HIGH ANXIETY
Watching That Blood Pressure!
My recent stress treadmill test threw up a fact I didn't have any inkling about before! My systolic Blood Pressure climbed up and was a cause of concern for ever anxious me!
Earlier, on our Team Dr’s advice, three of us from Team Epower had signed up for the said test to determine our heart’s fitness levels as we were undertaking quite a fair bit of sporting exertions in 2014, and as careful responsible adults, we wanted to ensure our heart’s state of well being before we go all out and enjoy our physical….and mental exertions.
Earlier, on our Team Dr’s advice, three of us from Team Epower had signed up for the said test to determine our heart’s fitness levels as we were undertaking quite a fair bit of sporting exertions in 2014, and as careful responsible adults, we wanted to ensure our heart’s state of well being before we go all out and enjoy our physical….and mental exertions.
Perhaps more about the Treadmill test later – when the
Cardiologist report is out where my ECG readings are explained. It's good to know where one stands as far your internals are concerned before embarking full steam ahaed on any exercise regime!
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| I'm all Hooked Up!! Stressed!! |
As regards Blood Pressure readings, I confess that I
never quite understood well what it really all meant, and in previous years had quite a la-di-da attitude to things outside my immediate spheres of interest and affect; but with the looming exertions
of tougher and longer races on the immediate horizon, it was imperative now (better
late than never?) to really understand for myself the numbers, its meanings and
the management, if needed. And do a blog about it for all and sundry… as a way of learning and sharing.
I believe even more so now that it is of paramount importance and exceedingly crucial that we all learn to take charge and be responsible for our own health issues and seek to understand fully as best we can .... nothing quite like doing your own pace study and research of the condition and its attendant ramifications; in addition to working with our health care providers and other experts in the field; and of course even sharing and learning with your fellow athletes through first hand experiences.
As we get older and wiser, and even more so now as an endurance athlete, you have to understand your own body and make the judgment calls first as it's all about you when you are pounding away and gasping - you should be able to realize your limits and race smart, race safe! If u don't look out for yourself, it just doesn't cut it! too many weekend warriors are coming out adn getting active...and it is our responsibility to be educated and cognisant of the various factors that we should consider and be totally appraised of.
As we get older and wiser, and even more so now as an endurance athlete, you have to understand your own body and make the judgment calls first as it's all about you when you are pounding away and gasping - you should be able to realize your limits and race smart, race safe! If u don't look out for yourself, it just doesn't cut it! too many weekend warriors are coming out adn getting active...and it is our responsibility to be educated and cognisant of the various factors that we should consider and be totally appraised of.
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| Listen to your body! You are your own best whistle blower of what could be wrong! |
So now I have managed to glean the following
information and reproduce the facts and figures that
I feel is relevant to my particular case. Knowledge is power and power should be harnessed. It is sooo impt to take regular readings! So here
goes!
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| Testing BP after a 1000m swim training in pool Always pays to be vigilant! Even my Dr himself gets checked ! |
DO I
HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
The scary fact is that having high
blood pressure (hypertension) is not usually something that you feel or
notice. There are no obvious signs or symptoms. …ya tell me about it! The only
way to know what your blood pressure is, is to have it properly measured!
Blood
pressure is measured in ‘millimetres of mercury’ (mmHg) and is written as two
numbers. For eg, if your reading is 120/80mmHg, your blood pressure is ‘120
over 80’.
Every
blood pressure reading consists of two numbers. They are shown as one number
on top of the other.
The top
number is your systolic blood
pressure. It is the highest level your blood pressure reaches when your heart
beats.
The bottom
number is your diastolic blood
pressure. It is the lowest level your blood pressure reaches as your heart
relaxes between beats.
So what
is normal blood pressure?
Ideally,
the healthy adult blood pressure should be below 120 over 80 (120/80). The science
is that there is arguably a much lower
risk of heart disease or stroke at this normal levels.
So if
your blood pressure is this normal, then
please maintain this! You are doing something right!
If your blood pressure is above 120/80mmHg, you will need to bring it down. The higher your blood pressure, the higher your risk of health problems. For eg, someone with a blood pressure level of 135 over 85 (135/85) is twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as someone with a reading of 115 over 75 (115/75). This boggles the mind, does it not? Of course, the verdict is all over teh shop when it comes to what is normal BP - apparently, it could be anything from 110-130 even for systolic so it really all depends.
