This Article is From Sep 12, 2018

Monitoring Hypertension At Home Could Save Huge Medical Costs: Foods To Manage High Blood Pressure

According to a latest study, monitoring hypertension at home can help manage hypertension better and even save huge medical costs.

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Hypertension is a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high. If left untreated, hypertension could also lead to stroke. According to a latest study, monitoring hypertension at home can help manage hypertension better and even save medical costs. 

American Heart Association guidelines stress the importance of home blood pressure monitoring for optimal high blood pressure management. However, according to M.Sc., B.S.N, Roy R. Champion, home blood pressure monitoring isn't a common part of most treatment plans.
For the study, the researchers took into account medical record reviews. Champion said less than one in five providers were including home blood pressure monitoring in the documentation for hypertension patients.

"Meanwhile, in the charts that did use home blood pressure monitoring, approximately 86 percent of those patients had their hypertension under control," Champion said.
According to the experts, monitoring blood pressure at home, and visiting 
patient's blood pressurehelps to avoid numbers skewed by "white-coat hypertension," when blood pressure is high in a medical setting but not in everyday life, and "masked hypertension," when blood pressure is normal in a medical setting but high at home.
Free home blood pressuremonitors, online and print resources for tracking their readings, and monitoring reminders were given to 2,550 adult patients with persistent uncontrolled high blood pressure. On basis of the results, the scientists tried to study the impact home monitoring can make in regulating hypertension. If it is made part of the regular treatment, many patients would be able to save a lot of money in future too. 

The study was presented at the American Heart Association's Joint Hypertension 2018 Scientific Sessions in Chicago. 

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Your diet tends to play a crucial role in managing high blood pressure. Patients with hypertension are often advised to steer clear of salty food foods. Here are some fruits and vegetables you can include in your high blood pressure diet.


1. Spinach: Spinach is packed with lutein, an antioxidant that prevents thickening of walls of arteries, thus reducing the risk of heart attacks and blood pressure. Moreover, spinach is packed with potassium, folate and magnesium, that further checks your blood pressure levels. 

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2. Bananas: Bananas are extremely low in sodium; and very rich potassium, which is very essential to manage high blood pressure levels. Potassium counters the effect of sodium and helps eliminate excess sodium through urine. 

3. Beetroot: Beetroot is rich in nitrates. Nitrates help relax blood vessels and improve blood flow. Beetroot juice is believed to lower systolic blood pressure in just a matter of few hours.

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4. Sweet potato: Sweet potatoes are not only high in potassium but in other heart-healthy nutrients as well like magnesium and manganese.


(With Inputs ANI)

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