The arm–leg (blood pressure) gradient is the difference between the blood pressure measured in the arms and that measured in the legs. It is normally less than 10 mmHg, but may be increased in e.g. coarctation of the aorta. Continue reading
Blood pressure is the amount of force (pressure) that blood exerts on the walls of the blood vessels as it passes through them. Two pressures are measured for a blood pressure reading:
Insulin shock refers to the body’s reaction to too little sugar — hypoglycemia — often caused by too much insulin. Diabetic coma refers to a victim of high blood sugar — hyperglycemia — who becomes confused or unconscious.
These terms are confusing, and not because my blood sugar is too high. They don’t have any connection to reality. Indeed, if I was nicknaming medical conditions today, I would switch these. Continue reading
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects about one in three U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and 25 percent of American adults have prehypertension. Although you can soon be one of the millions of people who must rely upon the daily use of medications to keep their blood pressure under control, I always believed that it is better to be proactive and try to prevent the need for expensive drugs that come with a list of side-effects of their own. Here are 8 tips you can use as preventative measures against high blood pressure. Or, if you already suffer from it, incorporate them and work with your doctor to reduce the medications you need! Continue reading