So what then really is high
blood pressure?
You
probably have high blood pressure (hypertension) if your blood pressure
readings are consistently 140 over 90, or higher, over a number of weeks.
You may also have
high blood pressure if just one of the numbers is higher than it should be
over a period of time. I have been told that anything above 200/100 is a no no....whatever your age or condition.
Ok –
so I now have my trusty portable BP reading machine and have been advised by my
Dr to take 3-4 regular readings EVERYDAY so that we can observe whether I do
really have HBP!
Blood pressure
chart
Have a
look at the blood pressure chart below to see what your blood pressure
means. The blood pressure chart is suitable for adults of any age. ( Note that the level for high blood pressure
does not change with age.)
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| Have A look At this Chart! |
Using
this sample blood pressure chart: To
work out what your blood pressure readings mean, just find your top number
(systolic) on the left side of the blood pressure chart and read across, and
your bottom number (diastolic) on the bottom of the blood pressure chart. Where
the two meet is your blood pressure.
So
what do the blood pressure readings mean?
As you can see from the blood
pressure chart, only one of the numbers has to be
higher or lower than it should be to count as either high blood pressure
or low blood pressure:
·
90 over 60 (90/60) or less: You may have low blood pressure.
·
More
than 90 over 60 (90/60) and less than 120 over 80 (120/80): Your blood pressure reading is ideal
and healthy
·
More than 120 over 80 and less than 140 over 90
(120/80-140/90): You
have a normal blood pressure reading but it is a little higher than
it should be, and you should try to lower it.
·
140 over 90 (140/90) or higher (over a number of
weeks): You
may have high blood pressure (hypertension).
So:
·
if your top
number is 140 or more - then you may have high blood
pressure, regardless of your bottom number.
·
if your
bottom number is 90 or more - then you may havehigh blood
pressure, regardless your top number.
·
if your top number is 90 or less - then you may have low blood
pressure, regardless of your bottom number.
·
if your bottom number is 60 or less - then you may havelow blood
pressure, regardless of your top number.
What
high blood pressure ( aka hypertension) can do
High blood pressure
(hypertension) puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. This can cause
them to become weaker or damaged.
The higher your blood
pressure, the higher your risk of serious health problems in the future. High
blood pressure can affect your body in a number of ways:
·
Your heart: high blood pressure can cause you to have a heart attack. It can also cause heart failure.
·
Your brain: high blood pressure is a leading cause of strokes.
·
Your kidneys: high blood pressure can cause kidney disease.
·
Your limbs: high blood pressure can cause peripheral arterial disease, which can affect your legs.
If you
have other health conditions, such as diabetes or high cholesterol, this
increases your risk of health problems even more. It is then even more
important to lower your high blood pressure.
Now this then begs the question topmost on my mind: How much higher should the blood pressure go up during intense prolonged exercise??
When you start to exercise, the heart has to work harder to pump enough blood to working muscles, increasing systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure can safely rise as high as 220mm Hg , but if diastolic blood pressure increases past 20mm Hg above resting or over 115mm Hg, exercise should be stopped immediately as a matter of protocol. (Conversely, if systolic blood pressure does not rise during exercise, it may indicate cardiovascular problems.)
Well the good news is that I didn't reach those levels! ....although with some protestrations the Dr in attendance only allowed me to stress out into further stages till I reached 163 heart rate as originally he said that a person of my age only needed to reach 85% of my target Heart rate for the stress test.....I had at the start informed the Dr that I was doing the test to check out the further parameters and needed to know the readings of my hear as I pushed to 100% of my target heart rate and not 'idle' as it were at 85% which was only 138 bpm. That's like only Zone 1 for me!
Ok , I digress - back to blood pressure The systolic blood pressure will gradually decline during active recovery. Active recovery involves a decline in the intensity of physical activity, such as running to walking. Systolic blood pressure may drop immediately during passive seated recovery due to blood pooling in the peripheral limbs on the body. Diastolic blood pressure may also drop during exercise to rest transition due to the dilation of the veins during exercise.
So what can abnormal changes in blood pressure indicate?
