September 2023 - CardiacKrock

Interpreting Blood Pressure Readings: What Does the Flashing Heart Mean on Blood Pressure Monitor Devices?

Posted on September 22, 2023 by marketingagency

Monitoring your blood pressure by yourself has become a very common occurrence in today’s world. However, there’s so much more to these devices than a simple number on the screen. Do you know how to interpret the readings it gives you? What does the flashing heart mean on blood pressure monitor devices? Should you panic? Is it normal? Do you even know?

While having these devices is extremely beneficial and recommended, there’s no point if you don’t understand how it works or what the readings and other symbols mean. Don’t worry! It’s time to learn how to get the most use of your blood pressure watch and ensure you understand exactly how it works.

Understanding Blood Pressure Watches and Monitors

Before going into the details, it’s crucial to understand what exactly a blood pressure monitor is and what it does. First things first, what is blood pressure? This is a measure of the pressure of your blood pushing against your arteries and is one way of measuring cardiovascular health.

Frequent blood pressure fluctuations are a cause for concern, as high blood pressure is often associated with strokes, heart disease, and other health complications. However, it can be difficult to know when your blood pressure is too high. This is where blood pressure monitoring comes into play.

When you use a monitor to measure blood pressure, you often get two readings – your systolic and diastolic pressure. Systolic blood pressure is the higher reading on the monitor and is a measure of the pressure in your arteries when your heart pumps blood and contracts. Diastolic pressure, on the other hand, is the lowest of the two numbers and is an indication of your blood pressure when your heart is resting between beats.

What Is High Blood Pressure?

Your blood pressure is considered high when the systolic reading is 120 mmHg or more, and the diastolic reading is lower than 80 mmHg.

When your systolic reading is between 130 and 139 mmHg and the diastolic reading is between 80 and 89 mmHg, you are said to have stage 1 hypertension. However, when the systolic reading is 140 mmHg or more, and the diastolic reading is 90 mmHg or higher, you are said to have stage 2 hypertension. You require immediate medical attention if you have a hypertensive crisis, which is where your systolic reading exceeds 180 mmHg and/or your diastolic reading exceeds 120 mmHg.

Fortunately, you can treat this effectively through lifestyle changes and medications prescribed by your doctor. Stress management, physical activity, a healthier diet, no smoking, and reduced alcohol consumption are all effective ways to deal with hypertension.

Is Low Blood Pressure Also Dangerous?

Many people tend to focus on high blood pressure, but what about low blood pressure? Low blood pressure is also considered dangerous; however, it’s not very common.

People experiencing low blood pressure might feel lightheaded, dizzy, or sick. It’s also important to note that low blood pressure depends largely on the person and their personal conditions and circumstances.

What Does the Flashing Heart Mean on Blood Pressure Monitor Devices?

Now that you know the core fundamentals of blood pressure monitoring, you can consider some of the finer details. Many people panic when they see the little heart on the monitor start to flash. This is because they think it represents an issue with their heart.

Fortunately, this is not the case, and you can breathe! The flashing heart symbol is simply an indication that the device is working and currently trying to detect your heart rate.

You’ll find this symbol on many blood pressure watches and monitors these days. It’s crucial to take note of the differences between blood pressure and heart rate. Your heart rate is a measure of how many times your heart beats per minute, which is also a crucial reading when trying to determine your cardiovascular health.

While your device is measuring your blood pressure, it will also monitor your heart rate. These are both useful readings that will help determine whether you’re healthy or need to visit a doctor.

Final Thoughts

There’s so much more to a blood pressure monitor than the numbers on the screen. If you want to ensure effective blood pressure monitoring, you need to understand all the features on your device, including the flashing heart. Fortunately for you, you now know all the vital aspects of your monitor and can use the device to ensure you achieve optimal health.

FAQs

What Is the Best Smart Watch with a Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Monitor?

There are many fantastic smartwatches on the market that come equipped with a blood pressure and heart rate monitor. The Apple Watch Series is certainly one of the most popular options. However, there are many other great options that are more affordable, such as Omron Heartguide, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, FitVII Smartwatch, and more.

