How To Get Checked Out
Men may not be aware they had an SMI until weeks or even months later when they see their doctor for a regular visit, or because of persistent symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, or heartburn.
SMI is usually detected from an electrocardiogram or echocardiogram, which can highlight heart muscle damage. Another method is a blood test for the molecular footprints of troponin T, a protein released by injured heart cells. That test is often used in emergency departments for patients with heart attack symptoms.
Once an SMI is diagnosed, your doctor can identify your main risk factors and help design a treatment strategy, including changing your diet, exercising regularly, and taking a statin as well as other medication to help prevent a second heart attack .
“If you do notice any symptoms of a SMI, do not brush them aside, even if you do not think they are serious,” says Dr. Plutzky. “Playing it safe is always a better move than risking the potential harmful downside.”
What Causes High Blood Pressure
There is no one specific cause of high blood pressure, but there are a number of things that can increase your chances of developing it, including:;
- Family history;
- Eating;patterns ;
- Alcohol intake;
- Weight;
- Physical activity;and exercise;levels.;
Your blood pressure can also go up temporarily due to stress, your emotional state, recent physical activity, caffeine;consumption;or even talking.;
What You Can Do To Improve Your Heart Disease Risk Factors
Beyond understanding your risk factors, getting the correct tests, and taking medications as prescribed, the most important step you can take to minimize your risk of heart attack and sudden death is to engage in a healthy lifestyle. That means shedding any extra pounds by adopting a heart-healthy diet, like the South Beach Diet, that focuses on nutrient-dense, fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, in addition to good fats and lean protein. It means making time for at least 20 minutes of aerobic or core-strengthening exercise most days of the week. And it means getting plenty of restorative sleep. Not only will these three steps help you lose weight and keep it off , they will also help lower your blood pressure, improve insulin resistance in those with prediabetes and diabetes, and counter most of the other risk factors youve just read about.
Its an encouraging fact: The earlier you start making these healthy lifestyle changes, the better your chances of avoiding a heart attack down the road.
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Never Had High Blood Pressure Succeeded In Bringing It Down Youre Not Done
Blood pressure is a health indicator that can vary based on factors including age, diet, stress and even time of day you reading is taken, so it can vary over time.; Individuals may also experience high blood pressure even when they are physically fit or meeting other healthy living standards. Blood pressure that is too low also can be a sign of an issue.
Knowing your blood pressure numbers through periodic checks is good practice for every adult and a proactive way to manage your health and reduce risk. This easy and painless reading may be the first sign that its time to talk your physician.
Change Your Life Change Your High Blood Pressure
You will have to work together with your doctor to treat your high blood pressure. Its a team effort, and youre the most important member of the team. And heres the good news:;Its rare that we cant help a patient control his or her blood pressure.
Youll likely need to make some lifestyle changes to help lower your blood pressure, and we often start with healthier diet choices. A good choice is the;DASH diet, which is promoted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to reduce the risk for high blood pressure. Your doctor or a dietitian can help you create a dietary plan thats best for you.
If youre overweight or obese, another big step you can take to reduce your risk is to lose weight.;Losing just 10 pounds could;reduce your blood pressure.;Regular exercise can help you lose weight, improve your blood pressure, and promote overall heart health.
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What Are The Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure In Women
High blood pressure, also known as HBP or hypertension, is widely misunderstood and is called the silent killer because there can often be no symptoms. We often assume it affects those who are type-A personalities, tense and aggressive. But the truth is, it has nothing to do with personality traits. In fact, you can be the most relaxed, calm person and still suffer from HBP.
High Blood Pressure Is More Dangerous Than Ahigh Heart Rate
True: Again, whats considered normal varies. But Dr. Laffin says there is enough clinical evidence to suggest that when blood pressure is even a little over your typical average over time, the risk for heart disease and stroke go up. The physical effects of high blood pressure take their toll on your blood vessels.
Essentially, for each increment of 20 mmHg over 115 mmHg systolic, your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure or chronic kidney disease doubles, Dr. Laffin says.
Elevated heart rate can be a sign of danger, too, but the cause-effect relationship is not so clear. Studies show that people who have faster baseline heart rates are more likely to have cardiac problems and premature cardiac death, Dr. Laffin says. But were not sure whether that is the cause of the problem or just a sign of whats going on. The most common cause of a high resting heart rate is being deconditioned .
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What Do I Do If I Have A Heart Attack
After a heart attack, you need quick treatment to open the blocked artery and lessen the damage. At the first signs of a heart attack, call 911. The best time to treat a heart attack is within 1 or 2 hours after symptoms begin. Waiting longer means more damage to your heart and a lower chance of survival.
