 High
blood pressure or hypertension is an underlying symptom of Polycystic
Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). It's a key risk factor in developing
coronary heart disease (CHD), which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
The onset of high blood pressure is a serious health problem for several
reasons: it is a very common condition with wide-spread consequences and
can remain asymptomatic or undiagnosed until relatively late in its course.
Numerous studies have proved that PCOS-linked Insulin Resistance and the
resulting hyperinsulinemia (elevated insulin in the blood) lead to elevations
in blood pressure. This is because insulin causes atherosclerosis, which directly
affects the diameter of the inside of the vessel.
Blood pressure is determined by cardiac output - how much blood the heart
is pumping per beat, total peripheral resistance and how easily the blood
is pumped to the farthest points of the body. Blood pressure itself is
affected by various factors, such as genetics, lifestyle and environment.
The higher the blood pressure, the greater the chances of suffering a heart
attack or stroke.
Inflammation, which is part of the body's defense response to long-term harmful stimuli like high pressure, may have a role to play. To learn more, see Inflammation, Insulin Resistance and PCOS.
| "In less than 3 weeks I've started losing
weight again after being
"stuck" on Weight Watchers for about a year. I've lost about 4
lbs since
starting Insulite but more significantly my blood pressure is
well within normal limits now and I can tell my metabolism is
better. I am not getting that slump between meals and am able to control
between-meal snacking, and I have a lot of energy throughout the day rather
than periods where I need to nap. I just ordered the 6 months
supply. Thank you!"
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Teresa Ruth |
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Boise, Idaho |
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Think of your vascular system as a complex, interlocking web of hoses,
similar to the garden variety. The smaller the size of the hose, the more
pressure on all of the other hoses as less blood flows through per minute.
The heart must pump harder to get blood to distant sites while facing the
decreased diameter of vessels. This increases the pressure of the entire
cardiovascular system causing elevated blood pressure.
Atherosclerosis is what happens when deposits of fatty substances like
cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other material build
up in the inner lining of an artery. This build up is commonly called plaque
and most scientists agree it begins with damage to the innermost layer
of the artery wall. Causes of this damage come from elevated levels of
LDL "bad" cholesterol and the fatty blood lipids called triglycerides
in the blood, high blood pressure, tobacco smoke and Diabetes.
Chronic elevations of glucose and insulin levels are classic symptoms of Insulin
Resistance, which is an underlying cause of PCOS. One of the primary
risk factors for atherosclerosis is an elevated level of fatty substances in the blood called triglycerides.
In turn, the biggest risk factor for increasing the production of triglycerides
is the rate of your insulin secretion.
As insulin comes in contact with the interior wall of the arteries, it
is caustic to the tissue, causing the initial injury that produces plaque.
As plaque builds up on the interior wall of the arteries, the circumference
of the arteries decreases, thus increasing the pressure of the blood rushing
through the entire vascular system.
This complex interaction becomes a serious health concern because as high
blood pressure increases, the chances of life-threatening medical conditions
also increase. High blood pressure makes your heart work harder than normal.
As a result, both the heart and arteries are more prone to injury.
High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, stroke, kidney
failure, eye damage and congestive heart failure. If you have high blood
pressure, are obese, smoke or have high blood cholesterol levels or Diabetes,
your risk of heart attack or stroke goes up dramatically.
 Untreated
high blood pressure forces your heart to work harder to pump enough blood
and oxygen to your body's organs and tissues, damaging arteries and arterioles
- the very small arteries that connect larger arteries to tiny capillaries.
Arterial damage is a serious health issue because hardened or narrowed
arteries may not be able to supply enough blood to your body's organs,
thus reducing their ability to function properly. In addition, plaque may
dislodge from the sides of the artery wall, forming a blockage in another
part of your body and causing a heart attack or stroke.
Although there are pharmaceuticals that can help lower blood pressure,
there are currently no drugs that will completely reverse Insulin Resistance
or PCOS; you must rely on a multi-faceted approach to improving these conditions.
A complete system, including nutraceuticals (vitamins, herbs and minerals
that are disease specific), a realistic exercise program, nutritional guidance
and a support network that will help you change unhealthy lifestyle choices,
is required to address the issues presented by these syndromes.
Click here to
read about how the ground-breaking Insulite PCOS System can
help reduce high blood pressure by balancing glucose and insulin levels
caused by Insulin Resistance-related obesity. The system
includes several formulations, including GlucX, which features fenugreek,
a nutrient that can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels to reduce high
blood pressure.
You may be interested in some of our Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQs) about PCOS and the Insulite PCOS System.
Click
here to read about PCOS and
Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X)
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