The best blood pressure watch will depend on your preferences. However, when choosing an option, the most important thing is to examine the features of the watch. Some of the qualities you should look for include:

Measures your blood pressure and heart rate
Sleep tracking
Measures your blood oxygen levels
Irregular heartbeat detection
Long battery life

Of course, the most important thing is to ensure the device gives you reliable readings so that you can seek medical attention as soon as possible if necessary.

What Is the Heart Symbol on Blood Pressure Monitor Devices?

The heart symbol on blood pressure monitor devices is an indication of when the device is reading your heart rate and blood pressure. This is also known as the irregular heartbeat symbol. When the heart flashes, the device is busy with the measurement process. However, when the symbol is not flashing, no readings are being taken. If an irregular rhythm is detected more than twice during the reading, contact your doctor for medical advice.

Heart Health in Seniors – Heart Exercises for Seniors to Age Gracefully

Posted on September 22, 2023 by marketingagency

It’s no secret that as we get older, we start to experience more health concerns and face an increased risk of heart disease. However, while many people think cardiovascular disease is something they have to accept in their old age, this is simply not true. There are many things you can do as a senior to ensure you age gracefully and don’t deal with stubborn and complicated heart conditions. From a healthy diet to heart exercises for seniors, there are many steps you can take to ensure you have a happy and healthy heart even in your older age.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Older Adults

You’re probably wondering, “How does age affect the cardiovascular system?” It’s a known fact that as you reach the age of 65 and above, you’re prone to have a stroke, suffer from a heart attack, experience heart failure, or develop coronary heart disease. This may lead to further complications, such as disability, which is known to decrease the quality of life of many older people.

As you get older, your heart and blood vessels start to change. A simple and clear example of this is the fact that your heart doesn’t beat as fast anymore. However, while many of these factors are unpreventable, there are many things you can do to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Some of the most common heart disease risk factors for seniors include:

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can cause atherosclerosis, which results in a buildup of plaque in the arteries. Over time, this plaque starts to narrow the arteries and harden, resulting in limited oxygen-rich blood flow to the organs and the rest of the body.

Obesity

Teenage and childhood obesity follow many people into adulthood. Obesity is a major cause of death in the US and results in other serious conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, which increases your chance of cardiovascular disease. To determine if you’re obese, it’s vital to assess your body mass index (BMI).

Slowed or Irregular Heartbeat

Generally, heart valves tend to thicken and get stiff with age, limiting blood flow to the heart and potentially leaking. This often causes a buildup of fluid in the body or lungs.

Increased Overall Heart Size

The heart’s chambers often increase in size with age, causing the heart’s wall to thicken. As a result, the chamber is able to hold less blood, and the heart fills more slowly. This increases the risk of atrial fibrillation.

How to Ensure Heart-healthy Aging

As you get older, there are many things you can do to ensure your heart stays in tip-top condition, such as:

Heart Exercises

Physical activity is an excellent way to improve cardiovascular health. However, it’s important to consult with your doctor regarding the most suitable exercises for you. Ideally, you should try to exercise for 150 minutes every week.

It’s always a good idea to start with simple and enjoyable exercises such as walking, cycling, dancing, gardening, and bowling. You should avoid spending excessive hours sitting. If you’ve previously suffered from cardiovascular disease or are at risk of one, make sure to incorporate moderate-intensity exercise into your routine.

A Healthy Diet

As you age, your body becomes more sensitive to certain foods, particularly salt. Salt can lead to excessive swelling of the feet and legs. Therefore, it’s crucial to cut down on salt, added sugars, and saturated fats.

Rather, incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet. Foods high in fiber, such as whole grains, are also a fantastic option. While many people tend to overlook this point, by eating a heart-healthy diet, you’ll notice many improvements in your overall health.

Don’t Smoke

Even if you’ve smoked for most of your life, it’s never too late to stop. Did you know smoking is the number one cause of preventable death? This alone should be enough motivation to quit. By quitting smoking, you’ll be able to reduce your risk of cancer, strokes, and heart disease. It’s also crucial to note that smoking causes damage to your artery walls. Therefore, a smoker is more likely to develop coronary artery disease than someone who does not smoke.

