101 Questions and Answers About Hypertension

William M. Manger, Norman M. Kaplan

• Publisher: Hunter House
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9780897935715
• eBook ISBN: 9780897935784
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Diseases & Allergies

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects an estimated 50 million Americans and is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Through proper management the effects of hypertension can be minimized. Dr. William Manger's 101 Questions & Answers About Hypertension is a comprehensive Q&A format book providing the reader all the information they need to help manage hypertension and prevent its often lethal effects. 101 Questions & Answers About Hypertension answers all the most important questions about hypertension and its relationship to other diseases, from hypothyroidism and Alzheimer's to arteriosclerosis and preeclampsia, among others. It also has suggestions for positive lifestyle changes as well as information on alternative and traditional treatment options and questions related to change of life and the effectiveness of blood pressure machines in pharmacies, shopping malls, etc.Question 8 addresses the enormous magnitude of hypertension in the United States. Hypertension is a precursor to stroke and cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease kills nearly 1 million Americans every year and cripples and disables the same; it's also responsible for more than 52 million lost workdays. In addition, every year more than one-million people suffer heart attacks and 600, 000 suffer strokes, a large percentage of both proving fatal. However, Dr. Manger is convinced these statistics can be reduced.Inspired by the decrease in the incidence of heart attack and stroke, Manger saw that with improved medical management and healthy lifestyle changes, hypertension could be controlled and its complications minimized or prevented. He believes a close patient-doctor relationship and a clear understanding of what hypertension is and how to manage it is essential for bringing it under control and minimizing the risk of further health complications. Even though Manger is positive overall about statistics, still there is room for improvement: nearly 30% of people suffering from hypertension go undiagnosed and only 27% of the 50 million people with this condition have their blood pressure under control. 101 Questions & Answers About Hypertension seeks to reduce the statistical gap by giving readers a comprehensive understanding of hypertension so they are able to knowledgeably communicate with their doctors and make informed decisions and choices to improve their health and reduce health risk.

