Managing Your Blood Pressure after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant

This video will explain why you may develop high blood pressure after your allogeneic stem cell transplant, the health risks of having high blood pressure, and what you can do to prevent or lower high blood pressure.

Blood pressure is the pressure that your blood puts on the walls of your arteries. Arteries are the blood vessels that bring blood from your heart to other parts of your body.

Your blood pressure has two numbers. The top number, called systolic blood pressure, is measured when your heart is beating. The bottom number, called diastolic blood pressure, is measured when your heart is resting.

One or both of these numbers can be too high. When they're too high, it's called high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

If your blood pressure is higher than 120 over 80, your heart is working too hard. High blood pressure can cause a heart attack, heart failure, other damage to your heart, a stroke, and kidney problems.

Some causes of high blood pressure are being overweight, having sleep apnea, being stressed, not getting enough exercise, eating too much high-salt and high-fat foods, having too much caffeine or alcohol, and smoking or using other kinds of tobacco.

Kidney problems and certain medications and cancer treatments can also cause high blood pressure.

18 to 56% of people who've had an allogeneic stem cell transplant have high blood pressure afterward.

Having a transplant can make you more likely to develop high blood pressure if you've had total body irradiation, or if you take medications such as tacrolimus, sirolimus, cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, also known as MMF, or prednisone.

Preventing and treating high blood pressure should start with lifestyle changes.

To control your blood pressure, eat and drink less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of salt every day. Salt and sodium are the same thing.

You can do this by choosing fresh or frozen vegetables, which are naturally low in sodium; eating low-salt varieties of canned soups, canned vegetables, and condiments, such as soy sauce; or using herbs and spices other than salt when you cook.

You should also avoid salty snacks, such as potato chips and pretzels, and processed meats such as deli meats and bacon.

Eating mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts can lower blood pressure by up to 7 points. Eating less meat, full-fat dairy products, and added fats makes your blood less thick. This allows your blood to flow more easily through your arteries. Vegetables and fruits help lower blood pressure because they're high in potassium.

Try to eat 4,700 milligrams (mg) of potassium every day, unless your healthcare provider tells you to limit the amount of potassium in your diet.

Avoid fatty foods, such as animal products and fried foods, and become more physically active.

Losing any extra weight can help lower your blood pressure by 5 to 20 points.

Doing 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as jogging or taking a brisk walk every day, can help lower blood pressure by 4 to 9 points in just 1 to 3 months.

Eating and drinking less caffeine, not using tobacco, and limiting the amount of alcohol you drink can also help you lower your blood pressure.

Meditating can reduce your stress and blood pressure if you do it regularly. Practicing for even a few minutes a day can help.

Our Integrative Medicine website has videos that will help you learn how to meditate. And finally stay motivated.

You may find it helpful to try a goal-tracking app online or on your smartphone to stay on track with your health goals. You can find suggestions for these apps under the “Diet and Fitness” section of MSK's library website. You can reach this site directly by typing: libguides.mskcc.org/mobile-patient.

If your healthcare provider has prescribed medications to control your blood pressure, it's important to take them as prescribed and have your blood pressure checked as recommended by your doctor.

For more information about your heart health after allogeneic bone marrow transplant, visit www.mskcc.org/pe. There, you can find written information, such as Managing Metabolic Syndrome After Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant, as well as more videos.