Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the arteries in the right side of the heart as well as the lungs, as described by MedlinePlus.com. It results from narrowed or blocked capillaries and pulmonary arteries, rendering it more difficult for blood to circulate and thereby raising blood pressure. The condition progressively worsens and can lead to heart failure, even with treatment. There is no cure, but there are treatments for its symptoms. These include chest pain, fatigue, weakness, ankle and leg swelling, dizziness and blue lips or skin.
Potassium
Potassium is a mineral that acts as an electrolyte in the body. Its primary benefit to pulmonary hypertension is that it can help lower blood pressure. However, it's also indirectly beneficial to the heart and circulatory system. By helping to regulate the electrical synapses in the heart, as explained by MedlinePlus.com, it can help maintain heart health by mitigating disturbances resulting from pulmonary hypertension. It's also necessary for metabolism as well as muscle growth and health. Sources include meats; fish, including cod, salmon, flounder and sardines; vegetables, such as Lima beans, potatoes, tomatoes, peas and broccoli; and fruits, such as cantaloupe, bananas, kiwi and apricots.
Magnesium
Magnesium can indirectly benefit those with pulmonary hypertension. For example, one of its functions in the body is to regulate muscle contraction and relaxation, including the heart. One of the serious components of pulmonary hypertension is the pressure it places on the heart's contractions, resulting in inordinate stress that can lead to heart failure, according to the American Heart Association. Magnesium can help to reduce this effect, thus reducing the overall detriment of pulmonary hypertension. Other functions of magnesium include facilitating energy transport, activating enzymes and assisting in producing protein.
Fiber
Soluble fiber can help reduce pulmonary hypertension most, given that it actually enters the bloodstream, according to MedlinePlus.com. Contrary to insoluble fiber, soluble fiber actually draws in water, causing it to become a sort of gel that can then absorb into the bloodstream. Once there, it can effectively reduce overall hypertension by reducing cholesterol levels and otherwise facilitating the movement of blood throughout the circulatory system to render it easier. Fiber can also assist with digestion, increase satiety and help with weight control, all of which are important practices to maintain health with pulmonary hypertension. Dietary fiber derives from nuts, legumes, vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
Vitamin C and B6
Vitamins C and B6 are effective diuretics, although vitamin C is more so, according to Mohammed Abdo Abbasy in "The Diuretic Action of Vitamin C." A diuretic is a dietary component that encourages urination. The effect this has on pulmonary hypertension is twofold. Foremost, it reduces the overall volume of blood in the circulatory system, automatically reducing blood pressure. Moreover, though, it also reduces sodium, which can substantially raise blood pressure, particularly when there is a pre-existing condition. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant, reducing cell damage resulting from complications associated with pulmonary hypertension. All fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. Vitamin B6 appears in potatoes, garbanzo beans, chicken, pork, beef, trout, sunflower seeds, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, salmon, tuna, wheat bran, peanuts, walnuts, soybeans, Lima beans and several fortified foods, such as cereals and breads.
References
- MedlinePlus.com: Pulmonary Hypertension
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B6
- MedlinePlus.com: Dietary Fiber
- MedlinePlus.com: Magnesium in Diet
- MedlinePlus.com: Potassium in Diet
- "The Diuretic Action of Vitamin C"; Mohammed Abdo Abbasy; Biochemistry Journal; February 1937
