Did you know there’s a direct connection between hypertension and vein health?

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is the most common disease affecting the heart and blood vessels in our bodies’ cardiovascular systems, and it affects one out of every five American adults. Elevated blood pressure in certain veins damages valves and weakens vein walls; in fact, some of the risk factors for varicose veins are the same as those that contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

While there’s some disagreement over what defines hypertension, medical experts agree that a blood pressure reading of 140/90 is generally the threshold of hypertension (the top number represents the maximum pressure your heart exerts while it’s beating; the bottom number represents pressure in your blood vessels when your heart rests between beats). The average blood pressure of a healthy adult male is 120/80.

Unfortunately, there’s no medical cure for hypertension, but it can be controlled in a number of ways. Overweight adults with high blood pressure are typically advised to diet, refrain from smoking and restrict the amount of sodium they consume.

Lifestyle plays an important role in lowering and maintaining blood pressure, and staying healthy may help you avoid or delay the need for medication. Some prescription treatments include diuretics, which eliminate large amounts of water and sodium from the body, and vasodilators, which relax the muscle cells in blood vessel walls (including large veins) and allow blood to flow more freely.

The Mayo Clinic suggests several healthy ways to keep your blood pressure down:

–Blood pressure often increases as weight increases, so it’s important to keep extra weight off, particularly around your waist. In general, men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches; for women, the measurement is >35 inches.

–Exercising at least 30 minutes a day can help lower blood pressure, and it’s important to maintain physical activity on a weekly basis. Walking is perhaps the easiest way to exercise.

–Eat a healthy diet – one that’s rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy, and low in sodium, saturated fats and cholesterol. Keeping track of what you eat in a food diary for just one week can be an eye-opener, and it’s important to read food labels to know exactly what you’re eating.

–Drinking more than a moderate amount (more than one drink per day for women, and two drinks per day for men) can raise blood pressure and decrease the effect of blood pressure medications, so it’s important to limit intake.

–Stress, particularly chronic stress, is a significant contributor to high blood pressure. Identify what causes stress in your life, and come up with a strategy to reduce or eliminate it. Avoid stress triggers, and take 15 to 20 minutes each day to sit quietly and relax. Some physicians advocate relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation.

Vein health is important to Dr. Peter Mikhail, a vein specialist, who treats patients in the Tampa, Clearwater and New Port Richey areas of Florida. His practice center is for the treatment of varicose veins, spider veins, restless legs syndrome, ulcers, orthopedic leg pain and other affiliated conditions of venous inefficiencies. For more information or to schedule a consultation, click our Vein Specialists of Tampa and Clearwater contact page or call 727-312-4844.

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