High Blood Pressure: The 'At Your Fingertips' Guide

Cover......Page 1
Contents......Page 6
Acknowledgements......Page 10
Foreword by Dr Julian Hart MB, BChir, DCH, FRCP, FRCGP......Page 12
About this book......Page 20
Introduction: What you most need to know in 11 questions......Page 22
1 Blood pressure and high blood pressure......Page 28
About blood pressure in general......Page 29
High blood pressure......Page 36
Types of high blood pressure......Page 39
2 Symptoms, causes and diagnosis......Page 46
Symptoms......Page 47
Causes......Page 50
Diagnosis......Page 56
3 Measuring blood pressure......Page 63
Types of BP measuring devices......Page 64
Accuracy of readings......Page 68
Ambulatory monitoring......Page 73
Monitoring at home......Page 75
4 Non-pharmacological treatment......Page 79
Cholesterol levels......Page 80
Diet......Page 84
Smoking......Page 93
Exercise......Page 95
Weight loss......Page 98
5 Treatment with drugs......Page 101
Taking your tablets......Page 105
6 High blood pressure with other problems......Page 112
Heart problems......Page 113
Diabetes......Page 116
Kidney problems......Page 117
Raised cholesterol levels......Page 118
Problems requiring beta- or alphablockers......Page 120
Blood-thinning drugs......Page 121
Racial differences......Page 122
Pain – particularly joint pain and arthritis......Page 123
Psychological problems......Page 125
7 Pregnancy, contraception and the menopause......Page 126
High BP and planning a pregnancy......Page 127
High BP in pregnancy......Page 130
Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia......Page 134
Blood pressure after pregnancy......Page 146
Contraception......Page 148
Menopause and HRT......Page 150
Work......Page 152
Travel and holidays......Page 154
Sports......Page 157
Sex......Page 158
Insurance and mortgages......Page 162
Your local surgery......Page 164
Everyday life......Page 166
9 Monitoring and follow-up......Page 167
10 Research and the future......Page 174
Glossary......Page 177
Appendix 1: Drugs used in the treatment of high BP......Page 187
Appendix 2: Useful addresses......Page 200
Appendix 3: Useful publications and websites......Page 210
Index......Page 214