Thursday, May 27, 2010

Individual Project 5/29/10 High Blood Pressure

The actual tasks you completed: I researched information about lowering blood pressure. And holy cow there is a lot of information about this. Becuase it is such a huge issue. Heart disease is the leading causes of deaths, and having high blood pressure adds to the strain on the heart.

The progress you made toward your desired outcome(s): This was great, because I was able to find so much information about preventing the disease and dealing with it while you have it. The great thing is often high blood pressure can be reversed through exercise and if needed medication.

The lessons you learned:

High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure increases your chance (or risk) for getting heart disease and/or kidney disease, and for having a stroke. It is especially dangerous because it often has no warning signs or symptoms. Regardless of race, age, or gender, anyone can develop high blood pressure. It is estimated that one in every four American adults has high blood pressure. Once high blood pressure develops, it usually lasts a lifetime. You can prevent and control high blood pressure by taking action.
In this section you will learn more about what high blood pressure is and what it does inside the body.
Heart Attack
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack. The arteries bring oxygen-carrying blood to the heart muscle. If the heart cannot get enough oxygen, chest pain, also known as "angina," can occur. If the flow of blood is blocked, a heart attack results.
Congestive Heart Failure
High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for congestive heart failure (CHF). CHF is a serious condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to supply the body's needs.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
The causes of high blood pressure vary. Causes may include narrowing of the arteries, a greater than normal volume of blood, or the heart beating faster or more forcefully than it should. Any of these conditions will cause increased pressure against the artery walls. High blood pressure might also be caused by another medical problem. Most of the time, the cause is not known. Although high blood pressure usually cannot be cured, in most cases it can be prevented and controlled.

Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure
Lifestyle changes and natural remedies may help to control high blood pressure, but your doctor may also recommend medication to lower high blood pressure. It is important to work with your doctor, because untreated high blood pressure may damage organs in the body and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhage, kidney disease, and vision loss. See a drawing of a hypertensive heart.

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