Blood pressure deserves as much attention as your blood sugar if you have Type 2 diabetes. High blood pressure or hypertension is often called the silent killer because usually there are no symptoms. Hypertension increases the risk of blocked arteries to your brain, heart and lower extremities, and is definitely a major contributor to eye and kidney disease in both pre-diabetics and Type 2 diabetics.
Two vital measurements provide your blood pressure reading:
- the systolic pressure, the upper reading, is the amount of force exerted by your heart when it contracts to move blood around your body.
- the lower reading, known as the diastolic blood pressure, is the pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest.
A perfect measurement is 120/80. A reading of 140/90 is regarded as high and is when doctors will often start someone on anti-hypertension medication.
Outside influences can greatly affect your blood pressure temporarily and, as long as they don't last, you should be fine. If your reading is high, it puts additional stress on your heart to pump harder; then damage can be caused to your blood vessels and vital organs.
Hypertension is the main cause of a stroke. A stroke starts with a blood clot blocking an artery or a blood vessel. This means blood flow to the brain is interrupted.
If you have kidney disease, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, are obese, or have already had a stroke or heart attack, your risk factor is higher than normal. It's essential you see your doctor regularly to monitor your health.
If your brain cells begin to die during a stroke, the functions your cells control will cease working. These include speech, movement and memory. The degree of damage to your brain cells will determine just how badly you will be affected.
If your heartbeat is irregular, the risks are even higher for both strokes and high blood pressure. Symptoms of an irregular beat are:
- weakness,
- fainting,
- palpitations, and
- breathing difficulties.
You must urgently see your doctor if you have these symptoms. This irregular beat can cause a transient ischemic attack (otherwise known as a mini stroke). The risk of having a major stroke increases if this happens to you.
Other reasons for high blood pressure include:
- gender,
- age,
- genetics,
- stress levels,
- diet,
- race, and your
- smoking status.
Treatment aims to keep your readings under 140/90 so your risk of having a stroke are minimized. Diet, weight loss, exercise and medication are four ways to treat this problem.
Your doctor will help you with the appropriate steps to make sure you are in the low-risk category. He will usually recommend you buy a monitor to check your blood pressure regularly at home. He may also recommend you see a dietitian and/or a heart specialist if you need extra assistance.
Controlling your blood pressure reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, and protects your kidneys from any further damage.
Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. By making easy changes to your daily routine, its possible to protect your heart, kidneys, eyes and limbs from the damage often caused by diabetes, and eliminate some of the complications you may already experience. A healthy lifestyle will also help lower your blood pressure and reduce your chances of stroke.
For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
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