Posts Tagged ‘Blood Pressure’

The Circulatory System – what is it and why is it important for health ? – Part 1

We tend to ignore when we suffer from aches and pain, any kind of spots or strains. These are in fact the indications that all is not well with your body. Sometimes, the pain felt in one area does not represent accurately where the problem lies. A body system is composed of cells, tissues and organs. There are different systems running in our body.

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
It pumps blood throughout the body through the action of the heart.
- Angina or Heart Attack:
Sometimes you can feel symptoms like sudden severe pain in arteries of chest that spreads to neck, jaw, left arm, abdomen and heaviness in chest. There is a possibility that it could be angina which gets better when you rest or it could be a heart attack which is more severe. Seek Medical help immediately.

- Pericarditis:
It is the swelling of the membrane that surrounds the heart. Symptoms can be sharp pain in centre of the chest which tends to get better when we lean forward or sit. Seek Medical help immediately.

- High or Low Blood Pressure:
You can feel headache on back of the head when you wake up. Symptom like ringing in the ears is also a symptom of high or low blood pressure. Keep a watch for couple of days and if it still continues…seek medical advice.

- Purpura:
It is caused by thinning of tissues supporting blood vessels under skin which rupture easily.Symptoms observed can be bruises after minor injury for no reason on thighs, back of the hands, forearms. Keep a watch for couple of days and if it still continues…seek medical advice.

- Cardio Problem:
It can be accompanied by fainting or flaking out. Keep a watch for couple of days and if it still continues…seek medical advice.

- Varicose veins:
Veins in legs that are blue, engorged and painful. It needs doctor’s evaluation. Keep a watch for couple of days and if it still continues…seek medical advice.

- Raised cholesterol levels:
Symptoms faced could be lumps on the eye lids. Keep a watch for couple of days and if it still continues…seek medical advice.

- Decreased potassium or calcium level:
Symptom could be some kind of muscle spasm in calves while walking. Have a banana shake and self medication can be done.

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High Blood Pressure during Pregnancy – types, causes and treatment

Blood pressure is the pressure in the blood vessels in the body. It is the force with which blood moves through the blood vessels. Doctors and nurses measure blood pressure, putting a band around the arm. They listen to blood flow with a stethoscope. High blood pressure (also called hypertension) occurs when blood moves through the blood vessels at a pressure higher than normal.

Chronic hypertension is high blood pressure diagnosed before pregnancy or before 20 weeks of pregnancy. This type of hypertension does not go away after delivery. Medical experts do not fully understand the causes of hypertension. Genes, diet and lifestyle can play a role.

Causes:
There are three types of hypertension in pregnant women:

- Chronic Hypertension: High blood pressure that develops before 20 weeks of pregnancy or occurring before the woman becomes pregnant. Sometimes a woman has high blood pressure for a long time before getting pregnant, but she does not know it until their first prenatal checkup.
- Gestational hypertension: Some women just get high blood pressure near the end of pregnancy. They have no other associated symptoms.
- Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH): It is also called toxemia or preeclampsia. This condition can cause serious problems for both mother and baby if left untreated. PIH develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy. In addition to high blood pressure, it causes the protein in the urine, blood changes and other problems.

Treatment:
Treatment depends on the type of high blood pressure:
- Chronic hypertension: If you are already taking medication for high blood pressure, the doctor may ask you to continue taking this medicine. If this drug is not safe for the baby, the doctor may want you to change medication or stop taking medication during pregnancy. The doctor will pay particular attention to how the baby is growing. You can have ultrasound exams more often. There may be other tests near the end of the pregnancy to make sure the baby is healthy. The doctor will monitor you closely for signs of preeclampsia.
- Gestational hypertension: This condition does not need any treatment. But it can be difficult to distinguish this condition from early or mild preeclampsia, so the doctor will watch closely to make sure the blood pressure does not become PIH.
- PIH: How the doctor treats this condition depends on how close the deadline and how you and the baby are doing. The only treatment for PIH is that the baby is born. If the baby is born very early, it can have serious health problems. However, the doctor may want the baby to be born prematurely if you or the baby is very sick. If the doctor thinks it is safe to continue the pregnancy to term, he or she will follow you and the baby very closely until delivery. You should see the doctor often and get blood tests. The baby will be tested to ensure that he or she is healthy. You may have to stay home from work and rest in bed.