Table of contents

• Cover Image
• Title Page
• Praise for the Second Edition 101 Questions & Answers about Hypertension
• Dedication
• Copyright & Permissions
• Table of Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• 1 What Is Blood Pressure?
• 2 What Are Systolic, Diastolic, and Pulse Pressures?
• 3 How Is Blood Pressure Measured?
• 4 What Is Normal Blood Pressure?
• 5 Are the Blood Pressure Machines in Pharmacies, Shopping Malls, Airports, and Other Public Places Accurate?
• 6 What Is Primary (Essential) Hypertension, and Is It Common?
• 7 Why Is High Blood Pressure Bad, and Does Treatment Really Help?
• 8 What Is the Magnitude of the Hypertension Problem in the United States?
• 9 What Are Some Common Misconceptions about Hypertension?
• 10 Is There a Personality Type That Is Predisposed to Develop Hypertension?
• 11 Is Primary (Essential) Hypertension Inherited?
• 12 What Is “Mild Hypertension”?
• 13 What Mechanisms Cause Hypertension?
• 14 What Is “White-coat” or “Masked” Hypertension? Do I Have Either, and Are They Dangerous?
• 15 What Are the Purposes of the Pretreatment Examination?
• 16 What Tests Will My Doctor Order Before I Start Taking Medication for My High Blood Pressure? Are an Echocardiogram and Stress Test Necessary?
• 17 Is a “Renin Profile” Necessary to Treat My Hypertension?
• 18 Do I Need to See a Specialist to Have My Hypertension Treated?
• 19 Are Measurements of Blood Pressure at Home Important in Managing Hypertension, and Should I Have My Blood Pressure Monitored for Twenty-four Hours?
• 20 Which Blood Pressure Is More Important—Systolic or Diastolic?
• 21 Is High Blood Pressure Mostly in the Arteries, or Can It Also Occur in Veins?
• 22 Is It Normal for Blood Pressure to Increase with Age?
• 23 Can Stress Cause Hypertension, and How Can You Reduce Stress?
• 24 Does Alcohol Increase Blood Pressure? How Much Can I Drink If I Have Hypertension?
• 25 Does High Blood Pressure Occur in Children, and Should Children and Adolescents with Primary Hypertension Be Treated?
• 26 Does Hypertension Affect White and African-American Individuals Differently?
• 27 What Is Malignant Hypertension?
• 28 Why Is Primary (Essential) Hypertension Called “The Silent Killer”? Is It a Disease?
• 29 Can Thyroid Disease Be Causing My Hypertension, and What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
• 30 Can Hypertension Lead to Blindness?
• 31 Can Hypertension Lead to Dialysis, and How Does Dialysis Work?
• 32 Can Hypertension Cause Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia?
• 33 Is Hypertension Ever Familial, and Is There an Explanation for This Relationship?
• 34 What Is the Story on Salt? How Much Can I Use? What about Salt Substitutes?
• 35 Is My Nervousness Caused by Too Much Epinephrine, and Can This Condition Elevate My Blood Pressure?
• 36 What Causes a Sudden Elevation of Blood Pressure? Should Labile (Fluctuating) Blood Pressure Be Treated in Normal and Hypertensive People?
• 37 What Is Isolated Systolic Hypertension, and Should It Be Treated?
• 38 What Are the Causes of Secondary Hypertension, and How Can You Identify Them?
• 39 How Can I Tell if My Hypertension Is Due to a Diseased or Damaged Kidney?
• 40 If I Stay Physically Fit and Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle, Can Hypertension Be Prevented or Controlled?
• 41 What Are Some of the Prescription, Over-the-Counter, and Illicit Drugs That Can Elevate Blood Pressure? What about Cold Medications?
• 42 What Are the Major Risk Factors for Developing Hypertension?
• 43 What Are the Major Risk Factors for Cardiovascular and Kidney Disease, and How Can I Reduce the Chances of These Complications?
• 44 What Can I Do about Risk Factors if I Have Hypertension, and How Do They Affect Treatment?
• 45 What Is Target Organ Disease, and How Does Its Presence Influence Treatment?
• 46 What Are the Benefits of Exercise, and Will It Lower My Blood Pressure?
• 47 Is It Important for Me to Lose Excess Weight if I Have Hypertension, and What Are the Reasons for and Risks of Being Overweight?
• 48 What Is the Best Way to Lose Excess Weight, and Are Diet Pills Indicated?
• 49 What Is the Best Diet for Treating Hypertension and Its Complications? What Are the “Mediterranean” and “DASH” Diets?
• 50 Is Garlic or Fish Oil Good for You if Your Blood Pressure or Cholesterol Is Elevated?
• 51 Must I Give Up Smoking Because of My Hypertension?
• 52 What Is the Best Way to Quit Smoking?
• 53 Are Atherosclerosis and Arteriosclerosis the Same? What Do They Result in and Can They Cause Hypertension?
• 54 Should High Blood Pressure Be Treated Differently in Men Versus Women, and in African Americans Versus White People?
• 55 Once I Start Taking Medicine for High Blood Pressure, Do I Have to Take It Forever?
• 56 Can Caffeine Be Harmful, and Should I Give It up if I Have Hypertension?
• 57 Is It Safe to Take Estrogen Before and after Menopause if You Have Hypertension?
• 58 What Is Preeclampsia (Toxemia of Pregnancy)? Does Hypertension Increase My Chances of Getting It, and How Should It Be Treated?
• 59 If I Have Hypertension, Should I Avoid Getting Pregnant?
• 60 Should I Limit My Activities if I Have Hypertension?
• 61 Is the Hypertension That Sometimes Occurs with Sleep Apnea Serious, and How Is It Treated?
• 62 If I Have Diabetes Mellitus, Does That Increase My Chances of Suffering from Disease Complications Related to Hypertension?
• 63 Will Antihypertensive Drugs Interfere with My Physical or Mental Activity and Be a Danger to My Health?
• 64 What Is a Hypertensive Emergency?
• 65 When Are Medications Indicated for the Treatment of Hypertension?
• 66 What Drugs Are Available for Treating Hypertension? How Do They Work, and What Are Their Side Effects? Are Generic Medications as Good as Brand-Name Drugs?
• 67 What Are the Newest Drugs for the Treatment of Hypertension, and How Do They Work? Should I Switch to These Medications?
• 68 Are the Newer Antihypertensive Medications Better Than the Old Ones?
• 69 What Medications Will My Doctor Prescribe for My Hypertension? When Are Certain Drugs Indicated or to Be Avoided (Contraindicated)?
• 70 Should I Use Aspirin if I Have Hypertension?
• 71 What Are Alternative Medicine and Herbal Medicine? Are They Helpful in Hypertension?
• 72 Are Relaxation and Biofeedback Techniques Effective in Hypertension Management?
• 73 Are Health-Food Supplements, Herbal Remedies, and “Body Builders” Good for You? Can They Affect Your Blood Pressure, and Can They Be Harmful?
• 74 What Is the Placebo Effect?
• 75 Are Vitamins Helpful in Treating People with Hypertension and Hypercholesterolemia? Can They Be Harmful?
• 76 Will Hypertension or Antihypertensive Drugs Affect My Sex Life, and What about Use of Viagra or Special Food Supplements to Enhance Sexual Function?
• 77 Is There Any Danger That My Blood Pressure May Be Reduced Too Much with Medication?
• 78 Is There Any Danger in Changing My Antihypertensive Medication?
• 79 Why Is Hypertension Sometimes Resistant to Treatment?
• 80 Can Hypertension Cause Pain in My Legs When I Walk?
• 81 What Is a Heart Attack?
• 82 What Is Congestive Heart Failure? How Can It Be Prevented, and How Should It Be Treated?
• 83 What Is Left Ventricular Hypertrophy?
• 84 What Is a TIA, and How Is It Treated?
• 85 What Is a Stroke?
• 86 What Is a Vascular Aneurysm? Can It Be Caused by Hypertension, and How Can It Be Detected and Treated?
• 87 Hypertension, High Cholesterol, Obesity, and Diabetes Mellitus Often Go Together? How Do You Treat This Metabolic Syndrome?
• 88 What Foods or Drinks Should I Avoid if I Have Hypertension?
• 89 Why Is My Cholesterol Elevated? Should I Try to Lower It, and What Is a Desirable Level?
• 90 What Is the Story on “Good” and “Bad” Cholesterol and Triglycerides? Can Cholesterol Cause Hypertension?
• 91 What Drugs Are Available to Treat Elevated Blood Cholesterol and Triglycerides? How Do They Work, and What Are Their Side Effects?
• 92 Is It Possible to Prevent Coronary Artery Disease and Heart Attacks?
• 93 If I Am Very Old, Do I Need Treatment for Hypertension or High Cholesterol?
• 94 What Is Homocysteine? Does It Have Harmful Effects, and What Should I Do If I Have an Excess Amount?
• 95 Are High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure Related?
• 96 What Are Antioxidants, and Should I Be Taking Them?
• 97 Why Is Potassium Important in the Management of Hypertension?
• 98 Are Calcium and Magnesium Important in the Management of Hypertension, and Should I Add Them to My Diet?
• 99 What Causes Low Blood Pressure, and Is It Harmful? What Are the Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure, in Case My Medication Is Excessive?
• 100 How Can I Help Prevent Hypertension in My Children?
• 101 Where Can I Get Additional and Reliable Information about Hypertension and Some of Its Disease Complications?
• Glossary
• About the Authors
• Footnotes
• Backcover