The EVOLUTION Magazine August 2022 | Page 18

Patient Education ►

Cannabis and Hypertension

by Peter Kershaw , contributing writer

Hypertension is a condition in which the force of blood exerted against artery walls is excessive . Long-term elevated blood pressure can lead to health problems , including heart disease and stroke . In severe cases , hypertension presents with headaches , dizziness , nausea , vomiting , or blurred vision . In mild to moderate cases , hypertension may be asymptomatic . Hypertension is considered so common among Americans that an estimated 50 % of adults are thought to have the condition . Some have argued , however , that hypertension is one of the most over-diagnosed diseases ; therefore , this high percentage is unjustified . Nevertheless , where a patient has been validly diagnosed with hypertension , it should be treated seriously and steps taken to mitigate it .

The general consensus is that a “ normal ” pressure is around 120 / 80 mm Hg . But there isn ’ t a consensus on where to draw the line on “ high ” blood pressure . The American College of Cardiology ( ACC ) argues for 140 / 90 or higher , while the American Heart Association ( AHA ) argues for 130 / 80 or higher . The latter ropes in far more patients for treatment than the former , thus improving the bottom line for physicians and Big Pharma . Some have argued these benchmarks err on the side of extreme caution , sans hard clinical evidence , perhaps even being concocted to benefit Big Pharma .
Even the very issue of getting an accurate blood pressure reading is problematic . Patients errantly assume the most accurate blood pressure test can only be done by a doctor or nurse . But the opposite is often the case . Stress and anxiety can elevate blood pressure , and there ’ s no better place to have your anxieties spike than in a doctor ’ s office . You ’ re actually better off checking your blood pressure in the tranquility of your home with an inexpensive blood pressure monitor , readily available online , at a local pharmacy , etc .
18 August 2022
Hypertensive drugs are a multi-billion-dollar industry . Big Pharma spends many millions annually advertising and promoting antihypertensives to doctors and patients . Antihypertensives are categorized as : ; Diuretics ; Beta-blockers ; ACE inhibitors ; Vasodilators ; Angiotensin II Receptor blockers ; Calcium Channel blockers ; Alpha-blockers ; Alpha-2 Receptor Agonists ; Combined Alpha- and Beta-blockers ; Central Agonists , or Peripheral
Adrenergic inhibitors
They each have side effects , some potentially severe . Depending on the underlying cause of hypertension , some of these drugs may prove beneficial , in severe cases , perhaps even lifesaving . In all cases , however , they come with risks . Patients should carefully weigh risks vs . uncertain rewards , especially if they find themselves used as a guinea pig in the pursuit of , “ That last drug didn ’ t work out so well , so let ’ s try this next one and see what happens .”
Holistically-minded doctors will delay recommending drugs and quickly recommend lifestyle changes , including a healthy diet , exercise , meditation , supplements , herbs and de-stressing “ adaptogens ” ( e . g ., Ashwagandha ), etc ., while patiently monitoring over several months for a drop in blood pressure that is likely to follow . Holistic approaches to hypertension have often proven remarkably effective and are dramatically safer than pharmaceuticals . However , most M . D . s are not of such persuasion . According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension , 1 only one in five doctors recommend lifestyle changes alone for hypertension . Even where doctors do recommend lifestyle changes four in five do so subordinately to pharmaceutical prescriptions . This can place the patient in the horrible predicament of seeing any health improvements accomplished with lifestyle changes undermined by the side effects of antihypertensive drugs .
Taking a patient ’ s blood pressure is routine in doctors ’ offices . If , in the doctor ’ s view , blood pressure readings are “ elevated ,” though not above the 140 / 90 mm Hg benchmark , they quite frequently “ pre-treat .” Robert S . Mendelsohn , M . D . writes : “ What must be the most common pre-treatment for pre-disease is what happens when you go in and the doctor finds your blood pressure a little high . Ignoring the fact that your hypertension might be temporarily caused by your very presence in the office , you ’ ll most likely leave with some sort of anti-hypertensive drug .” 2 According to Dr . Mendelsohn , antihypertensive drugs are over-prescribed and usually unnecessary where the patient is willing to make lifestyle changes . Since 1970 when he wrote his book , things have only gotten much worse with far more antihypertensives coming onto the market and a resulting increase in doctor prescriptions . Has America ’ s health improved due to the ever-increasing use of antihypertensive drugs ? National statistics on strokes and heart disease indicate we ’ re worse off — a classic case of the cure is worse than the disease .
Cannabis and Lifestyle Choices
While some people might be genetically predisposed , in most cases , hypertension results from unwise lifestyle choices , including poor diet , lack of exercise , lack of stress mitigation , smoking , excessive alcohol , etc . Improvements in these areas can go a long way toward reducing high blood pressure . Exercise need not even necessarily be strenuous to be beneficial . Just a daily walk in a tranquil park setting may prove highly beneficial . The same can be said for just 5-10 minutes a day in quiet meditation with slow deep breathing exercises . The goal is de-stressing . Cannabis is renowned for reducing stress and , for that reason and others , can be considered part of a healthy lifestyle .
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