There were times that we often hear the terms “high blood pressure” and “blood sugar” from our elders that at times, we confuse or mistakenly interchange them. Were High blood pressure and Blood sugar levels the same?
First, let us define what high blood pressure and blood sugar are to determine if they are similar or perhaps related to each other.
Blood pressure is the force of circulating blood on the walls of the arteries while blood sugar is the main sugar found in your blood. It comes from the food you eat and is your body’s main source of energy. Your blood carries glucose to all of your body’s cells to use for energy.
Now that we defined the two terms, what was the relationship between blood pressure and blood sugar? Your body has sensors throughout it to determine if you are at the correct blood glucose level. If the level goes too low, your body might release adrenalin hormones to trigger an increase in the level of glucose in the blood. If blood glucose goes too high, your body will release insulin and other hormones to correct the level back down to an appropriate range. This also applies to maintaining a normal blood pressure level. In many ways, keeping your blood pressure in a good range is even more critical than keeping your blood glucose in a good range.
Insulin has a complex relationship with the production in blood vessels. It blocks the ability of the body to make nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is important to blood vessels because it is one of the very few ways to expand the size of the blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
If anyone or if you have diabetes or hypertension, or worse, both, it is extremely important to have a regular check-up to help you maintain your blood sugar and blood pressure at their normal levels. With prescribed medication and a healthy lifestyle, you can manage to both and live healthily.
Get checked today in Kaiser Medical Clinics Located near you.
