The Relation Between Anxiety and Hypertension

Ever wondered how to reduce blood pressure? There are ample treatments for hypertension available, but before we get there, we must understand the relationship between anxiety and hypertension. Anxiety has been touted to be one of the common causes that go hand in hand with hypertension.

While hypertension is defined as having a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher and a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg,. aAnxiety is characterized as an intense feeling of worry or fear. Anxiety is known to cause very evident physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, sometimes even perspiration.

Impact Of Anxiety On Hypertension

Anxiety causes high blood pressure, but it is usually temporary or transient. In most cases, once the anxiety subsides, the blood pressure usually returns to normal. However, chronic anxiety with stress can result in chronically high blood pressure or hypertension. The reason anxiety causes hypertension has to do with your hormones.

When you are anxious, your body releases the stress hormone such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, etc., which triggers an increase in heart rate and brings about the narrowing of your blood vessels. Both these events cause an increase in blood pressure. In fact, before understanding how to reduce blood pressure, the exact cause of it must be determined, and if it is anxiety, it must be treated simultaneously.

Impact Of Hypertension On Anxiety

Though anxiety causes high blood pressure and is the culprit, we cannot rule out the fact that hypertension can cause anxiety in some people. This is because many people who are diagnosed with hypertension begin worrying about their health and future, developing anxiety in the process. Though hypertension is a silent condition and doesn’t give out signs or symptoms too often, sometimes the occasional headaches, blurred vision, bleeding from the nose are enough to cause an anxiety attack.

Sometimes, anxiety and low blood pressure may also be seen in some people. This occurs because intense anxiety attacks can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, leading to low blood pressure instead of high.

Treatments For Anxiety

Feeling anxiety once in a while is normal. But experiencing it too often and for long periods has adverse effects on the body and mind. The most common treatment options for anxiety include–

• Doctor Consultation:This is the first and foremost step that has to be taken in such a scenario. Consulting your family doctor or an expert cardiologist will help you understand the exact nature of the problem.
• Psychotherapy Sessions:Multiple psychotherapy sessions with a psychiatrist or a counsellor can help manage anxiety symptoms. Some psychiatrists use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and people are trained to accept situations without anxiety.
• Adopt Healthy Lifestyle Changes:Make small changes in your lifestyle that can help you manage your anxiety. Some of these include– breathing exercises, meditation, regular workouts, getting adequate sleep, having a healthy high blood pressure diet, reducing stressful situations in your daily life, practicing optimism, etc. In people who do not achieve anxiety control with supportive measures, drug treatment may be initiated to control it. One should note that visiting a psychiatrist may prove beneficial in many people with hypertension.

Treatments for Hypertension

Hypertension treatment usually begins with lifestyle changes. Some people will also need medications to help control their blood pressure levels.

Lifestyle changes for treating hypertension include–

• Regularly visiting the doctor.
• Eating a healthy, fiber-rich diet with more fruits and veggies.
• Reducing or avoiding salt in their diet.
• Avoid caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol.
• Regular workouts and exercise.
• Weight management to stay within the optimal BMI range.

Medications may be prescribed based on each individual patient’s condition and requirement.

Conclusion

There is a clear link between anxiety and hypertension, and suffering from one of these conditions chronically can give rise to the other as well. Getting anxiety and hypertension treated together is the best way to manage both conditions.

Note of Caution: This article is for information purpose only. Always consult your doctor in case of any blood pressure or other health-related problems.