A team of scientists at the University of Leeds recently made an important discovery. They were studying people with long-term swelling and pain in their bodies, like those who have problems with their bowel or joints.
These people often take a type of medicine called oral steroids to help with their symptoms.
The scientists looked at information from over 71,000 patients in England who were taking these medicines. What they found was surprising.
Among these patients, almost 25,000 of them developed high blood pressure, a condition where the force of the blood against the walls of the blood vessels is too high.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common health problem. It affects one in five adults across the globe and can lead to serious health issues if not managed properly.
The interesting part of this study was how the high blood pressure seemed to be linked to the amount of oral steroids the patients took. The more steroids they took, the higher their risk of getting high blood pressure.
This finding is crucial because high blood pressure can be dangerous, and oral steroids are often prescribed. Doctors need to be careful and regularly check the blood pressure of patients who take these steroids frequently.
The study’s findings are not entirely new. Previous research had suggested a similar link between oral steroids and high blood pressure, but there was no clear conclusion.
The Leeds study provides stronger evidence and a clearer understanding of how serious the risk is.
Besides just revealing this risk, the study also reminds us of the importance of taking care of our health to prevent high blood pressure. There are several ways to do this:
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Extra weight makes your heart work harder, which can lead to high blood pressure. Eating well and exercising can help you stay at a healthy weight.
- Exercise Regularly: This strengthens your heart and improves blood flow, which can help prevent high blood pressure. Try to be active for at least 30 minutes on most days.
- Eat Well: Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. Avoid too much fat, cholesterol, and salt.
- Drink Alcohol in Moderation: Too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. Men should have no more than two drinks per day, and women should have no more than one.
- Quit Smoking: Smoking harms your blood vessels and can lead to high blood pressure. Quitting smoking can reduce this risk.
- Manage Stress: Long-term stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Find healthy ways to relax and cope with stress.
- Regular Check-Ups: Regularly checking your blood pressure can catch problems early and help prevent more serious issues.
It’s important to remember that sometimes lifestyle changes might not be enough, and you may need medicine to control high blood pressure.
Always talk to your doctor about your concerns and the best ways to keep your blood pressure in check.
This study, conducted by Dr. Mar Pujades-Rodriguez and colleagues, was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
It’s a reminder of how interconnected our health is and the importance of being aware of the side effects of the medicines we take.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about blood pressure drug that may increase risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and these teas could help reduce high blood pressure.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about nutrient that could strongly lower high blood pressure, and results showing this novel antioxidant may help reverse blood vessels aging by 20 years.
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