Take care of your sweet heart
Published: Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 3:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 10:56 p.m.
Valentine's Day is all about love, and most of us know that love does not thrive under constant pressure. The relationship you have with your own heart is no exception.
High blood pressure leads to heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and permanent eye damage. Because there may be no signs or symptoms of hypertension, it is important to keep track of your blood pressure.
Think of the heart and vessels as a closed unit filled with blood. The heart pumps the blood all the way to the tiniest capillary vessels at the tip of your little toe, and then back again to the lungs.
There, the blood picks up a load of oxygen, flows back to the heart and is once again pumped out to the rest of the body.
The pressure in this system is primarily controlled by the efficiency of the pump, by the flexibility of the blood vessels and by the total amount of fluid being moved throughout the body.
When we get our pressure checked, we are told the result as a fraction, such as 120/80. What do these numbers really mean?
Blood makes a turbulent sound when it flows through arteries. We use that sound to measure blood pressure manually.
First an inflatable cuff is placed on your upper arm. The pressure gauge attached to the cuff indicates pressure in millimeters of mercury.
The cuff is pumped up to a pressure that briefly interrupts the flow of blood to the artery on the inside of your elbow.
Then the pressure is slowly released while we listen for the first sound of turbulence, when the blood is once again able to flow into the artery.
At that specific point, the heart is exerting its maximum blood pushing pressure during a full contraction. We note this as the top number, the systolic pressure.
Still releasing pressure slowly, we continue to listen to the flow of blood through the artery. Soon, the sound of turbulence ceases and we note the exact pressure at that point.
This represents the lowest pressure in the system when the heart is at rest. This is the diastolic pressure, the bottom number in the blood-pressure fraction.
One high pressure reading may or may not indicate a problem. Improper technique when measuring pressure can lead to false positive readings.
A cuff too small for a large arm, trying to measure over heavy clothing instead of directly on the arm, and letting the cuff pressure out too fast can all give inaccurate readings.
There is also a real need for a brief resting period prior to blood-pressure measurement. Sometimes the pressure may be high simply because you are in a clinic being monitored; this is called “white coat hypertension.”
But while your pressures may temporarily rise due to stress, it is dangerous to assume that high blood pressure is simply because you had a busy morning or were late to your doctor's appointment.
The relationship you have with your heart is vital. You can nurture this relationship by gifting your heart with a home blood-pressure monitor. These monitors are relatively inexpensive and accurate if used correctly.
After your purchase, take the monitor to a clinic to verify that it is reading the same pressures as a skilled practitioner using the manual method. Read the directions and follow them precisely.
Check your pressure at different times during the day. If you find consistent high readings (above 120 systolic or above 85 diastolic) write down the numbers and note the time of day. Take this written record to your physician and discuss a plan to get back into the blood-pressure safety zone.
Dietary changes, exercise, lifestyle adjustments and medication can all play a role in keeping you healthy. Love yourself by loving your heart and don't be afraid to check for blood-pressure problems.
Realizing that your own sweet heart is under too much pressure may affect your quality of life for years to come.
For more information on loving your heart: http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/heartdisease/treatment/128.html
Dr. Stacey Kerr, a longtime Sonoma County family physician, graduated from UC Davis Medical School and is certified in her specialty by the American Board of Family Medicine. Her columns are not intended as a substitute for hands-on medical advice or treatment. Consult your health care provider before adhering to any recommendations in this column. E-mail comments to drkerr@ the-doctors-inn.com.
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