Control High Blood Pressure Without Drugs by Robert Rowan MD, Chapter 2

Book: Control High Blood Pressure Without Drugs
Author: Robert Rowan, M.D.
ISBN: 0-684-87328-1
U-$0.38-B-0.0046743907-BE-63

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Comments: All notes have a reference page where information was taken from.

Chapter 2: The Dangers of High Blood Pressure

• 1. One theory is that stiffness of the blood vessels triggers the process that leads to atherosclerosis. page 25
• 2. When the heart is unable to pump the amount of blood needed by the body, heart failure can result. page 25
• 3. High blood pressure can cause heart failure, which in turn can lead to congestion in the body tissues, with fluid accumulating in the legs, abdomen, and lungs. page 25
• 4. Angina, also called angina pectoris, is a chest pain or a sensation of pressure in the chest. page 25
• 5. When you have angina pectoris it indicates that the heart muscle isn't receiving enough oxygen. page 25
• 6. The harder and faster a heart works, the more oxygen it needs. page 25
• 7. When your arteries are narrowed or blocked so that the blood flow cannot meet your heart's needs, you may feel pain in the heart muscle, chest, arm, upper body, or face area. page 25
• 8. The medical term for a heart attack is acute myocardial infarction, medically abbreviated as MI. page 25
• 9. A stroke is a sudden disruption in the flow of blood to an area of the brain. page 26
• 10. Deprived of blood, the affected brain cells either become damage or die. page 26
• 11. While cell damage can often be repaired and the loss of function regained, the death of brain cells is permanent and results in disability. page 26
• 12. Fatty deposits are known as plaque. page 26
• 13. A clot or clump are thrombus. page 26
• 14. Plaque builts up in the arteries that supply blood to the brain. page 26
• 15. Arteries are blood vessels. page 26
• 16. The fatty deposits severely reduces the blood flow until, a clot or clump in an artery entirely blocks the path of blood. page 26
• 17. An embolic stroke results when a blood clot forms somewhere else in the body (usually in arteries of the heart or neck), and the clot travels through the circulatory system to the brain. page 26
• 18. The traveling clot is an embolus. page 26
• 19. 3 major types of stroke: the thrombotic stroke, embolic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke
• 20. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, allowing blood to pour into the brain outside normal channels. page 26
• 21. As blood flows through your vascular system, it presses against the walls of the blood vessels. page 26
• 22. Extra fluid in your body increases the volume of fluid in the blood and makes the blood pressure higher. page 26
• 23. Decrease blood flow can release renin. page 26
• 24. If the blood vessels in the kidneys are damaged, they may stop doing their job and raise fluid levels even more. page 26
• 25. The job of the kidneys is to remove waste and extra fluid form the blood. page 26
• 26. High blood pressure is the leading cause of kidney failure. page 26
• 27. Kidney failure may occur when the kidneys are unable adequately to rid the body of toxins. page 26
• 28. Kidney failure can have many causes:
• a. A rapid failure can be triggered by poisoning, as well a decreased in blood suppy
• b. chronic kidney failure is a slow decline in kidney function
• 29. Hypertension can lead to a thickening of tiny capillaries in the eyes, which restricts blood flow through the eyes, which can lead to tunnel vision or blindness.  page 27
• 30. A very small percentage of women who use birth control pills develop hypertension, which is reversible when use of the pills is discontinued. page 27
• 31. Eclampsia is a disease occuring at the end of pregnancy in which the blood pressure can rise to 140/90mm HG or often higher. page 27
• 32. Illegal drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine can cause a temporary rise in blood pressure. page 27
• 33. High blood pressure can be prevented by doing the following:
• a. keep a healthy weight
• b. be physically active
• c. limit your salt use
• d. drink alcoholic beverages only in moderation
• 34. As weight increases, so does blood pressure. page 29
• 35. If you need to reduce weight, try to lose one half to one pound a week. page 29
• 36. Choose foods low in fat, especially saturated fat, since fat is high in calories. page 29
• 37. It's best to do some activity for thirty minutes most days. page 29
• 38. If you don't have a thirty-minute period, 15 minutes twice a day is a good start. page 29
• 39. Salt is made of sodium and chloride, and it's mostly the sodium that affects blood pressure. page 30
• 40. People with high blood pressure should eat no more than 6 grams of salt a day, which equals to about 2,400 milligrams of sodium. page 30
• 41. No more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day if you are a man. page 30
• 42. One  alcoholic drink a day if you are a woman. page 30