High
Blood Pressure
(Hypertension)
Alternative
Therapies
A
Summary
by:
George Pararas-Carayannis, Ph.D.*
(Excerpts
from summary prepared under contract for the ReGenesis Medical
Center/ Dec 2000)
*
Disclaimer -
I am not a medical doctor. All material provided at this website
is for informational purposes only. Readers are encouraged to
confirm the information contained herein with other sources.
Patients and consumers should review the information carefully
with their professional health care provider. The information
is not intended to replace medical advice offered by physicians.
I will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential,
special, exemplary, or other damages arising therefrom.
Introduction
Nearly 50 million
Americans suffer from high blood pressure, a disease which has
been labeled as a silent killer because it contributes to the
development of other complications and diseases. High blood pressure
is also known as hypertension. Many patients who have high blood
pressure will not notice any signs of the problem. In fact, many
may feel normal. However, if high blood pressure is not treated,
it can cause serious problems such as heart failure, blood vessel
disease, stroke, or kidney disease. Fortunately high blood pressure
can be cured with a wide range of drugs and lifestyle changes.
New alternative methods, such as chelation therapy, are also
very helpful.
What is
Blood Pressure?
When the heart beats,
it pumps blood for circulation throughout the body. Blood pressure
is measured (in millimeters of mercury) as systolic and diastolic
pressure. Systolic blood pressure is the force against the walls
of arteries during each beat of the heart. Diastolic blood pressure
readings give the pressure while the heart is at rest, between
heartbeats.
What is
High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure, is
generally considered to be high when the systolic pressure is
greater than or equal to 140 and the diastolic pressure is 90.
Which are
the risk factors for High Blood Pressure?
There are many determining
risk factors that can lead to high blood pressure or hypertension.
Among them are are age, weight, gender, ethnicity, and family
history. According to recent research, excess body weight can
have a significant adverse effect on blood pressure.
How Serious
Is High Blood Pressure?
Chronic High Blood
Pressure (Hypertension) is a serious but modifiable risk factor
for heart disease and stroke. It can also cause serious problems
in women, during pregnancy.
Diagnosis
and Importance of High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure
is easy to diagnose by taking frequent measurements and recording
them.
Also, screening for Hypertension with regular blood pressure
measurements is as an effective preventive measure to the serious
diseases in which hypertension creates a high risk factor.
Conventional
Treatment of High Blood Pressure
After examination
and diagnosis of high blood pressure, standard medical approaches
and treatments concentrate in determining the risk factors and
the prevention methods. Different drug therapies are also used
to control high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure
may have to take medications for the rest of their lives . Often
combinations of hypertension drugs are used, some of which can
create secondary dangers. One such medication, for example, has
been reported to be Posicor (mibefradil)
Lifestyle
Changes Are Needed to Control High Blood Pressure
In addition to the
use of medication prescribed by a doctor, people with elevated
blood pressure need to take several specific actions and lifestyle
changes.
Treatment for high
blood pressure may include weight control and care in the types
of foods in one's diet, especially those high in sodium. A recent
study entitled Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)
led to the development of a special diet, known as the DASH Diet.
Putting an end to smoking, moderate exercise activity, and reducing
or controlling emotional stress, are also necessary lifestyle
changes that can help reduce high blood pressure.
How minerals
affect High Blood Pressure or Hypertension?
There is accumulating
evidence that an increase in mineral intake can be an effective
remedy for mild hypertension. Clinical studies have found that,
for people with a deficiency, extra calcium can lower high systolic
blood pressure readings by as much as 13 points, and reduce diastolic
readings to some extent as well. Calcium supplements have proven
especially effective for people who are salt sensitive--that
is, those whose blood pressure goes up when they eat too much
salt.
The DASH
Study
A study entitled Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) linked deficiencies in
calcium, magnesium, and potassium with higher blood pressure
readings, and found that merely boosting intake to recommended
levels is sufficient to lower systolic and diastolic readings
by 11.4 and 5.5 points, respectively, in people with high blood
pressure. This modest increase in mineral intake produces the
same results as a standard high blood pressure medication.
Recommended Daily Allowances of the minerals are 1,000 milligrams
of calcium, 400 milligrams of magnesium, and 3,500 milligrams
of potassium.
Role of
Calcium Supplements and Vitamin D
When taking calcium
supplements, it's important to boost your intake of vitamin D
as well, since without enough of this vitamin, the calcium will
not be absorbed into the bloodstream. For example, when older
women take calcium supplements to forestall the brittle-bone
disease osteoporosis, they are usually advised to take as much
as 800 IUs of vitamin D daily--twice the standard recommendation.
Conventional
Treatment for High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure
(hypertension) frequently occurs in conjunction with high blood
cholesterol. Multi drug therapy is often prescribed to deal with
these parallel conditions. The flux of free radicals can be neutralized
by means of antioxidant drugs, but these have only a temporary
effect.
Alternative,
Supplemental and Preventative Treatment of High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure
and high cholesterol levels in the blood indicate the need to
eliminate heavy metals from the body. Therefore, the most effective
means to treat high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure,
is to treat the cause rather than the symptoms. Thus, it is important
to eliminate the source of the free radicals, namely the accumulated
heavy metals with intravenous EDTA chelation therapy and certain
vitamins and minerals. For high blood pressure there may be a
need to increase the calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin
D levels.
By reducing heavy metal concentration and the consequent reduced
free radical activity, the body maintains health; the blood cholesterol
level falls; and less oxycholesterol is generated. Therefore,
by a course of chelation therapy and parental nutrition, not
only the total blood cholesterol level is steadily reduced by
natural means, but an additional benefit is the reduction of
high blood pressure .
Reference
on High Blood Pressure and EDTA Chelation
For a modern
comprehensive explanation, reference is made to Halstead and
Rozema, "The Scientific Basis of EDTA Chelation" Therapy
(2nd ed, 1997) (358 references listed).
Miscellaneous
Summaries on Chronic Illnesses
heart disease | |
stroke | diabetes |
| high blood
pressure
| | high cholesterol | | Alzheimer's | |
Parkinson's
| |
arthritis | |
chronic
fatigue
|
| poor circulation | | brain injury | | multiple sclerosis | | cerebral palsy | | life extension | | memory
loss |
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