Women Can Greatly Decrease Their Heart Disease Risk

A lot of middle aged women could drastically decrease their risk for heart disease by lowering their blood pressure according to researchers from Belgium.

High systolic blood pressure (pressure when heart contracts) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease with outcomes of heart attack, heart failure and stroke affecting middle aged women and older around the world. This newest report is released in the January 24th journal of Hypertension.

In blood pressure reading for an example 1208/80, the first number is systolic.

Researchers had also discovered that the amount of likely preventable and reversible heart disease is almost 36 percent in women as in comparison of 24 percent in men.

For the study, a team of international researchers had followed 9,357 women and men with an average age of 53, in Europe, Asia and South America, for more than 11 years. They discovered three major risk factors that account for 85 percent of reversible for heart disease in men and women. The factors are high systolic blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking. High systolic blood pressure was the highest risk.

According to Dr. Jan A. Staessen, director of the Studies Coordinating Center in the cardiovascular rehabilitation division at University of Leuven in Belgium, stated in an American Heart Association news release, that the researchers had discovered that a 15 mm Hg increase in systolic blood pressure had increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by 56 percent in women and 32 percent in men.

Dr. Staessen further remarks that it is acknowledged that women live longer than men. However, older women usually note lower quality of life then men. By decreasing the systolic pressure by 15 mm Hg in hypersensitive women, it would increase quality of life by prevention of cardiovascular disease in almost 40 percent of women in comparison to 20 percent in men.

Dr. Staessen recommends that women and their practitioners should be aggressive in diagnoses and treatment of high systolic blood pressure.

Conventional treatments dictate different medications for a lifetime. Some of these medications can pose a danger.

Lifestyle Changes

Changes in lifestyle such a weight control and food consumption especially omitting foods which are high in sodium. A recent study on stopping hypertension has led to the development of the DASH diet.

Herbs

There are several numerous herbs which can help a few of them are:

Common Thistle which can decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Take as an herbal tea. One teaspoon to one cup boiling water. Three times a day for ten days.

Ginger can control high blood pressure as it directly affects the circulatory system. Can be taken in capsule form of 200 mg.

Passion flower can lower blood pressure. In herbal tea form use 0.5 to 2.5 grams steeped in boiling water for ten to fifteen minutes. Drink the tea two or three times daily.

Chiropractic

Studies have shown that chiropractic treatment and the applied use of spinal manipulations has lowered blood pressure.

One double blind study done at the University of Chicago had shown a decrease of seventeen points that lasted for eight weeks for the study. Conventional medicine would have to use two medications to achieve a 17 point decrease in blood pressure.

Another study conducted had shown results of a decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure had greatly decreased following treatments.

Acupuncture

Studies have also shown that acupuncture can decrease blood pressure rates. Acupuncture using electric stimulation has been especially beneficial in lowering high blood pressure. Acupuncture addresses the root cause for the blood pressure and proceeds to help the body gain its natural balance.
Sources:

Health Day

Dr. George

The Acupuncturist