100 Questions and Answers About Hypertension

by Manger, William M.; Gifford, Ray W.

• ISBN13: 9780632044818
• ISBN10: 0632044810
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-11-10
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

100 Questions and Answers About Hypertension introduces the fundamentals of high blood pressure and the latest drug treatments. The authors, leaders in the National Hypertension Association, have written this helpful introduction so readers can take an active role in their own treatment. This book is a concise guide to the causes of, and latest treatments for hypertension.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xiii
Edward J. Roccella
Preface	xiv
Acknowledgments	xvi
Introduction	xvii
Aram Chobanian
What Is Blood Pressure?	1	(1)
What Are Systolic, Diastolic, and Pulse Pressures?	2	(1)
How Is Blood Pressure Measured?	2	(3)
What Is Normal Blood Pressure?	5	(1)
Are the Blood Pressure Machines in Pharmacies, Shopping Malls, Airports, and Other Public Places Accurate?	6	(1)
What Is Essential Hypertension, and Is It Common?	7	(1)
Why Is High Blood Pressure Bad, and Does Treatment Really Help?	8	(1)
What Is the Magnitude of the Hypertension Problem in the United States?	9	(1)
What Are Some Common Misconceptions About Hypertension?	10	(3)
Is There a Personality Type That Is Predisposed to Develop Hypertension?	13	(1)
Is Essential (Primary) Hypertension Inherited?	14	(1)
What Is ``Mild Hypertension''?	14	(1)
What Mechanisms Cause Hypertension?	15	(2)
What Is ``White-Coat Hypertension''? Do I Have It and Is It Dangerous?	17	(2)
What Are the Purposes of the Pretreatment Examination?	19	(1)
What Tests Will My Doctor Order Before I Start Taking Medication for My High Blood Pressure? Are an Echocardiogram and Stress Test Necessary?	19	(2)
Is a ``Renin Profile'' Necessary to Treat My Hypertension?	21	(1)
Do I Need to See a Specialist to Have My Hypertension Treated?	22	(1)
Are Measurements of Blood Pressure at Home Important in Managing Hypertension, and Should I Have My Blood Pressure Monitored for 24 Hours?	22	(2)
Which Blood Pressure Is More Important---Systolic or Diastolic?	24	(1)
Is High Blood Pressure Mostly in the Arteries, or Can It Also Occur in Veins?	25	(1)
Is It Normal for Blood Pressure to Increase with Age?	25	(1)
Can Stress Cause Hypertension and How Can You Reduce Stress?	26	(3)
Does Alcohol Increase Blood Pressure? How Much Can I Drink If I Have Hypertension?	29	(2)
Does High Blood Pressure Occur in Children, and Should Children and Adolescents with Essential Hypertension Be Treated?	31	(1)
Does Hypertension Affect White and African American Individuals Differently?	32	(1)
What Is Malignant Hypertension?	33	(1)
Why Is Essential Hypertension Called ``The Silent Killer''? Is It a Disease?	33	(1)
Can Thyroid Disease Be Causing My Hypertension, and What Are the Manifestations?	34	(2)
Can Hypertension Lead to Blindness?	36	(1)
Can Hypertension Lead to Dialysis and How Does Dialysis Work?	36	(1)
Can Hypertension Cause Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia?	37	(1)
Is Hypertension Ever Familial and Is There an Explanation for This Relationship?	38	(1)
What's the Story on Salt? How Much Can I Use? What About Salt Substitutes?	39	(3)
Is My Nervousness Caused by Too Much Adrenaline, and Can This Condition Elevated My Blood Pressure?	42	(3)
What Causes a Sudden Elevation of Blood Pressure? Should Labile Blood Pressure Be Treated in Normal and Hypertensive Persons?	45	(2)
What Is Isolated Systolic Hypertension and Should It Be Treated?	47	(1)
What Are the Causes of Secondary Hypertension and How Can You Identify Them?	48	(6)
How Can I Tell If My Hypertension Is Due to a Diseased or Damaged Kidney?	54	(1)
If I Stay Physically Fit and Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle, Can Hypertension Be Prevented or Controlled?	55	(1)
What Are Some of the Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs That Can Elevate Blood Pressure? What About Cold Medications?	56	(2)
What Are the Major Risk Factors for Developing Hypertension?	58	(1)
What Are the Major Risk Factors for Cardiovascular and Kidney Disease, and How Can I Reduce the Chances of These Complications?	59	(1)
What Can I Do About Risk Factors If I Have Hypertension, and How Do They Affect Treatment?	60	(3)
What Is Target Organ Disease, and How Does Its Presence Influence Treatment?	63	(1)
What Are the Benefits of Exercise and Will It Lower My Blood Pressure?	63	(3)
Is It Important for Me to Lose Excess Weight If I Have Hypertension, and What Are the Reasons for and Risks of Being Overweight?	66	(4)
What Is the Best Way to Lose Excess Weight, and Are Diet Pills Indicated?	70	(4)
