High Blood Pressure/Hypertension and Depression the Deadly Duo

Depression and Hypertension are two of the most serious conditions one person could face. Not all persons experiencing depression will have hypertension. Like wise not all persons with hypertension will become depressed.

Some persons with depression may have a drop in blood pressure while others will experience an increase. Anxiety is usually accompanied by an increase in the blood pressure and in some cases depression is accompanied by anxiety.

What is Depression?

Depression is a low sad feeling of dejection that is usually accompanied by some or all of the following:-

• Ongoing sad, lonely, empty or blue feelings
• Hopelessness and or negativity
• Irritability, restlessness, anxiety
• Guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, despair
• No interest things that were of interest to you before
• Tiredness, fatigue and low energy
• Lack of concentration, memory and indecision
• Insomnia, waking up during the night, or excessive sleeping
• Excessive or lack of appetite
• Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
• Headaches, cramps or digestive problems, joint or back pains

What is Hypertension?

The American Heart Association Hypertension Website states that the popular misconception is that hypertension or high blood pressure is linked to nervousness or hyperactivity. They say that HBP is not a personality condition and that anyone can have HBP.

When your heart pumps blood, the force of that movement against the walls of the artery is known as the blood pressure. In other words, it is the pressure of the blood as it pumps its way through the arteries.

Depressions is usually accompanied by feelings of anxiety, guilt and hopelessness, not to mention insomnia and other problems that directly affect stress levels. Elevated stress levels have a direct impact on HBP and in most cases will elevate it to the point where damage to blood vessels is caused.

The effects of High Blood Pressure/Hypertension if left untreated

• Damage to blood vessels in the cornea thus resulting in blurry eye sight
• Damage to arteries thus resulting in strokes and embolisms
• Damage to the heart muscles thus resulting in heart failure

For more on the effects of High Blood Pressure click here

The effects of Depression if left untreated

• High Blood Pressure as a condition
• Strokes or embolisms caused from elevated stress levels
• Heart attack caused from elevated stress levels
• Nervous breakdown

For more about the effects of depression click here

Some Depression Triggers

• Loss of loved one through death
• Divorce or separation
• Loss of employment
• Business failure
• Trauma: loss of limb, stroke, or general accident
• Miscarriage

Some things that might contribute to hypertension

• Stress
• Depression
• Increased levels of sodium in the diet
• Obesity
• Other illnesses

Depression

It is a well known fact that many people who are depressed are the last to know it but with so much information at our finger tips these days we may have an inkling of our symptoms early on. The feelings we face early in the condition take a while to set in and it is during the first signs that the person who is depressed is best able to get themselves checked. If left unattended the feeling will get worse and the irrational thought patterns and behavior will override any thought of being ill. The person will start to deny any thought of depression and will convince loved ones (or at least try) and themselves that they are fine and do not need to see a physician.
At the first signs of the disorder get help by speaking to someone you trust or seeing your doctor. By talking to someone you could save yourself and your family the ordeal that comes with depression and even save your life.

Hypertension

There are no clear cut symptoms that accompany HBP, but some persons will experience dizziness, headaches, vertigo, numbness and blurry vision. Don't wait until you feel any of the suggested signs, get you BP checked at least every three months and in cases where you have have been diagnosed with the condition before once per month is ideal.
If you are a HBP patient (that's what you are if you have been diagnosed), these are some tips for helping to lower your blood pressure:-

• Exercise at least three times per week
• If you are overweight, losing weight will help
• Having a diet rich in potassium
• Healthy lifestyle including balanced diet
• Reduce alcohol intake especially spirits (one glass of red wine per day is not too bad but grape juice has the same effect)
• Get enough rest and sleep
• Reduce the occurrence of stressful situations in your everyday life