Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects at least one in
three adults in North America and many other developed countries. Even
more alarmingly, it is afflicting an increasing number of young people,
some as young as 12 years old. So it's not surprising that hypertension
medications are among the 10 most frequently prescribed drugs.
With
an issue of such importance, it's critical to get the facts right and
to keep things in perspective. Unfortunately, a number of myths have
developed around hypertension. Here are five of the most common and
potentially damaging misconceptions:
Myth 1: High blood pressure increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Not necessarily. There is no direct connection between high blood pressure and heart problems. In a recent article for the Virginia Hopkins Health Watch,
John R. Lee, M.D. writes: "heart problems (due to high blood pressure)
are not correlated with any specific or absolute blood pressure reading;
it is correlated with an observed rise in blood pressure from whatever the earlier blood pressure was". (italics mine)
In
other words, if your blood pressure is normally around 120/80 and rises
to 140/90 your risk of heart problems is about the same as that of
someone whose blood pressure increases from 140/90 to 160/90. It also
means that if your blood pressure is a steady 160/90 and shows no sign
of rising, it is not a sign of impending heart disease without other risk factors involved.
Myth
2: "Normal", healthy blood pressure is in the range of 120/70. Pressure
above 130/80 is either high blood pressure or "pre-hypertension".
What is normal?
For a long time the medical standard for high blood pressure was
considered 140/90 and this was further moderated by age. But suddenly
the standard was changed. Now some doctors call even 130/80 "high blood
pressure" and many others consider it "pre-hypertension". New
medications to treat "pre-hypertension" are even underway!
The
fact is that blood pressure varies widely among healthy people and
usually increases with age. Many things can increase blood pressure
including over-the-counter and prescription medications, stress and
over-indulgence in alcohol.
Add to this the fact that blood
pressure varies, sometimes significantly, at different times of the day.
Then there's the notorious white-coat syndrome whereby the stress of a
doctor's visit shows up as high blood pressure while readings taken
relaxing at home can be "normal".
These examples all go to show
that just getting an accurate reading can be difficult enough, let alone
setting normal and abnormal levels for a wide range of different
people.
Myth 3. If you are hypertensive you must severely restrict or eliminate salt (or sodium) from your diet.
Not true.
Salt is unfairly blamed for causing high blood pressure. Salt, or
sodium, is not the culprit. It's an imbalance of sodium, magnesium and
potassium in our diet that knocks our blood chemistry out of kilter and
thus contributes to hypertension.
The problem is that many
processed and junk foods are high in salt but deficient in magnesium and
potassium. This is compounded when you add table salt to your already
salty bacon at breakfast.
But the answer is not to become paranoid
about salt but to eat whole, natural foods (and you can even take that
with a grain of salt!). Grains, vegetables, fruit, meat and fish in
their natural state contain more balanced amounts of sodium, magnesium
and potassium. Simply eating a healthy diet of whole foods can have a
dramatic effect on blood pressure. Hypertension is almost unknown among
the few remaining peoples that still eat in this way.
Myth 4. Taking blood pressure medications is better than the alternative.
Only in a minority of cases and as a last resort!
It's
no surprise when you hear natural health gurus claim that drugs are
worse than the disease. But you really take notice when it's a medical
doctor saying it! That's exactly the case when Dr. Lee writes in the
same article quoted above: "I don't like anti-hypertensive drugs
because their side effects are often worse than the high blood pressure
they're prescribed to treat." (his bolding) He goes on
to say: "conventional physicians tend to prescribe anti-hypertension
drugs any time blood pressure readings fall outside of so-called normal
ranges. This is unjustified, and probably does more harm than good in
the long run".
All categories of blood pressure drugs have side
effects and these have been minimized by doctors and the pharmaceutical
industry. For example, some hypertension medications can contribute to
ischemia whereby tissues are damaged due to insufficient blood supply.
Others cause erectile dysfunction. Still others can result in low blood
pressure, which has implications just as serious as high blood pressure.
These are only some of the potential dangers of blood pressure
medication. See Dr. Lee's article for a more complete discussion.
Myth
5. Lifestyle changes are not usually enough to reverse high blood
pressure. Therefore, prompt drug intervention is advisable.
Exactly the opposite is true.
The best way to maintain healthy blood pressure is always through
lifestyle, including diet and exercise. If you are seriously overweight
or out of shape, if you smoke or over-drink, or if you're under severe
stress, a positive change in these factors is bound to have a dramatic
effect on your blood pressure, regardless of how high it is.
The
problem is that many doctors have come to believe that their patients
are unlikely to make the changes needed. This is one of the reasons they
over-prescribe medications or intervene too quickly. It's almost become
a preventive measure for them. But the fact is that most people will
make the effort to improve their lifestyles if given the right support
(and especially if given accurate information about the side effects and
dangers of hypertension drugs!).
In the rare case in which your
blood pressure fails to respond to lifestyle improvements it's time to
look beyond the usual suspects such as weight and diet. There are
several other areas that are rarely examined but which can wreak havok
on your blood pressure. For example, are you suffering from hidden
stress? Some people have been chronically stressed for so long they
don't even recognize it any longer. It's become their "natural" state.
What
about your breathing? Yes, your breathing! Often together with high
stress, people develop what some experts are calling "inhibitory
breathing". It constricts blood vessels by increasing muscle tension and
may also unbalance blood chemistry. A new technique called slow
breathing with music can do wonders to lower blood pressure through breathing.
It
just goes to show that there's more to lifestyle than you may think. If
you are frustrated that your changes are not making a difference you
may need to dig deeper.
Conclusions:
1. High blood pressure is
a serious condition that demands attention but there's no need to
panic, especially if otherwise healthy. A significant and sustained rise
in your blood pressure is of much greater concern than the actual
numbers themselves.
2. There is a wide range of healthy blood
pressure. Watch out for white-coat syndrome and determine your normal
blood pressure in a relaxed state. Then watch out for sustained increases from this level.
3.
It's not about salt. There are no "evil" or "miracle" foods! Eat a
balanced and varied diet of whole, natural foods. A modest magnesium
supplement of 300 to 400 mg might not be a bad idea either.
4. If
you are healthy and have no other risk factors, take medications only as
a last resort. Give lifestyle at least a six-month chance. Don't ignore
medical advice but if your doctor is too rigid seek a second opinion.
5.
Healthy blood pressure is maintained through lifestyle. If your blood
pressure is a problem then something is almost certainly out of whack.
Look deeper if you don't find an obvious answer.
