1. One Out of Three Adults
Blood pressure is the strength of your blood as it presses alongside the artery walls while your heart pumps blood out. If that pressure is elevated for any length of time your body may be harmed in a variety of ways. High blood pressure (HBP), or hypertension, often leads to coronary heart disease, organ failure or stroke. Since HBP generally is symptom-free, you can suffer with the condition for a while without knowing it. A byproduct of aging, high blood pressure responds well to healthy living and medication.
2. Know Your Numbers
Blood pressure numbers consist of systolic (when your heart beats while pumping) and diastolic (when your heart is resting) pressures. When written, the systolic pressure appears first or on top of the diastolic, such as 120/80. Doctors consider anything less than that number a normal blood pressure. Numbers between 120/80 and 139/89 are a precursor to HBP. Higher numbers are cause for concern. Those numbers also dictate which high blood pressure medication is right for you.
3. Diuretics Are the First Choice
Diuretics treat high blood pressure in the 140/90 to 159/99 range. These water pills reduce your blood pressure by ridding your body of any excess fluid and salt. Thiazide diuretics, the most commonly prescribed medication, have limited side effects, coupled with the ability to protect against stroke and heart failure.
4. Vasodilators May Help HBP
Other prescription medications are available for treating high blood pressure, such as vasodilators. This drug relaxes the muscles inside blood vessel walls, allowing the vessel to widen. Sympathetic nerves extend from your brain to the rest of your body, even your arteries. Sympathetic nerve inhibitors prevent those nerves from narrowing your blood vessels, which causes your blood pressure to rise. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast feeding your baby because vasodilators may be harmful. The elderly also may have problems with this type medication, so it's not a cure-all for everyone.
5. Pack a One-Two Punch
The medical community recommends combining other high blood pressure medications with a diuretic if your blood pressure is above 160/100. This one-two prescription punch produces faster results, requires lower dosages, has fewer side effects and costs less. Taken in conjunction with a water pill, beta-blockers lower your heart rate and reduce blood output. ACE inhibitors relax your blood vessels while angiotensin II receptor blockers expand them. Calcium channel blockers stop calcium from invading your heart and blood vessel muscle cells, relax the cells and lower your blood pressure. Discuss all treatment options with your physician to determine the right high blood pressure medication for you. Tell him if you have other medical conditions or if you suffer from drug allergies. Be sure to discuss the various side effects and drug interaction of any medications.