High increases in systolic blood pressure over 220mm Hg during exercise in people with normal resting blood pressure may indicate signs of heart disease. Researchers who tested the affects of exercise on older adults with normal blood pressure found that those with raised systolic blood pressure over 220mm Hg during exercise exhibited signs of left ventricular hypertrophy. Left ventricular hypertrophy occurs when the heart has to pump harder than normal to get blood out, typical in people with chronic high blood pressure, and is a dangerous condition that can lead to heart failure. Oh ..oh!!! Ok - thankfully I am not near those levels..phew!
How
to lower your blood pressure
The good news is that if you have high blood pressure, healthy changes will help to bring it down. And you don't have to wait until you have high blood pressure to make healthy lifestyle changes. The more you can reduce your blood pressure, the lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke will be. Ok – ok – a compelling reminder!
1.
Blood Pressure Diet - Eat less salt
Too
much salt raises your blood pressure, so it is important to eat as little as
possible. In fact, some people with high blood pressure may be able to avoid
blood pressure medicines by cutting down on salt.
FACTOID: Most
of the salt you eat is not what you add to your food, but is in prepared foods
like bread, breakfast cereals and ready meals. Ok – I think I am guilty here
cos although I have no table sait or teocheng in my kitchen, I do use bottled
and prepared store bought sauces as bases for my culinary creations! Hmmm…have
to do it au naturel and limit the intake of processed food.
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| Rich and flavouful Christmas Dinners a thing of the past?? |
Eating
more natural fruit and vegetables helps to lower your blood pressure. Adults should eat
at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. A portion is 80
grams, or roughly the size of your fist.
Try to
eat a range of different fruits and vegetables. Dried, frozen and tinned are
fine, but watch out for added salt, sugar or fats.
Losing
weight, if you need to, will help lower your blood pressure and reduce your
risk of health problems. The best way to lose weight is to choose more low-fat
and low-calorie foods, and increase your physical activity.
FACTOID: this should be the least of my problems – I have
been and am steadily upping the physical activity as part of my ongoing regime
and I dare say the BP would been HIGHER if in fact I DIDN’T have these
activities!??
If you
drink too much alcohol, this will raise your blood pressure over time. The
current recommended limits are 21 units of alcohol a week for men, and 14 units
a week for women. A unit is roughly half a pint of beer or cider, a small glass
of wine, or a single pub measure of spirits.
If you
keep to the recommended alcohol limits, this should help keep your blood
pressure down. Hmm – not a problem here at all. But u know who u are. Binges
are so out! Again moderation is the key!
The advice:
to be moderately active for 30 minutes five times a week to eep your heart
healthy, and help lower your blood pressure.
Think
about how you can be more active in your daily life. Any activity that leaves
you feeling warm and slightly out of breath is ideal. I suppose for most pple
it’s working your heart between Zone 2-Zone 3. (see previous blog on target heart
rate zoning)
So the take
out here is to get active, and in my case – continue to do so, but for sure in
moderation as I do not want the heart to work TOO hard given its high pressure
proclivities. There is a real worry that regular exercise will increase
your blood pressure to dangerous levels. It is true that physical activity
(exercise) will cause your blood pressure to rise for a short time.
However, when you stop the activity, your blood pressure should soon return to
normal. The quicker it resolves back to resting levels, the fitter you are likely to be.
I have some reservations about then engaging prolonged endurance races that takes me into heart pounding performance over 3,4, or even 7 hours as in the half IRONMAN distance that I am envisaging. At what target heart zone then would it be safe?
I have some reservations about then engaging prolonged endurance races that takes me into heart pounding performance over 3,4, or even 7 hours as in the half IRONMAN distance that I am envisaging. At what target heart zone then would it be safe?
A
suggestion from my minders was to take things from slow and easy. Do the long workout. Work in
Zone 2 and watch it. Listen to your body. Finish it low and steady. Take a reading and see how high the BP is and
how long it takes to come back down. Check your heart rate as well. Breathe!!Focus. Destress! Visualize!
The idea
then is to also control the OTHER variables
from diet and even stress…and see how these other factors can be better managed. And then, and only then, if it comes to the crunch,
there would be a real need to take medication to bring down the HBP.
The table below gives a
general idea of what levels you need to be concerned about, but bear in mind
that every person is different, and your doctor or nurse may decide
differently.
