How can scientific weight loss lower high blood pressure? Non-drug treatment methods explained.

Prognosis

The prognosis of hyperlipidemia mainly depends on the course of the disease and the treatment efficacy. Early diagnosis and early treatment result in a good prognosis.

Hypertension:

Hypertension is a systemic disease characterized by functional or organic changes in organs such as blood vessels, brain, and kidneys. It is the most common cardiovascular disease, and most obese patients also have hypertension. This disease may have multiple pathogenic factors and complex pathogenesis. Dysfunction of the central nervous system, humoral, endocrine, genetic, renal, and vascular baroreceptor abnormalities, as well as abnormal ion transport in cell membranes, may all be involved in the pathogenesis. Clinically, hypertension of unknown cause is generally called primary hypertension or hypertension. Hypertension with a clear cause, where elevated blood pressure is only a manifestation of certain diseases, is called secondary hypertension or symptomatic hypertension. Obesity complicated by hypertension may have the following causes: ① Obese patients have a large increase in adipose tissue, which can lead to an enlarged vascular bed and a corresponding increase in blood circulation. At a normal heart rate, the cardiac output per minute and stroke volume are significantly increased, resulting in long-term excessive burden on the heart, left ventricular hypertrophy, and thus elevated blood pressure. ② Obese patients often experience adrenal cortical hyperfunction, leading to a certain degree of water retention, which further increases blood volume and exacerbates hypertension. Treatment methods for hypertension include:

Non-pharmacological treatment: Obesity is a risk factor for hypertension; weight loss and weight control are beneficial for lowering blood pressure. Effective weight loss measures include: firstly, restricting diet and reducing daily calorie intake; secondly, increasing exercise to burn excess body fat. Common methods include jogging, walking, swimming, and gymnastics. Weight loss helps lower plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels, which is particularly important for obese patients with hypertension.

(I) Dietary therapy

1. Low-salt diet: Hypertensive patients should adopt a moderately restricted salt diet, i.e., daily salt intake of approximately 1.5–3.0g. A low-salt diet is effective for sodium-sensitive hypertensive patients, improving the antihypertensive effect and reducing the dosage of antihypertensive drugs, but it is less effective for sodium-resistant hypertensive patients.

2. Limit Alcohol Consumption
While small amounts of alcohol daily have little effect on blood pressure, those who consume more than 40g of ethanol daily have a significantly increased incidence of hypertension and stroke. Heavy drinkers are three times more likely to die from stroke than infrequent drinkers. Therefore, obese patients with hypertension should limit their alcohol consumption, and abstaining from alcohol or drinking only in small amounts is encouraged.

(II) Exercise Therapy
Regular and moderate physical activity can prevent and control hypertension. Endurance exercises and aerobic exercises have a moderate blood pressure-lowering effect, such as brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming, and skiing. Anaerobic exercises, such as weightlifting and combat sports, have a less significant blood pressure-lowering effect.