{"id":37629,"date":"2019-08-08T17:49:40","date_gmt":"2019-08-08T17:49:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=37629"},"modified":"2023-06-27T16:38:18","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T16:38:18","slug":"what-should-be-the-normal-blood-pressure-for-a-sri-lankan-by-dr-harold-gunatillake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/what-should-be-the-normal-blood-pressure-for-a-sri-lankan-by-dr-harold-gunatillake\/","title":{"rendered":"What should be the normal Blood Pressure for a Sri Lankan By Dr Harold Gunatillake"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

What should be the normal Blood Pressure for a Sri Lankan By Dr Harold Gunatillake<\/span><\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The blood pressure that is <\/span>considered normal for men and <\/span>women seems to be changing<\/span><\/span>
\nfrom time and again. When we <\/span>were medical students in the <\/span>fifties, we were told that the<\/span><\/span>
\nupper pressure should be less <\/span>than your age plus 100:<\/span><\/span>
\nmeaning, if you are 50 years, <\/span>your normal systolic pressure <\/span>should be 150mm.Hg or less.<\/span><\/span>
\nWith time, studies revealed that <\/span>the incidence and the risk of <\/span>heart disease and stroke was<\/span><\/span>
\nquite high with such blood <\/span>pressure readings.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then, it was realised that the <\/span>strain on the Heart muscles with <\/span>this respective BP considered<\/span><\/span>
\nnormal, was too severe, <\/span>resulting in high incidence of <\/span>heart problems, including <\/span>failure.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The blood pressure of an <\/span>individual depends on the force <\/span>of blood ejected from the left <\/span>lower chamber (ventricle) of the <\/span>heart against the resistance of <\/span>the peripheral arteries and the <\/span>rate of pumping (pulse rate).\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The medications prescribed for hypertension by the doctors, consider all these three <\/span>factors in your blood pressure management.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

If the systolic pressure is too high a peripheral Vasodilator alone may bring down the<\/span>
\nBP in the early stages.<\/span>
\nHow this works is that lowering the peripheral resistance, you reduce the force of<\/span>
\nthe ejection of blood from your heart, referred to as the \u2018systolic pressure\u2019<\/span>
\nThe more popular drugs used to bring down the pressure is the Angiotensinconverting enzymes (ACE) inhibitors, help relax blood vessels and also prevents an<\/span>enzyme in your body from producing angiotensin 11.
\n<\/span><\/span>
\nThe other drug is angiotensin receptor Blockers (ARB) <\/span>As said earlier these drugs widen or dilate your blood vessels and releases the <\/span>pressure on the heart.
\n<\/span><\/span>
\nThen, doctors prescribe calcium channel Blockers. They work by slowing the <\/span>movement of calcium into the cells of the heart and blood vessel walls. Heart <\/span>muscles need calcium to contract.
\n<\/span><\/span>
\nIf the heart rate is rapid, in addition to high blood pressure, your doctor will <\/span>prescribe a beta blocker that lowers the BP in part by decreasing the rate and force <\/span>at which the heart pumps blood.
\n<\/span><\/span>
\nThis explains the modern methods of bringing down the high blood pressure and the <\/span>doctors modulate them as required.
\n<\/span><\/span>
\nIt was considered for a few decades that the systolic BP of a Sri Lankan person <\/span>should be maintained below 120mmHg and the diastolic pressure at 70-80mmHg.
\n<\/span><\/span>
\nThe European Society of cardiology has changed the baseline <\/span>to 140\/90 from the existing 130\/80mmHg. <\/span>This baseline BP applies to people over the age of 60, and <\/span>those below the baseline is considered as 130\/80 <\/span>Sri Lankans are smaller in stature and strength compared to the Western men and<\/span><\/span>
\nwomen, and it is reasonable to maintain the pressure for men as 120\/70-80mgHg <\/span>and for women- systolic as 110mmHg and diastolic as 70mmHg. This should apply to <\/span>all ages- young and the old.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Such lower pressures maintain the cardiovascular system in prime condition, <\/span>lowering the risk of heart attacks and stroke.<\/span><\/span>
\nIt is very important that diabetics with chronic kidney disease should adhere to such <\/span>low pressures.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Bottomline<\/span>
\nSri Lankans should maintain systolic and diastolic blood pressures much lower than those recommend by the European Society of Cardiology which applies to the Europeans.<\/span><\/p>\n