Heart Matters

Blood pressure (BP) is the force exerted on the wall of your arteries by the blood as it is pumped. When the force is too high it can damage the delicate lining of the blood vessel.

The highest pressure, (systolic pressure) is the pressure when the beat/contraction of your heart forces blood around the body.

The lowest pressure, (diastolic pressure) is between heartbeats when the heart is resting. BP is measured in millimeters of mercury

A blood pressure reading gives two numbers, the first systolic (top number), the second diastolic (bottom number).

As a healthy adult your target is to have a BP below 140/85mmHg.

If you have diabetes, kidney disease or Coronary Heart Disease then it should be below

130/80mmHg.

Exceeding recommended alcohol levels (21 units per week for a man, 14 units per week for a women), being overweight and excess stress can all lead to an increase in BP.

More information on High Blood Pressure can be obtained from the BHF website: 

https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure

A stroke is what happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Blood carries essential nutrients and oxygen to the brain. Without a blood supply, brain cells can be damaged or destroyed and won.t be able to do their job.

Because the brain controls everything the body does, damage to the brain will affect body functions. For example, if a stroke damages the part of the brain that controls how limbs move, limb movement will be affected. The brain also controls how we think, learn, feel and communicate. A stroke can also affect these mental processes. A stroke is sudden and the effects on the body are immediate.

Stroke can cause brain tissue to die, and this is called cerebral infarction. An infarct is an area of dead tissue. It can be tiny or affect a larger part of the brain.

Common symptoms of a stroke

The first signs that someone has had a stroke are very sudden. Symptoms include: numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of the body (signs of this may be a drooping arm, leg or lower eyelid, or a dribbling mouth); slurred speech or difficulty finding words or understanding speech; sudden blurred vision or loss of sight; confusion or unsteadiness; and a severe headache.

A stroke is a medical emergency.

If you see the signs of a stroke, act FAST and call 999. The sooner someone receives treatment, the better their chance of recovery.

Use the - Face - Arm - Speech - Test (FAST)

Three simple checks can help you recognise whether someone has had a stroke or mini-stroke (transient ischaemic attack - TIA).

The Normal Stress Mechanism

 If you need to run a race the adrenaline released is of great benefit, if however, you sit and fume in a traffic jam the same stress reaction releases Adrenaline that is not required and acts on the body in a different way.

Heart and Circulation; The heart is overworked and beats irregularly and too quickly. The blood pressure remains high, and the body retains sodium, which leads to fluid retention. The blood becomes stickier and more likely to clot.

Lungs; Breathing becomes faster and shallower.

Gut: The stomach produces more acid, but digestion cannot resume, so excess acid irritates the stomach wall.

Muscles; Tension continues to increase.

Clearly if this situation continues then serious illness could follow. If you are the sort of person who frequently experiences emotions such as anxiety, anger, fear or irritation, the body can be on continuous "Stress alert". This leads to a person being constantly ready for action even when action is not required. It is possible to become hooked on this state of readiness the press has labelled this behaviour "Adrenaline junky". These are people who seek out situations that induce a stress response. Different types of adrenaline cause different reactions men have higher levels of the anger type; women have more of the anxiety/fear type.

From Information Leaflet given to Phase 3 Patients during Rehab at Basildon CTC

More information on Stress can be obtained by downloading the booklet from the BHF website.

1. The pituitary gland releases a hormone, which triggers a release of Adrenaline.
2. The presence of Adrenaline causes increases in heart rate and blood pressure, blood vessels in the body are dilated. (This reaction can lead to flushing)
3. The lungs are stimulated leading to faster shallower breathing.
4. Sugars are released into the bloodstream to provide rapid energy
5. Blood is directed away from the gut to the muscles {This can lead to indigestion)
6. Blood is also diverted from the skin and sweating is increased
7. There is now a lot of blood in the muscles, which become tense and ready for action.

When we have run the race or removed ourselves from the danger, everything slows down. Muscles relax, breathing deepens and our heart rate and blood pressure return too normal. This is all fine and normal, but things go wrong when we experience different kinds of stress. Although the body can function when stressed, it cannot tell the difference between being attacked, stressing in a traffic jam or watching a scary movie.

Ways to Combat Stress

Understand the mechanism of stress Learn to recognise your own stressful situations and body responses.