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Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitors Effectively

To ensure accurate and reliable blood pressure measurements at home, consider the following tips: Choose a Quality Monitor: Select a home blood pressure monitor that has been validated for accuracy. Look for models that are approved by medical associations or regulatory bodies. Proper Cuff Size: Ensure that the cuff size fits your arm correctly. An ill-fitting cuff can lead to imprecise readings. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for cuff sizing. Regular Schedule: Measure your blood pressure at the same time each day, as blood pressure can vary through the day. Avoid measuring immediately after consuming caffeine or engaging in strenuous activity. Rest and Relaxation: Sit quietly for at least 5 minutes before taking a measurement. Avoid talking or moving during the measurement. Keep your arm supported and at heart level. Multiple Readings: Take multiple readings, about 1-2 minutes apart, and record the results. Discard any unusual readings and calculate the average for...
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High blood pressure (hypertension)

High blood pressure: Symptoms are often absent at first

High blood pressure is a widespread disease that often develops insidiously. The German Hypertension League estimates that around 20 to 30 million people in Germany have excessively high blood pressure. In the over 55-year-olds, every second person is likely to be affected. High blood pressure is also known medically as hypertension.

Detecting high blood pressure is not that easy, although it is very common. What are the symptoms of high blood pressure? Most of the time, the answer to this question is: none at all. The hypertension usually comes without noticeable symptoms . Even if the high blood pressure has existed for a long time, it is not more evident. On the contrary: the body gets used to it much sooner.


The symptoms of high blood pressure are often so unspecific that it is not easy to assign them to this clinical picture. The complaints can also occur in the context of other diseases. Still, there are some signs that the pressure in your vessels is too high. Some examples:

  • Headache , especially in the morning
  • Dizziness, often with physical exertion such as exercise
  • Insomnia , restless sleep
  • Fatigue, easy fatigue
  • Nervousness, inner restlessness
  • increased sweating during the day even though you hardly exert yourself, night sweats
  • flushed face
  • dizziness
  • nausea
  • Nosebleeds
  • Visual disturbances
  • Ringing in the ears ( tinnitus )
  • High blood pressure in a woman around 50 years of age can resemble the symptoms of menopause: hot flashes, sweats, restlessness, irritability
  • High blood pressure in men can manifest itself in potency problems

The dangerous thing about long-term high blood pressure is that those affected do not notice the silent danger and it slowly damages the blood vessels. Undiagnosed and untreated hypertension increase the risk of damage to the heart, brain, or eyes. In addition, high blood pressure can damage the kidneys.

Lowering High Blood Pressure - Medications, Home Remedies, and Tips

There are different answers to the question “What to do about high blood pressure?”. Which treatment is suitable for high blood pressure depends on various factors. These include existing diseases of the kidneys, heart, blood vessels or obesity , but also your lifestyle.

High blood pressure drugs - several classes of drugs

Drugs that lower high blood pressure play an important role in hypertension therapy . Sometimes doctors combine several blood pressure drugs to make them more effective. There are different groups of active substances of antihypertensive drugs. You take the medication as tablets. The most important are:

  • ACE inhibitors : The drugs intervene in the production of the body's own hormones that control blood pressure. They block a special enzyme that is involved in making a blood pressure increasing hormone called angiotensin. ACE inhibitors have a vasodilating effect and thus lower blood pressure. They are usually well tolerated.
  • Beta blockers : The drugs slow the heartbeat and reduce the effects of stress hormones such as adrenaline or noradrenaline on the heart - this is how they lower blood pressure.
  • Diuretics : These are diuretic, water tablets (also called "water tablets"). The drugs affect the functioning of the kidneys and thus lower blood pressure. The kidneys excrete more water and salts with the urine. In addition, the amount of blood fluid decreases. However, the tablets make more frequent visits to the toilet necessary.
  • Calcium antagonists: The drugs block the flow of calcium into the muscle cells of the blood vessels or the heart and relax the muscles. In this way, you widen the blood vessels and create more space for the blood, which can now be better distributed. Then the blood pressure drops. Some calcium channel blockers also slow the heartbeat.
  • Sartans (angiotensin antagonists): The drugs cancel the effects of the blood pressure-increasing hormone called angiotensin, thus lowering blood pressure. 

Treating high blood pressure naturally - you can do it yourself

In addition, there are a few ways you can treat high blood pressure naturally . You can do a lot yourself against excessive pressure in the vessels. Some tips:

  • If you are overweight, try to shed a few pounds . To estimate your body weight, the body mass index (BMI) helps, which can be calculated as follows: body weight (in kms) divided by body height (in meters) squared. A value above 25 means overweight, from a BMI of 30 doctors speak of obesity .
  •  
  • Sport not only helps you to accept it, it is also a good "home remedy" for high blood pressure. According to the patient guidelines of the German Hypertension League, moderate endurance training for 30 to 45 minutes five days a week lowers blood pressure at rest by up to 10 mmHg.
  • Visits to the sauna can also have a positive effect on high blood pressure in the long term . However, it is important that the sauna sessions are gentle - especially at the beginning. Then slowly increase the temperature and length.

High blood pressure and diet - this is how it works

Eating a healthy diets can also help lower blood pressure. Some tips:

  • Little salt: eat a maximum of five to six grams a day. Also watch out for hidden salt, for example in finished products.
  • Healthy fats : Unsaturated fats are healthier than saturated fats and trans fats. Olive, linseed, sunflower or rapeseed oil as well as fatty sea fish with healthy omega-3 fatty acids are good.
  • Whole grains: Whole grains are good foods for high blood pressure.
  • Vegetarian diet: A vegetarian diet contains a lot of fruit and vegetables with valuable vitamins, minerals and fiber.
  • Little alcohol: Only consume alcohol in moderation, as it is considered to be a "blood pressure driver". In addition, alcohol reduces the effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs.

Whether magnesium helps against high blood pressure has not yet been scientifically proven. Some studies suggest that a lack of magnesium promotes high blood pressure. However, taking magnesium is only advisable if a magnesium deficiency has been diagnosed. Overall, the data on magnesium and a reduction in blood pressure are not yet sufficient.

Coffee only seems to increase blood pressure in people who otherwise do not drink coffee or only drink it very rarely. It does not seem necessary to avoid coffee in general if you have high blood pressure.

Many also rely on medicinal plants (e.g. garlic, wild garlic, green tea) or homeopathy with globules (e.g. arnica, aurum metallicum) for high blood pressure. However, always use these remedies as a supplement and discuss this with your doctor beforehand.

 

 

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