3: Determining Whether You re at Risk in VS .NET

Encoder QR in VS .NET 3: Determining Whether You re at Risk

People who work in jobs where they have little control but much responsibility show elevated blood pressures Air traffic controllers have higher blood pressures as a group than people in less stressful occupations African Americans growing up in higher-stress environments have a higher incidence of high blood pressure Some of these studies have been questioned because of other contributing factors For example, the diet of the nuns may have been less likely to cause high blood pressure, especially over 30 years People going to higher-stress societies are also eating more salt than they did before Although some studies show a correlation between internalized anger, other studies don t Whether blood pressure tends to be high in certain individuals who turn their anger inward rather than responding by an external show of anger or some other external act (like increased exercise) is still the subject of much controversy Finally, do people who respond to stress by reacting excessively tend to develop high blood pressure more often than people who are less reactive The answer isn t clear; studies of this phenomenon are again inconsistent Many studies on stress and high blood pressure result in inconsistent findings, but one fact is certain: Reducing the level of stress in your life can only do you good The less stressed you are, the less likely you are to overeat, smoke, and drink excessively all factors known to cause high blood pressure 8 introduces you to one great form of stress reduction laughter

The significance of an inactive lifestyle in the development of high blood pressure is clear In study after study, people who exercise more have a lower incidence of high blood pressure, and active lifestyles promote weight control For every 10-pound weight gain, the systolic blood pressure goes up 4 to 5 millimeters of mercury Therefore, you don t have to be overweight or obese for weight gain to raise your blood pressure Central obesity (fat in the waist area) is associated with high blood pressure more than obesity in the legs and thighs A large waistline is a good clue that high blood pressure is on its way or has already arrived

The insulin resistance syndrome (I describe this condition earlier in the Accounting for the contribution of your genes section) contains factors that place the patient at high risk of heart disease: Obesity High blood pressure Elevated levels of insulin and insulin resistance Central distribution of fat High triglycerides Low HDL (good cholesterol) and higher levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) High levels of uric acid in the bloodstream Type 2 diabetes mellitus (formerly called non-insulin-dependent diabetes) High levels of chemicals that prevent clots from breaking down Just how obesity results in higher blood pressure is unclear But scientists do know the following: People who are obese have increased cardiac output (flow of blood from the heart) and increased peripheral resistance (resistance to the passage of blood through the arteries) As a result, more blood needs to be pumped to provide nutrients to their bodies increased tissues Many organs, particularly the kidneys, don t accept increased blood flow, so they produce hormones to reduce it by narrowing the arteries, thus increasing peripheral resistance and blood pressure Obese people often take in more salt than lean people, and they re more sensitive to the blood-pressure-raising effect of salt Obesity is associated with an increase in the activity of the nervous system, which can cause narrowing of blood vessels In 9, I recommend weight loss as one treatment of high blood pressure Combined with exercise (which I discuss in 12) and salt and alcohol reduction, weight loss can have a profound blood-pressure-lowering effect Note: These measures should always precede pressure-lowering medications unless the blood pressure is dangerously high (greater than 180/120 mm Hg) Part of the positive effects of these lifestyle changes may include improvement in the insulin resistance syndrome, leading to reduced insulin and its role in raising blood pressure