Our bodies require an average blood pressure level. No oxygen or nutrients will reach the tissues and organs if the pressure that propels our blood through the circulatory system doesn’t exist. However, both high and low blood pressure can be harmful. In this post, we will go through what blood pressure is, how it is measured, and what the results indicate for our health. This article will also explain the correlation between blood pressure and heart attack.
What Is Blood Pressure?
The force that propels blood through the circulatory system is blood pressure. Blood pressure is a vital force because the circulatory system cannot push nutrients and oxygen to nourish tissues and organs without it. It transports hormones like insulin, white blood cells, and antibodies for immunity. The new blood that is provided can take up the toxic waste products of metabolism, including carbon dioxide and toxins, which is just as crucial as giving oxygen and nutrition.
Types Of Blood Pressure
| Blood pressure | Systolic (mm/Hg) | Diastolic (mm/Hg) | Things to consider |
| Elevated blood pressure | 120 – 129 | <80 | Consider lowering your blood pressure |
| High blood pressure – Hypertension stage 1 | 130 – 139 | 80 – 89 | Make lifestyle changes and get medications |
| High blood pressure – Hypertension stage 2 | 140 – 180 | 90 – 120 | Make lifestyle changes and get medications |
| Hypertensive crisis | >180 | >120 | Contact your healthcare provider |
What Happens If Blood Pressure Peaks Abnormally?
The coronary arteries serving the heart gradually narrow down due to plaque, an accumulation of fat, cholesterol, and other substances, resulting from the excessive strain and damage that high blood pressure produces.
Blood clots are more likely to form as arteries become more hardened by plaque. The passage of blood through the heart muscle is disrupted when an artery is blocked by plaque accumulation or a blood clot, depriving the muscle of oxygen and nutrients. A heart attack is the outcome of injury to or death of a portion of the heart muscle.
Correlation Between Blood Pressure And Heart Attack
The heart and arteries are put under additional strain by high blood pressure. Years of untreated high blood pressure strain the arterial walls, allowing cholesterol to accumulate and develop hardened plaque patches. If the plaque ruptures, small particles may enter the bloodstream and cause blood clots.
High blood pressure-related disorders that can be fatal include:
- Heart attack: The lining of your arteries might become damaged over time by high blood pressure. Triglycerides and cholesterol work together to produce plaque. A heart attack occurs when the plaque ruptures and a blood clot forms in the heart.
- Stroke: A stroke occurs when the accumulation causes clots to go to the brain.
- Heart failure: An enlarged heart may result from the increased workload on the heart. Your heart must work harder to supply your body with the nourishment and oxygen it needs as a result.
Ways To Control Blood Pressure?
If you have high blood pressure, then taking medications is not the only way to lower the readings. Changing one’s lifestyle is crucial to managing high blood pressure. Maintaining blood pressure through a healthy lifestyle eliminates, postpones, or minimizes the need for medication. These ten lifestyle changes can help you to maintain a low blood pressure level.
- Lose extra pounds
Weight gain is a known cause of the increase in blood pressure. Being overweight also leads to sleep apnea. One of the best lifestyle improvements to control your blood pressure is losing weight. Even a minor weight loss lowers blood pressure. In general, each kg of weight loss results in a reduction in blood pressure of roughly 1 mm Hg.
- Exercise regularly
Physical activity and exercising daily reduce high blood pressure by 5-8 mm Hg. Aim for 30 minutes Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or dancing are some forms of exercise that help to lower blood pressure. High-intensity interval training is recommended for experts. However, consult a healthcare professional before creating an exercise plan.
- Eat a healthy diet
A low fat and cholesterol diet can reduce high blood pressure by up to 11 mm Hg. These include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. The Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension significantly lowers blood pressure. Salt’s effects on blood pressure can be lessened by potassium. Aim for 3,500 to 5,000 mg of potassium per day to reduce the blood pressure by 4–5 mm Hg.
- Reduce salt in your diet
A small decrease in salt in your diet can lower blood pressure by 5 to 6 mm Hg. Different people respond differently to salt consumption. Generally speaking, the daily salt intake must be 2,300 mg or less. For adults, a daily salt consumption of 1,500 mg or less is considered suitable.
- Limit alcohol
Limiting alcohol consumption reduces blood pressure by roughly 4 mm Hg. One drink per day for women and two drinks per day for males is more than enough, as experts recommend.
- Quit smoking
Blood pressure increases when you smoke. Restricting your smoking habit lowers blood pressure and lengthens your life by lowering the risk of heart disease.
- Get good sleep
Not getting enough sleep for a few weeks might result in poor sleep quality, which can lead to hypertension. Numerous sleep conditions, such as sleep paranoia or general insomnia, interfere with regular sleep patterns. If you frequently face trouble sleeping, get advice from your healthcare professional. Sleep quality can be increased by identifying and treating the problem. To achieve more comfortable sleep, stick to a sleep schedule, create a restful space, watch what you eat and drink, and limit your naps.
- Reduce stress
Chronic emotional stress may be a factor in high blood pressure. To determine whether stress management practices help lower blood pressure, more study on their effects is required. To reduce your stress, try to limit your work pressure, focus on issues you can control, avoid stress triggers, and take time to relax.
- Monitor your blood pressure
Keep an eye on your blood pressure at home to ensure the effectiveness of your lifestyle adjustments and drugs. It’s not necessary to get a prescription to purchase a home blood pressure monitor. Before you begin, discuss home monitoring with a healthcare practitioner.
- Get support
Strong social networks of family and friends are crucial for health. To keep your blood pressure low, take care of yourself and visit your doctor or start an exercise regimen. Consider joining a support group if you need assistance beyond what your family and friends can provide. This might put you in touch with individuals who might encourage you emotionally or morally.
Conclusion
The body needs blood pressure to function. It might, however, go too high or too low. Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, is a reading of blood pressure that is excessively high. A doctor should manage this as it may result in several health problems. Especially with early intervention and modest lifestyle changes, high blood pressure can be controlled. We hope through this article, our readers are now aware of the correlation between blood pressure and heart attack, and now they will take the steps mentioned above to control their blood pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you have normal blood pressure and still have a heart attack?
It is sporadic to have a heart attack under typical blood pressure situations. However, exceptions could always be there, which does not negate the importance of taking precautions to keep your heart healthy.
Does blood pressure increase during a heart attack?
As a result of a heart attack, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) goes into overdrive which ultimately increases the blood pressure.
Which device shows accurate blood pressure?
You can check your blood pressure manually using an aneroid monitor. There are digital versions of these monitor devices.
Does drinking water lower blood pressure?
Water makes up 73% of the human heart. There is no other liquid that controls blood pressure in a much better way than compared to water. Always keep yourself hydrated.