Keep Track of Your Blood Pressure, Cholesterol Levels, and Sugar Levels

If you take any medicines for any of these conditions, make sure to stick to the guidelines. It’s also imperative to follow your doctor’s advice and go for regular checkups. High blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels are often symptoms of heart disease; therefore, it’s vital to manage and track these things effectively.

Keep a Healthy Weight

A healthy weight does have an impact on your heart health. Therefore, you should try to balance your calories consumed with your calories burned during physical activity. The simplest ways to maintain a healthy weight include engaging in exercise and limiting portion sizes.

The Bottom Line

While the elderly are more at risk of developing heart disease, this is not something you need to accept. There are many things you can do to monitor your risk factors and take care of yourself to ensure you age gracefully and your heart is happy, healthy, and not a concern!

FAQs

What Are Some Youth Risk Factors that Affect Cardiovascular Fitness in Adulthood?

Some risk factors that the youth may develop and carry forward into adulthood that impact cardiovascular fitness include:

Physical inactivity
Obesity
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Smoking

How Does Age Affect the Cardiovascular System?

Aging causes various changes in your heart and blood vessels, which impacts your heart rate. One of the major risk factors of heart disease is the buildup of fatty deposits in the artery walls over the years. Therefore, as you get older, you can expect the buildup to increase, which may eventually lead to complications.

How Does Regular Exercise Improve the Cardiovascular Function?

A regular and effective exercise plan will strengthen your heart health. This enhances the ability of your heart to pump blood throughout the body and to your lungs. As a result, more blood flows to your muscles, and the oxygen level in your blood increases.

What Exercise Lowers Blood Sugar the Fastest? | Controlling Blood Sugar Levels Through Physical Activity

Posted on September 4, 2023 by marketingagency

Keeping track of your blood glucose levels should be one of your top priorities if you have diabetes. Some common health complications include heart disease, nerve damage, and mental health problems. Thankfully, doing exercise frequently can help you lower your blood sugar levels, but you may be wondering: What exercise lowers blood sugar the fastest?

The good news is that there are plenty of options you can consider. If you follow a healthy routine, you’ll be able to get lower blood sugar levels and decrease the risk of developing high blood pressure, among other benefits.

Let’s get started!

How Important Is It to Have an Exercise Routine When You Have Diabetes?

Exercise is an excellent way to stay healthy when you have diabetes, but you must be careful about the routines you choose. There are many benefits you can experience besides getting low blood sugar levels, including:

Lower insulin resistance
Less risk of heart disease
Healthy body mass index
Better mental health
Better sleep
Improved mood

You don’t need to have an extreme weight training session every day to get these benefits. There are plenty of diabetes exercises for elderly people (and people of all ages) you can start trying out tomorrow.

Before you start, however, make sure to ask your doctor and check your blood sugar levels before and after the routine.

How Does Exercise Help You Control Your Blood Glucose?

When you do exercise regularly, you increase your insulin sensitivity. This is the hormone responsible for allowing your body’s cells to use your blood sugar to get more energy.

Depending on how long you’re active, you can exercise to bring down blood sugar for up to 24 hours or more.

Something important to keep in mind is that if you’re taking insulin (or diabetes pills), you must adjust your dose and/or carbohydrate intake as soon as you become physically active. Not checking your blood sugar levels before and after exercise could cause you to experience hypoglycemia.

In other words, exercise is greatly beneficial for your body and mind. However, you must choose the right activity and keep your blood sugar levels in check.

Can Exercise Also Cause Blood Sugar Spikes?

Even though many diabetes exercises for seniors can help them lower their blood sugar levels, others can cause the opposite effect. Some people may notice that their blood sugar goes up after exercise, which discourages them from staying active.

The short explanation is that some types of exercise can raise your blood sugar levels. If you go into competitive sports or heavy weightlifting sessions, your body could produce stress hormones like adrenaline. Adrenaline can stimulate your liver, causing it to release glucose to get your body more energy to finish the workout, which can spike your blood sugar levels.

