High blood pressure or hypertension is blood pressure that consistently remains above the normal range of 140/90 mm Hg. Hypertension can put you at risk of various health concerns like heart attack, stroke, kidney, and eye damage, says the FDA. While high pressure can develop over time, and you may not be able to diagnose it early, fortunately, you can manage it with lifestyle changes and medication. Learn how to get on top of your hypertension issues:
Lifestyle Changes for Managing High Blood Pressure
Regardless of whether you are just beginning to develop symptoms of hypertension or have been suffering from it for some time, you can always make lifestyle changes to reduce it to a healthy level so that you can reduce or even eliminate medications. Eating a healthy and balanced diet with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, reducing salt intake, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing stress can help to reduce blood pressure.
You must get enough exercise. You should aim for 30-45 minutes of moderate activity at least five days a week. It is not necessary to exercise in one spell because you can break it up into three sessions of 10-15 minutes each. Ideally, you should avoid alcohol but if you must drink, do so in moderation. According to doctors, men can consume up to two drinks daily, while women should restrain themselves to half that.
Medication for Managing Hypertension
If you find lifestyle changes proving inadequate in reducing your high blood pressure, you should consult your doctor, who may prescribe medication. There are several kinds of blood pressure medication. A common one is a diuretic that removes excess sodium and water from your body, which reduces the amount of fluid passing through the arteries and veins, thus lowering the pressure on their walls. Your doctor may recommend angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors that help your blood vessels to relax by not allowing angiotensin, a body chemical that narrows blood vessels to form if the diuretic medication does not prove effective. Alternatively, he may prescribe angiotensin 2 receptor blockers (ARBs), easily available on Canadian Pharmacy Online to block angiotensin action.
Other possible medication includes calcium channel blockers that stop calcium ingress into the arteries and heart cells, allowing them to relax and open more. The doctor may also prescribe beta blockers that block the impact of adrenalin, resulting in the heart beating less rapidly and with less force. Other effective blood pressure medications include renin inhibitors that slow the production of renin which increases blood pressure and alpha-blockers that cause the blood vessels to stay relaxed and open.
Conclusion
Your doctor may need to experiment a bit to find which medication, in addition to lifestyle changes, works the best for you because the impact depends on factors like your gender, age, race, underlying health conditions, and blood pressure level. Sometimes, you may need two or more medicines to achieve your blood pressure goal. Keeping track of your blood pressure at home using inexpensive home blood pressure monitors can help you and your doctor evaluate the efficacy of your treatment.