May 25, 2012
Topics A-Z Heart Disease What effect will weight loss have on my blood pressure
What effect will weight loss have on my blood pressure |
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Dear Ask The Doctor: I have been diagnosis with first degree heart block and I'm 45 years old. There is no history of heart disease in my family. I am 4ft and 11 inches tall and I weight 210 lbs. I have high blood pressure that I have been taken lisinopril-hctz 10/12.5mg for approximately 5 years. That's the only medications that I have taken on a regular basis. I trying to find out if me being over weight have a great impact on why I now have this disease and if losing weight and exercising can have a big impact on this disease inparticular. I know I need to lose weight and get execise for general better health. Dear Katrina: There are many lifestyle measures that can be modified to lower blood pressure (BP). These include: Weight reduction with a target Body Mass Index of <25; reduced sodium intake <100mmol/day = 2.4g sodium; increased daily physical activity minimum of 30 minutes/day; reduced saturated fat/cholesterol intake; limit alcohol intake <2 units/day for women and<3 units/d for men; smoking cessation; adequate calcium and magnesium dietary intake and adequate intake of dietary potassium approx 90 mmol/d. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) has been promoted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The diet-induced decline in BP generally ranges from 0.5 to 2 mmHg for every 1 kg of weight lost, and a low saltdiet will usually lower high blood pressure and the overall impact of moderate sodium reduction is a fall in blood pressure in hypertensive individuals of 4.8/2.5 mmHg. Long-term aerobic exercise regimens also have in most studies had a beneficial effect on the systemic blood pressure.First degree heart block in itself is generally not a great concern unless you are having associated symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, or loss of consciousness. First degree heart block is not linked with being overweight. These symptoms would be very rarely associated with first degree heart block. I would recommend that your physician performs a 24 hour cardiac monitor (Holter) to ensure that there is no evidence of a higher degree of block such as second or third degree which are more of a concern and can be intermittent. I would also avoid drugs which slow your hearts conduction, such as beta blockers. |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 05 May 2010 ) |
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