Heavy weightlifting is excellent for those who want to increase muscle mass, keep a healthy body weight, and other benefits. However, you may not be able to take intense sessions at first.

The best thing you can do is to ask your physician to see which exercise options are more viable for you. If all you want to do is keep a healthy weight and control your blood sugar levels, there are plenty of workouts you can follow that will do the trick.

What Exercise Is Best for Lowering Your Blood Sugar?

It’s recommended for people with diabetes to get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. This translates to 20-25 minutes of physical activity each day.

Now, which exercise is best for lowering your blood sugar? It depends on your case. There are many amazing moderate-intensity exercises that do a great job at lowering your blood sugar, so it may be hard to decide which ones do it best or faster.

If you’re serious about controlling your blood sugar levels fast, however, there are two options you could try out first.

The first option is walking. Walking has always been one of the best exercises for everyone, especially seniors. It helps people with diabetes get better circulation, strengthen key muscle groups, and of course, lower blood sugar levels.

You can start by brisk walking for 20-30 minutes each day. As your body gets stronger, you could increase the intensity a bit. If you reach a point where you can start running or using a stationary bike, make sure to ask your physician first.

The second option is light resistance and strength training. Remember you don’t have to start with an intense fitness class or heavy weights. You can begin with short sessions of squats or leg raises; these are perfect for bringing those blood sugar levels down.

If you don’t feel comfortable with squats yet, for example, you could incorporate a chair. This allows you to progress into the movement more easily. All you have to do is sit on the chair and get up. These exercises are also amazing for weight loss.

Other Activities You Can Include in Your Exercise Regimen

Even though these are the two best options for moderate-intensity exercise, there are many more you can incorporate into your daily routine. These include:

Yoga
Tai Chi
Dancing
Yard Work
Posture Exercises
Stretching
Chair Exercises
Swimming
Cycling
Pilates

Keep in mind that some of these exercises may be more intense than others. We recommend you take the necessary precautions regardless of which activity you plan to do. The more careful you are, the more likely you’ll be to get all the benefits of regular exercise.

If you’re looking to relax your mind too, we suggest you try out yoga and tai chi. Both of these involve low-impact movements, meditation, and breathing. Incorporating yoga/tai chi sessions into your routine will help your body and mind feel at ease.

Bottom Line

There are countless benefits to exercise. The best news is that you can still do many workouts if you have diabetes.

Whether you decide to start walking or swimming, remember to check your blood sugar levels before and after exercising, ask your doctor, and start small. If you don’t feel motivated enough, you could ask a friend or relative to tag along! That will make your workout more fun.

Does Alcohol Lower Heart Rate? | The Impact of Alcohol on Heart Health

Posted on September 4, 2023 by marketingagency

Getting alcoholic drinks from time to time may not seem like such a problem for most people. Unfortunately, drinking alcohol too frequently can cause a wide range of health complications, including cardiovascular disease. If you have a heart condition, you may already know that exercise and diet will help you stay healthy, but if you drink alcohol regularly, you may have to take a few extra measures to avoid further complications.

How does alcohol affect your heart rate? The short answer is that drinking too much can lower your heart rate and breathing to dangerous levels. Having more than three drinks per day can increase your risk of suffering cardiovascular death or other severe conditions.

Does this mean that you can’t have alcoholic beverages anymore? It’s a bit more complicated than that. This article has all the information you may need on how alcohol affects your heart.

How Binge Drinking Affects Your Heart Health

Alcohol is a “depressant” drug, which causes quite the opposite effect as a stimulant. The more you drink, the slower the control your brain has over your body.

If you have a moderate alcohol consumption habit, you may experience how your speech gets slurred, you lose control over your body, and more. What happens when you drink too much, though?

People who drink regularly will probably not feel much, but this isn’t because the drink doesn’t affect them. It’s probably because the body developed a strong tolerance to alcohol’s effects, but it can still be a risk factor for high blood pressure and other health risks.

When you drink, many things are happening in your body, such as:

The blood vessels dilate.
Your breathing slows down.
There’s higher activity in the sympathetic nervous system.
There’s more blood moving through your heart.

