HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Blood pressure is the force by which the heart pumps blood through the body’s blood vessels. There is also arterial blood pressure, which measures the pressure in the arteries. The value is typically specified as 2 numbers. The first value is the systolic pressure, and the second value is the diastolic pressure. While the heart is pumping, the pressure is higher, which is indicated as systolic pressure. The pressure, when the heart is relaxed, is indicated as diastolic pressure.

Classification of blood pressure values according to ESH (European Society of Hypertension)

Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors with severe diseases such as strokes, heart attacks, peripheral arterial occlusive diseases, aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections or kidney failure. Untreated, it can lead to blindness, cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure.

It is therefore particularly important to diagnose high blood pressure at an early stage and to treat it in a targeted manner. A major danger is that hypertension is often not detected because there are no specific symptoms such as headaches. Only where blood pressure is exceptionally high will there be headaches, impaired vision, dizziness, fatigue or buzzing in the ear which can be signs of a problem. However, these symptoms can also be attributed to other causes.

It is therefore important that the blood pressure should be monitored regularly to ensure that is does not exceed 140/90, the level recommended by the WHO. This is especially important for high risk patients.

Approximately two-thirds of central Europeans over the age of sixty-five suffer from hypertension. According to the Swiss Heart Foundation, every fourth person in Switzerland is estimated to have elevated blood pressure; this equates to about 1.5 million people.

Risk factors for hypertension:

• Family predisposition
• Age
• Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption
• Type I and II diabetes
• Too much stress and too little physical activity
• High salt and high fat diets, liquorice and too little potassium
• Medications such as cortisone, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and contraceptives. Sympathomimetics, anabolic steroids, cyclosporine, methylphenidate
• Drug use: amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy
• Pregnancy
• Sleep apnoea
• Ingestion of toxins such as carbon monoxide

Hypertension is a known and important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, dementia and atherosclerosis.

Non-drug treatments

The most important objective is to lower blood pressure and to prevent complications that could be life-threatening. With mild hypertension, it is often enough for suffers to make adjustments to their lifestyle to bring blood pressure back to normal levels. In any event, a healthy and active way of life always helps drug effectiveness.

• Restrict alcohol consumption
• Stop smoking
• Eat enough fruit and vegetables and potassium, calcium and magnesium
• Take more physical exercise (regularly at least two to three times a week for a minimum of thirty minutes, especially endurance training)
• Lose weight when necessary
• Reduce the saturated fat content in the diet, instead use vegetable oils with unsaturated fatty acids
• Make a control of the medicines taken
• Lower the intake of salts to less than six grammes per day and consider substituting potassium instead
• Take steps to reduce stress, use relaxation techniques and be sure to have enough sleep
• Regularly take one’s blood pressure.

Allopathic drug treatment

Use blood pressure reducing and antihypertensive agents:

• ACE inhibitors, for example lisinopril, enalapril, perindopril
• Sartans such as valsartan, irbesartan and candesartan
• Renin inhibitors such as aliskiren
• Calcium antagonists or calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine
• Beta blockers like metoprolol, bisoprolol and nebivolol
• Diuretics, for example torasemide and hydrochlorothiazide
• Alpha blocker such as doxazosin
• Central antihypertensive agents like methyldopa

Drugs from these active classes can be prescribed individually (in mono-therapy) or together (in combination therapy) taking into consideration possible basic or concomitant diseases. If the initial therapy is not sufficiently successful, the preparation or combination can be changed until the blood pressure is effectively reduced. Chemical drugs often have various side effects. Active ingredient combinations can help to reduce these. Secondary hypertension can also be causally treated, depending on the reasons for it.

Blood pressure

Important for a satisfactory measurement, the patient should:

• Be seated
• Be quiet for at least five minutes prior to the measurement
• Avoid physical and psychological agitation
• Abstain from caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants
• Do not wear tight clothing
• Be aware that a full bladder significantly increases blood pressure
• Hold the upper arm level with the heart
• Ensure that the arm is relaxed and not tense
• Do not talk or laugh during the taking of the measurement
• Ensure that the band is set at the appropriate size for the arm
• Repeat the measurement after a minimum of one minute’s break
• Take the average of the second and third measurements
• Control the blood pressure on a regular basis
• Check the correct functioning of the measuring instrument periodically (for recalibration).

The Indian snake root, rauwolfia, has a long tradition in the treatment of hypertension. Owing to the development of modern and new medications, today it is somewhat forgotten, perhaps because it can cause some unpleasant side effects such as tiredness, a stuffy nose and depression.

The blood pressure regulating effect of garlic, onion and wild garlic has been known for a long time. Garlic is also effective against arteriosclerosis and thrombosis as a vasodilating agent; it inhibits the synthesis of cholesterol. Recent studies of preparations from olive leaves (olea europaea) show that these have a blood pressure-reducing effect. The leaves, flowers and fruits from different species of the genus crataegus, the hawthorn, are very often used as an adjuvant in mixed tinctures for the treatment of hypertension. Clinical studies indicate a possible efficacy due to its positive inotropic and vasodilating mode of action.

Aequalin – drops against hypertension

Aequalin is a mixed herbal compound consisting of three mother tinctures that can be used to lower blood pressure. Ideally it can be combined with chemical blood-pressure lowering medications. Patients should speak with their general practitioner about this.

1 ml contains

The different medicinal plants of this mixture act as follows:

Crateagus

When taken, crateagus increases the coronary flow rate and the myocardial blood flow and there is an overall increase in the cardio output (positive inotrop). It therefore, improves the regulation of the blood pressure. The hawthorn contains different ingredients that may work together to achieve this singular result. The oligomer proanthocyanidines probably play a significant role. They regulate the heart’s rhythm and therefore protect the heart.

Viscum album

When taken, crateagus increases the coronary flow rate and the myocardial blood flow and there is an overall increase in the cardio output (positive inotrop). It therefore, improves the regulation of the blood pressure. The hawthorn contains different ingredients that may work together to achieve this singular result. The oligomer proanthocyanidines probably play a significant role. They regulate the heart’s rhythm and therefore protect the heart.

Olea europaea

Supports the effect of a peripheral vasodilation and improves the blood flow. It has a positive effect on the metabolism of fat and on the cardiovascular system. The active ingredient, oleocanthal, has an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect.

Indication

For treatment of arterial hypertension, headaches and dizziness of nervous hypertensives.

Dosage

Twice daily 30 drops

Side effects

None known

Schwangerschaft und Stillzeit

No research has been carried out to date on this indication and should be taken under medical supervision.