Blood pressure level
|
General ability to be more active
|
Below 90/60
|
You may
have low blood pressure, speak to your doctor or nurse before starting any
new exercise
|
90/60-140/90
|
It is safe
to be more active, and it will help to keep your blood pressure in this ideal
blood pressure range
|
140/90 – 179/99
|
It should
be safe to start increasing your physical
activity to help lower your high blood pressure
|
180/100 –
199/109
|
Speak to
your doctor or nurse before starting any new exercise
|
200/110 or above
|
Do not start any new
activity – speak to your doctor or nurse
|
To be safe, it is always a
good idea to get advice from your doctor or nurse before you start any new
physical activity.
POINT
OF NOTE!
Our
bodies react differently to different types of exercise. There are two main
types of physical activity: aerobic (or dynamic) and isometric (or static)
exercise.
Aerobic exercise is
very good for our heart and blood vessels as it gives them a good workout,
helping them to become more flexible and efficient. The heart pumps the blood
harder, raising blood pressure, but the blood flows into a large number of
muscles, giving more space for the blood to flow in so the blood pressure does
not rise by very much. In fact regular aerobic activities will help to lower
your blood pressure over time. Examples of aerobic exercises are anything that
uses a large number of muscles in repeated and rhythmic movements, such as
swimming, cycling and brisk walking.
Isometric exercises build
muscle but such exercises can raise blood pressure during the exercise, e.g.
during weight lifting. In some cases the changes in blood pressure can be rapid
and large and this can put extra unwanted strain on the heart and blood
vessels. This is because this form of activity involves the sustained
contraction of just one set of muscles. So the heart beats harder, but only a
small number of muscles are being used. Because of this, there is less space
available for the blood to flow in. This results in a rapid rise in blood
pressure and extra strain on the heart and blood vessels. Examples of isometric
exercise are weight lifting and press ups. Hmm- DANGER!!
So for the
immediate future I should:
·
aim to work at a level that
is light to moderate, not hard or very hard. If I cannot hold a
conversation whilst exercising, then it’s working too hard! So that's my reality for now. Nothing to shy away from. That's my new parameter!
·
not lift heavy weights, as they can raise your
blood pressure to dangerous levels for a short period of time (NOT GOOOOD!!) - so the blasts in the gym are a thing of the past, not that i was ever one to lift masochistic tonnage anyway....; or
- Undertake vigorous short bursts of
exercise like boxing or squash
High
blood pressure medication
Changing your diet and being more active can really help you
control your blood pressure, but they may not lower it enough on their own. If
that’s the case, you may need to take blood pressure medication to lower it
further.
There is a wide range of
blood pressure medications available. Most of these are grouped under four common
types of medicine:
I guess
each of us have to find out first hand what works well for our own health state – whether meds are needed to control. And if u do have to resort to meds, please note that as an endurance athlete, there are certain drugs which are better in managing the blood pressure for your chsoen exertions in your chosen sport. Please tell your Dr and he will prescribe the ones with the least side effects/debilitations.
I think a positive mindset helps to alleviate levels too. Undue, unnecessary stress does no one and your HIGH ANXIETY any good. that said, one needs to monitor judiciously, learn to do what is right and healthy for one's mind body and soul, and passionate pursuits in life within sensible parameters.
In the meanwhile my good Dr has given me my own BP Omron test kit to take regular readings to monitor be in charge of making sure all's well!
I think a positive mindset helps to alleviate levels too. Undue, unnecessary stress does no one and your HIGH ANXIETY any good. that said, one needs to monitor judiciously, learn to do what is right and healthy for one's mind body and soul, and passionate pursuits in life within sensible parameters.
In the meanwhile my good Dr has given me my own BP Omron test kit to take regular readings to monitor be in charge of making sure all's well!
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| No one said it was gonna be easy. But do it safe as u can! |
THE REALITY:
High blood pressure cannot be cured, and if you need to take medicines, you will probably need to keep taking them for life. If you stop, your blood pressure will rise back up again.
POSTSCRIPT:
I have set up my own Fit LAB in my own home in the family area...where the Spinning can be done and measurements taken in the comfort of home. There's ventilation and music and a new motivation to take training and science to a higher level of conscious responsibilty!
Very Informative.Take care.
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