream - more relaxed blood vessels leads to lower blood pressure.
Recently Norvasc has been combined with Lipitor in one tablet called Caduet. Caduet is designed to treat blood pressure and high cholesterol at the same time.
Norvasc is generally an easy medication to take but there are a few commonly recogised side effects. About 90 percent of those who take Norvasc get no side effects whatsoever.
Read more about
Norvasc Side EffectsLabels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-treatment, norvasc
If you've found this article helpful then why not sign up for Doctor Cameron's blood pressure newsletter.
See the bottom of the page for details.
As a family doctor and a blood pressure sufferer myself I know that people are often confused by medical terms and mumbo jumbo. You won't find that here - just simple, plain, high quality advice about high blood pressure and related issues.
I hope you find the articles helpful.
Oh, and if you'd like to receive a free, no obligation, regular update on all things blood pressure related then just leave me your details below.
- I'd love to keep you up to date with breaking news and the best treatments available.
