Blood Pressure Archive

A 2024 study suggests that swapping table salt for a salt substitute can markedly lower the risk of developing high blood pressure.

Beta blockers can slow one's heart rate, which can make gauging intensity during exercise difficult. Monitoring your breathing is a good way to ensure you work out at an intensity that is sufficient and not too high.

Choosing the right cuff size for automated home blood pressure monitors can help ensure an accurate reading. A 2023 study found that using a “regular”-sized arm cuff with an automated device resulted in inaccurate blood pressure readings for people who needed a small, large, or extra-large sized cuff.

People who've never experienced wooziness should call 911 if the symptom comes on suddenly or severely, especially if it's accompanied by other symptoms. However, a person who has experienced wooziness before or been unwell recently should sit down, have a drink of water or juice, and rest for 10 to 15 minutes. If the feeling of wooziness persists, if other symptoms develop, or if it's hard to get up without feeling faint, one should call 911.

Many people have misconceptions about avoiding heart disease. One involves the use of over-the-counter fish oil capsules, which do not prevent heart disease in healthy people. Another relates to confusion about the ideal blood pressure targets in older adults. Some people are misinformed about the implications of a family history of heart disease, while others may be confused about the differences in heart attack symptoms between men and women.

A regular yoga practice may help lower blood pressure. But people with this condition should be cautious about certain poses that place the heart higher than the head (known as inversions).

High doses of the popular pain reliever acetaminophen (Tylenol) may raise blood pressure when taken for two weeks.

No amount of alcohol, including red wine, is good for the heart, according to a policy brief from the World Heart Federation. Drinking, even in moderation, increases the risk for heart-related conditions such as hypertension, heart failure, stroke, cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle), aortic aneurysm (a dangerous bulge in the wall of the aorta), and atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart rhythm). People who drink regularly might benefit from reducing their intake.