Knowing How to Spot High Blood Pressure in an Elderly Parent

Elderly Care in Palm Beach County FL

High blood pressure is known as a “silent killer” because the symptoms do not normally occur until it is too late. If your elderly parent has high blood pressure and does not know it, the symptoms may occur to alert your loved one that there is a medical emergency that their doctor should know about as soon as possible. There are a wide range of symptoms to watch for, but just know that they may be difficult to spot because you may think they are just another symptom of getting older or are part of another health problem. With the help of an elderly care provider, you will be able to spot these symptoms before the senior’s high blood pressure becomes serious.
Rare Symptoms of High Blood Pressure If your loved one complains of the following symptoms, set up a doctor appointment as soon as possible.

• Dizziness
• Frequent and dull headaches
• Constantly getting nosebleeds

Emergency Symptoms of High Blood Pressure These symptoms may be the most dangerous for elderly adults to experience. Encourage the elder to get the blood pressure checked regularly in order to prevent the following symptoms from occurring:

• Shortness of breath
• Severe headache
• Nosebleed
• Severe anxiety

If you or an elder care provider checks the senior’s blood pressure and it is above 180, wait a few minutes and check again. If it is still at 180, call 911 immediately. This type of situation could lead to fluid in the lungs, swelling or bleeding of the brain, a tear in the heart’s main artery, or stroke.
Complications Not getting regular blood pressure checks could prove to be fatal if their blood pressure is unknowingly at a high rate. If this condition continues to go untreated, your loved one is at risk for the following complications:

• Damage to the kidneys
• Vision loss
• Buildup of fluid in the lungs
• Erectile dysfunction
• Memory loss

Treatments The doctor may want to put the senior on medication to bring their blood pressure down to a normal number. However, there are also lifestyle changes that could be made, such as:

• Eat more heart-healthy foods, like bananas, broccoli, and omega-3 fatty acids
• Avoid food and drinks that are high in sugar, as well as limiting the use of red meat and coconut oil
• Do aerobic or cardio exercises a few times a week to get the blood pumping

High blood pressure is a highly treatable condition. The elder should be going to doctor’s appointments yearly in order to find out they have this condition before it is too late. Source: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/SymptomsDiagnosisMonitoringofHighBloodPressure/What-are-the-Symptoms-of-High-Blood-Pressure_UCM_301871_Article.jsp#.WDO587Mg1-Y
If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Palm Beach County, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.