If youâve called emergency services and are waiting for them to arrive, chew an aspirin . Aspirin is a potent inhibitor of blood clots and can lower the risk of death from a heart attack by 25%.
Systolic Pressure And Pulse Pressure Are The Main Risk Factors
In 2036 subjects aged 5079 years in the Framingham heart study, only systolic pressure was independently associated with the development of coronary heart disease over the subsequent 20 years. In patients with systolic pressures of 120 mm Hg the coronary heart disease risk actually increased as diastolic pressures decreased, suggesting that a wider pulse pressure was an important component of coronary risk. A recent report from the Framingham investigators added to this cohort another 4506 subjects from the Framingham offspring study, so that the baseline ages of the combined cohort ranged from 20 to 79 years. Over 17 years, 12% of subjects developed coronary heart disease. In subjects whose baseline age was < 50 years, diastolic pressure was the strongest predictor of the subsequent development of fatal or non-fatal coronary disease, including myocardial infarction and angina pectoris. Between the ages of 50 and 59 years there was a transition period when all three blood pressure measures were comparable predictors of coronary risk. From the age of 60 years, diastolic pressure was inversely related to coronary risk so that the pulse pressure became superior to systolic pressure as a predictor.
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Major Risk Factors You Can Control
Smoking: Research shows that smoking increases your risk of heart attack. In fact, even people who inhale second-hand smoke are an increased risk.
High blood cholesterol: Higher cholesterol score is correlated as having higher chances of heart attack.
A low-density-lipoprotein is considered good for your heart health.
Keep in mind that a diet high in trans fats and saturated fats can increase your LDL cholesterol.
The other kind of cholesterol is high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol.
Higher levels are better. Low levels put you at greater risk of heart disease.
Smoking and being overweight can result in lower HDL cholesterol.
Triglycerides: These are the most common type of fat in the body, and a high triglyceride level combined with a low HDL cholesterol or high LDL cholesterol is associated with atherosclerosis.
High blood pressure: Having high blood pressure puts more pressure on the heart making it worker harder.
This can increase your risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and congestive heart failure.
Physical inactivity: An inactive lifestyle can be a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease.
Regular, moderate exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Obesity and being overweight: Excess body weight means the heart works harder to push blood around the body.
This can often co-occur with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
What Is A Silent Heart Attack
A silent heart attack, as the name suggests, may have few or no obvious symptoms. In some cases, people may feel tired or have flu-like symptoms, or they could experience indigestion or discomfort in their chest, back, arms, or jaw.
This type of heart attack can sometimes be worse than the regular kind, as people who have them may not receive any treatment.
A silent heart attack can only be diagnosed through an electrocardiogram or MRI scan.
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When To Visit A Physician
Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers from a heart attack. To be visited a doctor, when chest pain or discomfort in the chest, along with or without any of the symptoms as mentioned below:
- Pain in the single or both arm
- Pain occurring in the neck, jaw or stomach
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or vomiting
- Light-headedness
- Even if the blood pressure i.e. the systolic blood pressure increases i.e. 180 mm/Hg and diastolic blood pressure i.e. 110 mm/Hg, the individual has to visit a doctor. If the blood pressure increases and reaches this range, it increases the danger of getting a heart attack.
Can Some Medical Conditions Affect The Heart Rate During A Heart Attack
According to the American Heart Association, tachycardia is where a persons heart rate is too fast for their age and overall physical condition. During a heart attack, their heart rate will likely remain elevated.
Bradycardia causes a slower heart rate. People with bradycardia or other diseases of the electrical system may not experience an increased heart rate during a heart attack.
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Episodes Of Temporary Chest Pain
As the blood supply to the heart muscle is compromised, there may be episodes of chest pain. This temporary cardiac chest pain is known as angina pectoris. It usually arises with physical, mental or emotional stress and eases with rest. Angina pectoris is said to be a crushing or suffocating chest pain. Often the pain extends to the left arm, neck or jaw.
It is not necessarily a sign of a heart attack that is underway. These episodes can occur for months or years before a heart attack eventually happens. While it may occur with other symptoms like dizziness, angina ;may also arise on its own with no other symptoms. The fact that it can ease even without medication can be misleading it is a very serious symptom and may be prelude to a heart attack.
How To Overcome Affected Blood Pressure
Your blood pressure is specifically monitored by your brain to ensure that your body is operating at an ideal level. Temporary spikes in blood pressure can cause concerns, but your body creates them for a reason.
