Hypertension and Nutrition Flashcards
Explain systolic pressure
It is the top number - the highest pressure in blood vessels and happens when the heart contracts, or beats
Explain diastolic blood pressure
It is the bottom number - the lowest pressure in blood vessels in between heartbeats when the heart muscle relaxes
What is considered to be the normal or ideal adult blood pressure?
Between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg
Definition of high blood pressure ‘Hypertension’
NICE: clinic blood pressure of 140/90mmHg or higher
Persistently high arterial blood pressure
Definition of DASH
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension; low fat eating plan (shown to reduce BP). Dash diet is high in fruits and vegetables (high in K, Mg and Ca) Low in fat, Saturated fat and cholesterol
What is a sphygmomanometer?
It is a blood pressure monitor or gauge with a mercury or mechanical manometer to measure pressure
What is consider low blood pressure?
90/60 or less
What is the largest single known risk factor for CVD and related disability?
High blood pressure
High blood pressure increases the risk of:
- Heart failure
- Coronary artery disease
- Stroke
- It can also increase the risk of chronic kidney disease, peripheral arterial disease, and vascular dementia
What are non-modifiable risk factors for high blood pressure?
- Age
- Ethnicity
- Genetics
- Gender
What are the causes of hypertension?
Overweight
Excess alcohol consumption
Excess sodium consumption
Physical inactivity
Stress
Low K, Mg and Ca intakes
What are the treatments for Hypertension?
- Medical Management
Diuretics
Beta blockers
Vasodilators
ACE inhibitors
Ca channel blockers - Lifestyle Modifications
Exercise
Stress reduction
Lifestyle counselling - Nutritional Management (Na restriction, Alcohol restriction, improved mineral intake)
What is the most important modifiable risk factors for high blood pressure?
Excess dietary salt. A high salt diet disrupts the natural sodium balance in the body. this causes fluid retention which increases the pressure exerted by the blood against blood vessel walls.
What is the daily recommendation for salt intake?
Max 6g sodium chloride (salt)
2.34g of sodium
Explain Blood pressure pathophysiology
- Blood pressure is a function of cardiac output multiplied
by peripheral resistance (the resistance in the blood
vessels to the flow of blood) - Affected by diameter of blood vessel
- Atherosclerosis decreases diameter, increases blood
pressure - Drug therapy increases diameter, lowers blood pressure
What is a short term control in homoeostatic control of blood pressure?
Sympathetic nervous system
What is a long term control in homoeostatic control of blood pressure?
Kidney
What are the causes of Hypertension (homoeostatic control)?
- Hyperactive sympathetic nervous system
- Overstimulated renin-angiotensin system
- Low-potassium
diet - Use of cyclosporine (cause vasoconstriction)
- Chronic inflammation
- Multi-factorial
Lifestyle modifications to manage Hypertension:
- Lose weight if overweight
- Limit alcohol intake to no more than 30ml of ethanol per day for men
and 15ml of ethanol per day for women and lighter-weight people. - Increase aerobic physical activity to 30-45mins most days of the week
- Reduce sodium intake to no more than 2.34g sodium/day [or 6g NaCl/day]
- Maintain adequate intake of dietary potassium
- Maintain adequate intake of dietary calcium and magnesium for
general health - Decrease intake of dietary saturated fat and cholesterol
- Stop smoking.
Other dietary factor to manage Hypertension:
- Potassium: inverse relationship
- Calcium: inverse relationship
- Magnesium: vasodilator
- Lipids: amount and type
What is the predicted rise in blood pressure when there is an increase of 10% weight?
7mmHg
For hypertension, weight loss means:
lowers vascular resistance, total blood volume, cardiac output, and sympathetic
nervous system activity; improves insulin resistance
in an overweight person, what is the single most effective lifestyle intervention to reduce
blood pressure?
Weight loss
DASH Diet recommendations:
Grains: 6 to 8 servings/day
- Vegetables: 4 to 5 servings/day
- Fruits: 4 to 5 servings/day
- Fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products: 2 to 3 servings/day
- Lean meats, poultry, and fish: 6 oz or less/day
- Nuts, seeds, and legumes: 4 to 5 servings/week
- Fats and oils: 2 to 3 tsp/day
- Sweets and added sugars: 5 or less servings/week
