How To Control High Blood Pressure

The questions and answers below explain how to control high blood pressure.

Q - Why is high blood pressure control important?

A - It's important to control HBP because it can damage different organs of the body if left uncontrolled for a long period of time. HBP is a major cause of heart failure, stroke, kidney failure , and blindness. Adopting good control measures can prevent most of these complications.

Q - How can high blood pressure be controlled?

A - To control high blood pressure, you need to remove the cause of the HBP. This is possible in people who have HBP from a known cause which can be corrected e.g. Those taking drugs will be better if they stop the drugs or switch to alternative medications, While those with coarctation of the aorta will be better if they had a surgical operation to correct it.

However, in over 95% of cases, the specific cause of hypertension isn't known and the options available for treating these people include - Drug therapy and Non Drug therapy.

• Non-Drug Therapy, which basically is life style modification, involves all the methods that lower blood pressure without having to take medications. It involves changes in eating and exercise habits, and a removal of all the risk factors of high blood pressure. Learn more on non drug therapy for high blood pressure
• Drug Therapy involves taking different medications to lower the blood pressure and to prevent complications from developing. The drugs that directly lower blood pressure are grouped into different classes. Some are more effective in certain individuals than others. Your physician or health care provider is trained on how to control high blood pressure and will help you decide on which is best for you. The drugs which are used to prevent complications include fat lowering drugs and drugs that prevent excessive clotting of blood. Learn more about high blood pressure medications.

Q - Which is the best method for me?

A - You need to see a doctor who is responsible for deciding on how to control high blood pressure in most cases. Your doctor will discuss with you, examine you and carry out some tests. Then decide on which is best for you.

It is common practice for everyone with high blood pressure to adopt lifestyle modifications or non-drug therapy. But in cases of severe hypertension, drugs are usually added. Those with secondary hypertension due to a correctible cause will have those causes corrected.

Q - How will I know if my blood pressure is being controlled?

A - You will have to monitor your blood pressure frequently. Your doctor or health care provider will provide you with your target blood pressure and a means to record the results of your frequent measurements for review later.

You will also need to have frequent follow up visits with your health care providers to review the progress which you have made so far and discuss modifications to the treatment process.

Portable blood pressure devices are available for you to use anytime you need at home, and they are easy to operate by following simple directions.

Q - How soon can results be seen?

A - When drug treatment starts, you may begin to notice changes in a matter of weeks. Doctors prefer a gradual process of lowering blood pressure to give the body time to adjust to the changes. Lowering your blood pressure suddenly may be more harmful than hypertension itself. But there are some situations where an extremely high blood pressure has to be brought down faster than normal. Your doctor will decide on what is best for you.

Lifestyle modification takes a longer time - months - to achieve its aim. But if maintained, the results are longer lasting. In addition, they don't have all the side effects that many of the drugs have.

Q - What should I do if my hypertension isn't being controlled?

A - Please, be patient. Don't give up. Keep visiting your physician. Some drugs may be stopped, the doses of some may be increased and new ones may be added. Most people achieve good control after several attempts with different drugs. The drugs work differently in different people. It is not un-usual for someone to take a combination of drugs before good control can be achieved. Knowing how to control high blood pressure is one thing, the big task however is the patience required. But it can be done together with your health care provider.

Q - Are there any other methods of high blood pressure control?

A - There are claims of newer methods of treating high blood pressure, but these have not been easily reproducible in most people and so have not been accepted as standard high blood pressure control measures.

Before you embark on any of these new ways, especially if you have to take any herbal remedies, please consult your doctor. It may have substances that conflict with you HBP medication.

Published - June, 2006