What Is the Best Diet to Treat Hypertension and Its Complications? What Are the ``Mediterranean'' and ``DASH'' Diets?	74	(3)
Is Garlic or Fish Oil Good for You If Your Blood Pressure or Cholesterol Is Elevated?	77	(2)
Must I Give Up Smoking Because of My Hypertension?	79	(3)
What Is the Best Way to Quit Smoking?	82	(3)
Are Atherosclerosis and Arteriosclerosis the Same? What Are Their Complications and Can They Cause Hypertension?	85	(1)
Should High Blood Pressure Be Treated Differently in Men and Women, and in African Americans and White Individuals?	86	(1)
Once I Start Taking Medicine for High Blood Pressure, Do I Have to Take It Forever?	87	(3)
Can Caffeine Be Harmful and Should I Give It Up If I Have Hypertension?	90	(1)
Is It Safe to Take Estrogen Before and After Menopause If You Have Hypertension?	90	(2)
What Is Preeclampsia (Toxemia of Pregnancy)? Does Hypertension Increase My Chances of Getting It, and How Should It Be Treated?	92	(2)
If I Have Hypertension, Should I Avoid Getting Pregnant?	94	(1)
Should I Limit My Activities If I Have Hypertension?	94	(1)
Is the Hypertension That Sometimes Occurs with Sleep Apnea Serious, and How Is It Treated?	95	(1)
If I Have Diabetes Mellitus, Does That Increase My Chances of Complications of Hypertension?	96	(1)
Will Antihypertensive Drugs Interfere with My Physical or Mental Activity and Be a Danger to My Health?	97	(1)
What Is a Hypertensive Emergency?	98	(1)
When Are Medications Indicated for Treatment of Hypertension?	99	(1)
What Are the Various Drugs Available for Treating Hypertension? How Do They Work and What Are Their Side Effects? Are Generic Medications As Good As Brand-Name Drugs?	100	(9)
What Are the Newest Drugs for the Treatment of Hypertension and How Do They Work? Should I Switch to These Medications?	109	(1)
Are the Newer Antihypertensive Medications Better Than the Old Ones?	110	(1)
What Medications Will My Doctor Prescribe for My Hypertension? When Are Certain Drugs Indicated or When Should They Be Avoided (Contraindicated)?	111	(6)
Should I Use Aspirin If I Have Hypertension?	117	(2)
What Are Alternative Medicine and Herbal Medicine? Are They Helpful in Hypertension?	119	(4)
Are Relaxation and Biofeedback Techniques Effective in Hypertension Management?	123	(1)
Are Health-Food Supplements, Herbal Remedies, and ``Body Builders'' Good for You? Can They Affect Your Blood Pressure, and Can They Be Harmful?	124	(2)
What Is the Placebo Effect?	126	(2)
Are Vitamins Helpful in Treating People with Hypertension and Hypercholesterolemia? Can They Be Harmful?	128	(2)
Will Hypertension or Antihypertensive Drugs Affect My Sex Life, and What About Use of Viagra or Special Food Supplements to Enhance Sexual Function?	130	(2)
Is There Any Danger That My Blood Pressure May Be Reduced Too Much with Medication?	132	(1)
Is There Any Danger in Changing My Antihypertensive Medication?	133	(1)
Why Is Hypertension Sometimes Resistant to Treatment?	133	(1)
Can Hypertension Cause Pain in My Legs When I Walk?	134	(1)
What Is a Heart Attack?	135	(1)
What Is Congestive Heart Failure? How Can It Be Prevented and How Should It Be Treated?	136	(1)
What Is Left Ventricular Hypertrophy?	137	(1)
What Is a TIA and How Is It Treated?	138	(1)
What Is a Stroke?	138	(1)
What Is an Aneurysm? Can It Be Caused by Hypertension, and How Can It Be Detected and Treated?	139	(2)
Do Hypertension, High Cholesterol, Obesity, and Diabetes Mellitus Often Go Together? How Do You Treat This ``Deadly Quartet''?	141	(1)
What Foods or Drinks Should I Avoid If I Have Hypertension?	142	(2)
Why Is My Cholesterol Elevated? What Is the Desirable Level, and Should I Try to Lower It?	144	(1)
What Is the Story on ``Good'' and ``Bad'' Cholesterol and Triglycerides? Can Cholesterol Cause Hypertension?	145	(2)
What Drugs Are Available to Treat Elevated Blood Cholesterol and Triglycerides? How Do They Work and What Are Their Side Effects?	147	(3)
Is It Possible to Prevent Coronary Artery Disease and Heart Attacks?	150	(1)
If I Am Very Old, Do I Need Treatment for Hypertension or High Cholesterol?	151	(1)
What Is Homocysteine? Does It Have Harmful Effects and What Should I Do If I Have an Excess Amount?	152	(1)
Are High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure Related?	153	(1)
What Are Antioxidants and Should I Be Taking Them?	153	(2)
Why Is Potassium Important in the Management of Hypertension?	155	(3)
Are Calcium and Magnesium Important in the Management of Hypertension, and Should I Add Them to My Diet?	158	(2)
What Causes Low Blood Pressure and Is It Harmful? What Are the Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure, in Case My Medication Is Excessive?	160	(3)
Where Can I Get Additional Reliable Information About Hypertension and Some of Its Complications?	163	(1)
Glossary	164	(13)
Index	177