World Hypertension Day-What You Need To Know

Hypertension is the other name for high blood pressure.

Why is high blood pressure harmful?

One can have high blood pressure for many years without having any symptoms. Having family history of high blood pressure increases one's risk for same. Since there are no symptoms in the early stage it is advisable to get your blood pressure checked once a year.

What is normal blood pressure- It is a range. Once can have it between 110/70 mm of Hg to 140/80 mm of Hg and the higher range is considered acceptable for elderly. In general 120/80 mm of Hg is considered normal blood pressure.

When are you diagnosed having high blood pressure?

Single reading is never diagnostic. 3-5 readings are taken over a week's time to come to conclusion about high blood pressure.

What is the damage when high blood pressure is not controlled?

1. Stroke- that is blood vessels in the brain can get ruptured leading to paralysis. This is a serious complication limiting persons quality of life and earning capacity.

2. Kidney damage

3. Heart enlargement and heart failure.

Suffice to say that having blood pressure under control is one of the best ways to avoid chronic diseases. 

Prevention is better than cure! You can read more about blood pressure here

http://pranahealthcareenablers.blogspot.in/2016/05/know-about-blood-pressure.html

Take care of yourself and your loved ones. As a special offer we will come to your home and check your blood pressure for just 199 Rs.

Call us or write to us to book an appointment. Limited period offer. Available only in Bangalore.

Get Blood Pressure checked.

Is The Medication You Are Taking For Knee Pain Safe?

Invariably people suffer from knee pain. The reasons for knee pain can be various, but most often people are prescribed pain relievers. Most pain relievers belong to the class of drugs called Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID). Few do take only paracetamol which is not an NSAID.

                                                Image Courtesy: Flickr -James Buck


Recently we had a second opinion consultation for high blood pressure (BP). She is a 55 year old lady who suffers from severe knee pain on account of osteoarthritis since few years. As the first Orthopedician was not able to relieve her pain, they consulted a second orthopedician, who had put her on Oxaceprol for more than a month. She was also on Piroxicam. She was having giddiness since one month. Six days earlier they had visited their general physician who prescribed her Olemasartan for her high BP. The next day her giddiness symptoms aggravated. At this point, we were consulted.

When we went through the detailed history, we diagnosed that her BP was high because of the two NSAID drugs, that is, Oxaceprol and Piroxicam, for her knee pain. This was preventing the Olemasartan to reduce her BP. We immediately asked her to stop her pain medications (NSAIDS).
She improved significantly within 24 hours. We suspected that her kidneys might have been damaged because of NSAIDS. Blood report indicated elevated creatinine and urea. Luckily, they were just above the upper limit of normal.

Why are reporting this story here?

We have come across many patients who take pain relievers for prolonged duration only to end up having more severe side effects like elevated blood pressure, kidney damage, gastric ulceration.

So if you are suffering from knee pain or if you any one known to you suffers from knee pain and is on chronic NSIADS, get them checked for side effects. People with diabetes need to be 100 times more careful when they take pain relievers.

Be informed, stay healthy!