todayspulse.net

Posts Tagged ‘high blood pressure’

Dozens of studies have reported a link between exercise and lowered blood pressure: some have found reductions of up to 10 mm Hg (systolic) and 6 to 10 mm Hg (diastolic) blood pressure units in people who already have hypertension.

In general, reductions are not as great for people with blood pressure in the normal range: A Belgian review of scores of studies found that for people with high blood pressure, average reductions from exercise were 6.9 mm Hg systolic and 4.9 mm Hg diastolic, and for participants who did not have high blood pressure, only 1.9 mm Hg and 1.6 mm Hg.

Age seems to matter. in one study, exercise did not reduce systolic blood pressure in older people — ages 55 to 75 — although it did reduce diastolic pressure. (Both readings are important.)

A possible reason: Systolic blood pressure increases as arteries grow stiffer, which happens as people age, and exercise did not reduce artery stiffness in the study participants.

Most studies about the effects of exercise have looked at aerobic exercise, although resistance training may also be effective. Recommendations call for exercising every day (or at least most days) for 30 to 45 minutes. Moderate exercise may be as effective, and possibly more so, than higher-intensity exercise.

Blood pressure can drop in just a few weeks of regular exercise. It can also pop right back up if you stop exercising.

During the exercise itself, it’s normal for blood pressure to rise. But some people who have normal or only slightly raised blood pressure can experience abnormal spikes during exercise that may be a sign of high blood pressure to come. Such spikes are more likely to occur in those whose blood vessels are too stiff to expand to accommodate the increased blood flow that accompanies exercise — a sign of early artery disease.

Just why exercise lowers blood pressure isn’t clear, but there are several possibilities. Exercise makes the heart stronger, so it doesn’t have to pump as hard, which in turn lowers the force on your arteries. Exercise reduces blood insulin levels, and high blood insulin has been linked to hypertension.

And regular exercise reduces blood levels of the hormone adrenaline. That, in turn, lowers blood pressure and heart rate.

You should consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program, especially if you already have high blood pressure.

John Edwards, you are the father …The former Democratic presidential candidate has finally come forward to admit what everyone already knew – that he is Rielle Hunter’s baby daddy. Edwards released a statement to The associated Press after long denying that he’d fathered the girl.

Goodnight Conan, you’re fired! NBC said Thursday it has reached a $45 million deal with Conan O’Brien for his exit from “The Tonight Show.” his successor: predecessor Jay Leno, who presided over the seat for 17 years before being exiled to primetime. Now, only if the rest of us could get paid that kind of money not to work.

What is it with these judges in Luzerne County? Now a judge has been suspended over criminal charges that he pushed and choked his wife on their first wedding anniversary. Here’s the kicker – he was presiding over a murder case involving domestic violence allegations.

Here’s a sick case of animal cruelty from western Pennsylvania: State police are looking for a man who shot a dog, then ran over the animal with a pickup truck. Police say they can’t be sure if the dog died, since they’ve been unable to find the animal or the suspect since a witness reported the incident on Jan. 16.

Children’s health is a hot topic these days, with an alarming number of kids needlessly at risk for diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gall bladder disease and even heart disease. We have some suggestions on how you can get your kids up and moving.

PopRoxNow that Conan is finally gone from NBC, Mike Sadowski tells you how the network completely screwed up from Day 1.