Better health, take charge: Kidney disease rises as hypertension, diabetes, obesity do
What you should knowKidney disease is a growing problem in the Mid-South. The rise in the number of people with high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity has increased the rate of kidney failure (end-stage renal disease or ESRD) as well.Kidneys get rid of waste and excess body fluid. If a kidney stops working, waste and fluid build up in the blood.Diabetes and hypertension are major causes of …

Read more on Memphis Commercial Appeal

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the artery walls when the heart contracts and relaxes. This blood pressure rises and falls with every heartbeat and is recorded as two figures which denote the normal blood pressure reading. High blood pressure is also called hypertension. More commonly, doctors ask for lifestyle changes and medications to treat hypertension. There are number of alternative methods through which a person can reach the goal of reducing high blood pressure. Some methods have come from traditional approach while some have been evaluated by clinical research and the others methods adapts the ways of reducing stress. Three most common alternative methods used for reducing high blood pressure are:

Mind, Body and Traditional Medicine

Acupuncture is a popular name and way to reduce hypertension. This therapy involves inserting thin needles to particular spots on the skin. Acupressure is another method used for reducing the causes of hypertension. However, this method is extremely dangerous for people with a blood pressure of more than 200/100. It has also been found that people with high blood pressure who undergo chiropractic spinal manipulation experience a significant reduction in blood pressure. However, experts are still finding out the exact uses of chiropractic manipulation for hypertension.

Food supplements

A nutritious diet is must for eliminating high blood pressure as well as other diseases. A nutritious diet is the one that contains all the essential elements required for better functioning of our body organs. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and omega-3 fatty acids are considered as the essential nutrients require for normal blood pressure. They all are believed to contribute to lower the high blood pressure in one or the other way.

• When blood pressure increases in the pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein, or pulmonary capillaries, it is termed pulmonary hypertension. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a medical body condition when the pressure of the blood is always high. The main symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, fatigue and cough. Angina pectoris, peripheral edema (swelling of the leg around ankles and feet) and hemoptysis or coughing up blood can be the other symptoms. These symptoms get exacerbated by exertion. It can become a severe disease leading to heart failure. Pulmonary hypertension can be classified into five different types: arterial, venous, hypoxic, thromboembolic or miscellaneous.

  Since symptoms of pulmonary hypertension develop gradually, patients often delay seeing a doctor. Typically, pulmonary arterial hypertension does not come with orthopnea or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, while pulmonary venous hypertension does. To find out the exact cause of the disease, the doctor conducts a thorough physical examination and checks the patient’s medical history. The family history is needed to find out whether the disease is genetic. Exposure to drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine and alcohol lead to cirrhosis and smoking leads to emphysema. These are considered significant while detecting pulmonary hypertension.

  Often, the disease leads to a decreased exercise tolerance. But as per some researches, the right amount of exercise can offer psychological and physical benefits to a patient with severe pulmonary hypertension. Too much of exercise can lead to an increase in pressure on the pulmonary arteries leading to a right-sided heart failure. But, if patients exercise moderately without stopping the intake of medicines, it should not be a problem. Doctors, usually, advice pulmonary hypertension patients to start exercising moderately under medical supervision.

  Despite proper medical treatments, many patients of pulmonary hypertension continue having the symptoms. Their physical abilities get reduced and this leads to depression and anxiety disorders. A moderate exercise regime helps patients to inhale oxygen in a better manner leading the heart to work less. Research suggests moderate exercise and respiratory training improves the capacity of oxygen consumption among the patients thus helping them psychologically and physically.

High blood pressure in the lungs is termed pulmonary hypertension. The blood vessels in the lungs get damaged. As a result, the amount of oxygen that the lungs can transfer to the blood gets reduced. When no specific reason is found for such a condition it is termed primary pulmonary hypertension. When it is caused by some medical condition, it is termed secondary pulmonary hypertension. Children suffering from some lung or heart disease develop secondary pulmonary hypertension. It can also be in the genes. The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension include fatigue, shortness of breath, fainting, dizzy spells, chest pain, fast heartbeat, edema or ankle swelling and bloating.

The causes of primary pulmonary hypertension are still unknown. Chromosome abnormalities lead to familial pulmonary hypertension. Various complications can lead to secondary pulmonary hypertension. Hypoxia or upper airway obstructions limiting the amount of oxygen reaching body tissues, congenital heart disease, blood clots, lung diseases like pneumonia or meconium aspiration syndrome, liver disorders and other diseases affecting the vascular system may lead to secondary pulmonary hypertension. .

Based on what is causing the disease, pulmonary hypertension is divided into five categories. Pulmonary arterial hypertension includes idiopathic, familial and associated hypertension. When no known cause can be found for the hypertension it is termed idiopathic pulmonary hypertension. When it is inherited, it is termed as familial pulmonary hypertension. When the hypertension occurs due to exposure to toxins or as the effect of some diseases, it is associated hypertension. Diseases like scleroderma, sickle cell, lung disease, HIV infection, heart disease and diet drugs like fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine can cause associated hypertension.

Pulmonary venous hypertension is the result of diseases on the left side of the heart, including mitral valve disease and pulmonary vein stenosis. When there is inadequate amount of oxygen in the blood due to certain chronic disease or exposure to high altitude, pulmonary hypertension is caused due to hypoxemia. Blood clots in the pulmonary arteries can also lead to hypertension. It can be caused by certain disorders which directly affects the pulmonary blood vessels like schistosomiasis, sarcoidosis or pulmonary capillary disease.

For diagnosing pulmonary hypertension, the doctor studies the child’s medical history and examines him or her thoroughly. Tests like chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, angiography, pulmonary function tests and cardiac catheterization are done to find out the exact cause of the disease. Currently, no such way to prevent pulmonary hypertension is known. Since the survival rate of a child increases with early treatment, it is vital to see a doctor if one sees any symptoms of hypertension in a child.