Breaking through the fog of high blood pressure How can changes in salt, exercise, and sleep subvert the risk of high blood pressure?
On the long road to maintaining good health, high blood pressure has become a focus of attention. Although this chronic disease may seem less fatal, there are potential cardiovascular and cerebrovascular hazards hidden behind it. Different from the general understanding, hypertension does not directly cause people to die, but more serious is the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases it causes, such as coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, cerebral thrombosis, etc. In this battle against hypertension, scientists are constantly looking for the best standard of blood pressure control to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death.
According to a recent report by the Health Times, a large-scale randomized clinical trial led by Professor Li Jing of Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences showed that for patients with hypertension, compared with the standard blood pressure reduction of systolic blood pressure (high pressure) to 140 mm Hg, intensive blood pressure reduction to 120 mm Hg not only significantly reduced the risk of adverse cardiovascular events, but also reduced cardiovascular mortality by an astonishing 39%. This means that simply maintaining blood pressure below 140 to 90 mmHg is not optimal, and the real goal is to reduce systolic blood pressure to 120 mmHg. The findings stem from a three-year follow-up study of 11,255 cases in 23 provinces and municipalities across the country, with participants aged 50 years, with systolic blood pressure between 130 and 180 mm Hg, vascular disease, or at least two major cardiovascular risk factors.
However, medication alone to control blood pressure is not the only way. In our daily lives, even small changes can have a surprising effect. Table salt, which seems to be a trivial condiment, plays a key role in the control of high blood pressure. Studies have shown that excessive salt intake leads to excessive sodium levels in the body, increasing osmotic pressure in the blood, while low-sodium diets have been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure on par with some first-line antihypertensive drugs. In a clinical trial in which researchers recruited 218 participants, by changing their diet, found that a low-sodium diet lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 8 mm Hg. This further highlights the impact of salt on hypertension and reminds us to pay attention to controlling salt intake in our daily diet, and the Chinese Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults should not consume more than 5 grams of salt per day.
In terms of lifestyle modification, exercise has also been proven to be an effective means of preventing and controlling hypertension. According to the consensus of the European Society for the Prevention of Heart Disease, aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, etc., can significantly reduce the average systolic blood pressure of patients with hypertension by 49~12.0 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure decreased by 34~5.8 mm Hg. This is not only a physiological mechanism to combat high blood pressure, but also a positive attitude towards life.
In addition to this, small adjustments at our dinner table can also have a huge impact. One study showed that replacing salt in the home with low-sodium salt could reduce deaths by 1 million people per year. Low-sodium salts reduce sodium intake by mixing a percentage of potassium chloride and are a beneficial way to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. This reminds us to choose carefully when buying table salt, choose low-sodium salt, but at the same time, people with kidney disease and high blood potassium need to pay attention, because low-sodium salt contains potassium.
At the same time, letting go of tobacco and alcohol is also a crucial step in maintaining cardiovascular health. Smoking causes blood pressure to rise, heart rate to increase, and damage to the walls of blood vessels, triggering inflammation and hardening of blood vessels, which ultimately leads to an increase in blood pressure. Drinking alcohol is also one of the important factors of high blood pressure, and heavy drinking stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, increases heart rate and heart output, and thus increases blood pressure. Therefore, quitting smoking and alcohol has become an indispensable part of the lifestyle adjustment to reduce the risk Xi of high blood pressure. Looking around, we may find that those elderly people who live long often have one thing in common, they rarely stay up late. It's no coincidence that the latest research has found that difficulty falling asleep, disrupted sleep, and short periods of sleep are strongly associated with the risk of high blood pressure. In a 16-year follow-up study of 110,000 women** with no history of hypertension, women with short sleep duration had a significantly increased risk of hypertension, especially those with difficulty falling asleep and disrupted sleep. This tells us that getting enough sleep is also essential for the prevention of high blood pressure.
Overall, controlling high blood pressure is not just a doctor's responsibility, it is a mission in everyone's daily life. The scientists' research not only provides a clearer standard for blood pressure control, but also inspires us to take effective lifestyle adjustments from multiple perspectives such as diet, exercise, and sleep. In this battle against high blood pressure, every small change can lead to unexpected benefits. Through this article, we see not only numbers and research results, but also life choices and possibilities to improve health. Hopefully, these findings will inspire more people to pay attention to their own health, starting from the little things in their daily lives and moving towards a healthier and more vibrant future.