It is important to make sure you learn to manage your anxiety to help ensure healthy blood pressure. Whether you have panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc., you still need to make sure that you’re treating your anxiety in order to also treat your anxiety-related high blood pressure. ;
Summary:
Anxiety typically makes blood pressure increase, and in some cases can make blood pressure decrease. However, blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day with or without anxiety. It is best to not be too concerned with ones own blood pressure, and instead focus on anxiety reduction.;
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Is There A Difference In The Symptoms Between Men And Women
The symptoms could differ between men and women but the same and the common symptom is that of chest pain, that occurs in both men and women. Women could experience different symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, back and jaw pain. As per the American Heart Association, the main factor for death in the United States among women are heart conditions.
What Is Normal And What Is High Blood Pressure
Normal systolic blood pressure should not rise above 120, and normal diastolic pressure should not rise above 80.
High blood pressure is classified as a reading of 140 over 90, or above.
If the systolic blood pressure rises above 180, or if the diastolic blood pressure rises above 110, emergency care is necessary.
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Blood Pressure Control Is Often Suboptimal
In a long term French study which included 4714 middle aged men with hypertension documented between 1972 and 1988, only 14.5% of patients had effective control of both systolic pressure and diastolic pressure measured on one clinic occasion in the supine position after a 10 minute rest, while 70.5% had uncontrolled values for both systolic and diastolic pressure. Over a follow up period of 14 years, systolic pressure was independently related to both cardiovascular mortality and coronary mortality. Admittedly, these observations may not reflect contemporary practice, and high clinic blood pressure recordings may not adequately document the level of control maintained during normal daily activities. The PAMELA study in the mid 1990s, which monitored blood pressure with 24 hour ambulatory recordings, reported that systolic pressure was uncontrolled in about half of the subjects and diastolic pressure was uncontrolled in about one third of the subjects when compared with the normal ranges as measured by continuous monitoring.
High Blood Pressure Can Cause A Heart Attack It Makes Your Heart Work Harder And Could Lead To A Buildup Of Cholesterol And Plaque In Your Arteries Increasing The Risk Of Heart Attacks And Stroke
High blood pressure puts extra strain on the heart and arteries. Years of untreated high blood pressure and the strain it puts on artery walls creates places for cholesterol to build up and form hardened patches of plaque.
If the plaque ruptures, bits and pieces enter the bloodstream, where they can form blood clots.
High blood pressure rarely shows symptoms. Checking your numbers regularly is critical to avoiding long-term complications such as heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, impaired vision and kidney disease.
Life-threatening conditions caused by high blood pressure include:
- Heart attack: Over time, high blood pressure can damage the lining of your arteries. Fats in your bloodstream can collect along the damaged walls. Cholesterol and triglycerides combine to form plaque and cause atherosclerosis hardening and narrowing of the arteries. If the plaque breaks loose and causes a blood clots in the heart, thats a heart attack.
- Stroke: If the buildup sends clots into the brain, the result is a stroke.
- Heart failure: The extra workload on the heart can lead to an enlarged heart. That makes it harder for your heart to meet your bodys need for oxygen and nutrients.
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What Happens To Blood Pressure During A Heart Attack Or A Stroke
Does it fall? Rise to high levels? Stay normal? All of the above?
Need answer fastish.
Im not sure about during a heart attack or stroke, but an unusually high blood pressure reading can be a symptom of an upcoming MI .
If there the victim is in a lot of distress , there will often be an outpouring of catecholamines into the bloodstream which raise the blood pressure.
On the other hand, if the heart is severely damaged by the heart attack, and/or its function impaired, the blood pressure may drop .
And, of course, sometimes the BP doesnt change much at all during a heart attack.
Most strokes are due to clots blocking the arteries in, or going to, the brain. So, teleologically speaking, by raising the BP, the body is trying to push blood past the blockage. Somewhat more accurately, the brain swells in and around the area of the stroke and that leads to locally high pressure. Such pressure tends to further impede the flow of blood into the area which is a bad thing. So, to overcome this local high pressure and thereby get blood delivered to the area of the stroke, the blood pressure rises .
It may also be the case that stress of the stroke itself raises the BP
Thanks, what about pulse? It will be faster or slower?
What Do Blood Pressure Numbers Mean
Blood pressure is measured using two numbers:
The first number, called systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.
The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats.
If the measurement reads 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, you would say, 120 over 80, or write, 120/80 mmHg.
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Increasing Blood Pressure During A Cardiac Episode
Still, other people have the opposite reaction. Their blood pressure increases. This may be the result of a fight or flight response or even a response to an adrenaline surge released as the body recognizes a state of danger or extreme stress. When this occurs, the heart beats faster and stronger, which can result in rising blood pressure throughout the body.