When blood pressure rises slightly and she is not near the end of her pregnancy, bed rest may help reduce the pressure. Bed rest at home or in hospital may be prescribed. If blood pressure does not increase to dangerous levels, pregnancy can be allowed to continue until labor begins naturally.

Cure:
High blood pressure during pregnancy can place the woman and baby at risk for severe problems. The women needs special care and may have to see the doctor more often. Working with the doctor to control the blood pressure level will help improve the chances of having a healthy baby.

What are some important things to know about Shepherd’s-Purse?

Shepherd’s purse commonly known as capsella bursa-pastoris, is a triangular, purse like pods. It is a small annual and ruderal species belonging to the family of mustard. The plant has slender, flexible, slightly hairy and white taproot arising from basal rosette similar to dandelion. The first leaves are usually stalked and rounded while; the later are deeply toothed or may be variable. Slightly toothed, alternate leaves clasp the flower stalk reaching the height of 6″ to 18”. It also has 4 petals forming a cross and 6 stamens. These flowers are self fertilizing and heart shaped having length of 5mm with tiny seeds. Shepherd’s purse is found only from early spring to early winter. People usually cultivate this plant in eastern countries for eating purposes. It is one of the earliest wild greens in the spring season. The seedpods of the plant are used for peppery seasoning.

Origin:
The plant of shepherd’s purse is native to Asia Minor and Eastern Europe and considered a common weed in many parts of the world. It is also regarded as an archaeophyte in China and North America but, in the regions of North America and Mediterranean it is used as a model organism. It flowers in all the seasons through out the year. Bursa pastoris reproduce itself entirely from the seed and has a soil seed bank with a short generation time. The plant grows best in moist to dry, sunny and disturbed soils. This plant generally grows in lawns, edges of sidewalk and paths and sometimes through sidewalk cracks.

Constituents:
The leaves of the plant are quite rich in choline, inosital, fumaric and thiamin acid. They are a good source of ascorbic acid, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin. The leaves contain beta carotene, niacin, vitamin K, rutin and iron.
The action of these constituents is given under –
- antiscorbutic
- anti-hemorrhagic
- astringent
- diuretic
- coagulant
- stimulant etc.

Usage:
-Cardiovascular Conditions
- High or low blood pressure.
- Regulates heart action
- Normalizes circulation in the body.
- Female Conditions
- excessive menstrual flow
- menopause
- facilitates childbirth
- painful menstruation, combined with Rue and Rosemary
- promotes uterine contraction during childbirth
- regulates menstruation during puberty
- uterine cramp
- stops post natal bleeding
- blood Conditions
- bleeding from the kidneys, combined with Horsetail
- bleeding hemorrhoids
- bleeding from the lungs
- hematuria
- intestinal bleeding
- passive hemorrhages from mucous membranes
- nosebleeds
- stomach hemorrhage
- wounds which will not stop bleeding
- Genitourinary Tract Conditions
- abscesses of the bladder
- catarrhal conditions of the bladder and ureters
- bed-wetting in children
- increases the flow of urine
- irritation of the urinary tract caused by uric acid or insoluble phosphates or carbonates
- kidney complaints
- ulcerated conditions of the bladder
- urine with white mucous discharge

Precautions:
Shepherd’s purse has not been well studied, and its action is not well understood.
Limit the use to one or two months, and then take a one-week break, resuming if necessary. If used for excessive menstrual bleeding, use for a few days to a week before your period and during the menstrual period – not during the entire month. Shepherd’s purse constricts blood vessels, and is not recommended for people with high blood pressure. Pregnant and lactating women should avoid shepherd’s purse.