If you drink too much, you’re making your heart overwork itself to fight the alcohol you’re consuming. This leads to an abnormal heart rhythm and an increased risk of suffering from a heart attack.

Binge drinking already affects people with no known health conditions. Those with existing heart problems will have even higher risks after consuming more than a few drinks a day.

Other Consequences You Can Get from Heavy Drinking

Heavy drinking doesn’t only affect your cardiovascular system. There are plenty of consequences to your mind and body that you expose yourself to every time you get alcoholic drinks.

Short-term risks include:

Body injuries
Risky sexual behavior
Alcohol poisoning
Violence or erratic behavior
Miscarriage/stillbirth or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Long-term risks, on the other hand, are much more severe to you and your environment. These include:

Cardiovascular problems
Weaker immune system
Memory problems
Cancer
Social problems
Alcohol use disorders
Depression and/or anxiety

Understanding Moderation

As with everything else in life, you’ll take good care of your health as long as you take your drinks in moderation. Adults are recommended to either not drink or do it in moderation.

You’re considered to be “binge drinking” if you have over 4-5 drinks per day. On the other hand, you’re considered a “heavy drinker” when you have over 8-15 drinks per week.

Keep in mind that drinking excessively on certain occasions doesn’t necessarily mean you’re an alcoholic.

Most people feel their heart pounding after drinking alcohol, which is why it’s confusing to see that drinks can also slow down your heart rate. As mentioned before, you’ll experience a slower heart rate if you drink excessively one day, which is as dangerous (if not more) as getting a fast heart rate.

How Much Alcohol Is Considered Safe?

Men should limit their intake to two drinks or less per day, whereas women should only have one.

It’s important to note that alcohol isn’t safe for our health in any capacity. The best thing you can do if you want to take care of your health is to stop drinking.

What About the “Benefits” of Moderate Drinking?

Some people argue that alcohol could have benefits like:

Lower risk of dying of heart disease
Lower risk of diabetes
Lower risk of having an ischemic stroke

Still, this doesn’t mean that you should start drinking every day in hopes of getting these benefits. The evidence is uncertain in most cases.

On the other hand, there are many healthier alternatives to keeping your heart in great condition, such as a good diet and exercise.

Even if you drink moderately, you’re exposed to other risks besides heart problems. It’s unlikely for a medical expert to recommend drinking alcohol as a way to get health benefits.

Is It “Ok” to Drink Alcohol After Heart Bypass Surgery?

This is one of some people’s main concerns after getting these procedures done. How soon can you drink alcohol after open heart surgery? Is it even possible?

A few studies have examined how alcohol consumption affects mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. The conclusion states that only heavy drinking presents a considerable risk factor among CABG patients. However, this doesn’t mean that you should drink right after surgery as if nothing happened.

Bypass patients can drink again as long as their doctor allows them to. Keep in mind that people who underwent surgery will likely get medication to control their blood pressure. Alcohol can alter that medication and make it less effective.

Most of the time, it’s not “ok” to drink alcohol after getting surgery. You would have to wait until you get permission from your doctor. Even then, it’s not recommended to drink again, as that could affect your heart considerably in the future.

What Can You Do to Lower Your Alcohol Intake Safely?

Going “cold turkey” with alcohol isn’t recommended if you’re used to drinking every day. This could make you experience withdrawal symptoms that affect your physical and mental health.

If you want to lower your intake safely, the best thing you can do is to gradually switch to a lighter drink. You can also add water to your drinks to make them less intense.

Other tips include:

Have a decent diet.
Keep yourself hydrated with safe and non-alcoholic drinks.
Take vitamin B1.
Start drinking lower amounts of alcohol.

Once you’ve reached a certain point, you could try to stop drinking entirely. It’s important to seek help from mental health professionals and loved ones during these times, especially if you feel like you’re struggling to stop.

Bottom Line

Alcohol consumption isn’t entirely safe on any level. However, you can drink in moderation and stay healthy.

If you’re planning on drinking, make sure not to take too much. This can cause your heart rate and breathing levels to go extremely low, which can expose you to many short and long-term problems.