December: Emotional Health

Keeping a Healthy Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against your artery walls.

If you have high blood pressure, it means your blood has pushed too hard against your artery walls for too long. This puts you at a higher risk for heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and kidney failure.

Your blood pressure usually increases as you age. High blood pressure or hypertension, as it's often called by health professionals, is something that nine out of ten Canadians will develop. Most of us associate high blood pressure with adults, but it can also afflict young people.

Healthy Blood Pressure

The key to keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range is to make healthy living choices:

• Decrease stressors – make your life less busy; reach out to others for support
• Enjoy life – find reasons to laugh and take time to relax
• Eat healthy – reduce your sodium intake and eat lots of fruits and vegetables
• Exercise regularly – burn off calories and stress with exercise you enjoy

Find out more about healthy living with this tip sheet: Making Healthy Choices About Sodium (PDF).

Detecting High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure often doesn't have any symptoms – and is called the “silent killer” because, before it's detected, it can often cause significant damage.

Have your blood pressure checked at least every two years by a healthcare professional to find out if it's high. Have it checked more often if it's already high.

Blood Pressure Reading and Range

Your blood pressure reading, such as "140 over 90," is made up of two numbers:

• Top number – your blood pressure when your heart contracts
• Bottom number – your blood pressure when your heart relaxes

For blood pressure readings taken by a healthcare professional, these are the healthy ranges:

• Most people – blood pressure should be less than 140/90 mmHg
• People with diabetes or kidney disease – blood pressure should stay under 130/80 mmHg

Taking Your Blood Pressure

If you take your blood pressure reading at home or at a pharmacy, ensure its accuracy by doing this:

• Choose a time when you're comfortable, not in pain and in a stress-free environment, for instance:
• Mornings – before you take medications and eat
• Evening – before you go to bed
• Sit quietly and relax for at least five minutes
• Bare your arm and ensure your shirt sleeve has a loose fit
• Position your arm comfortably at about heart level
• If you eat a large meal, wait at least two hours to measure
• If you have a caffeinated drink or a cigarette, wait at least thirty minutes to measure

• Don't speak to anyone, watch TV or move around
• Take even and relaxed breaths

Next Steps for High Blood Pressure

If you take your blood pressure reading – at home or at a pharmacy – and your pressure is high, do this:

• Make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible:
• Your doctor will take your blood pressure reading and may require you to take other tests
• Your doctor might recommend changing your diet and physical activity, or prescribe medications, to help lower your blood pressure
• Encourage everyone in your family to get their blood pressure checked – high blood pressure often runs in a family
• Follow your doctor's advice about diet and exercise – meeting with a dietician and a fitness coach can help you get started

If you want to increase your physical activity, check out these "high blood pressure" exercise guidelines (PDF).

High Blood Pressure and Depression

High blood pressure is a major contributor to heart disease. And, in turn, heart disease can often lead to depression, when you're experiencing overwhelming fears and emotions.

If you're depressed, you may have some of these symptoms:

• Sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, guilt and irritability
• Sleeping less or more than normal
• Loss or increase in appetite
• Loss in enjoyment of favourite activities
• Restlessness or sluggishness
• Loss of concentration and memory
• Change in work style and productivity
• Frequent headaches, stomach aches or chronic pain
• Thinking of suicide or death (seek help immediately)

If you have two or more of the above symptoms for two or more weeks, you should see your doctor and describe what you are experiencing, as depression can be treated.

Sources:

Heart and Stroke Foundation

Hypertension.ca

World Health Organization