Hypertension treatment

Hypertensive heart disease is the leading cause of strokes, heart attacks, kidney diseases and disorders of blood circulation. Diseases of the cardiovascular system and stroke remain the first and the third leading cause of death in the list of reasons the United States. More than 28 million Americans suffer from hypertension, including more than 22% of the population in the age group from 45 to 64 years. The danger of high blood pressure is often underestimated. Over time high blood pressure with age was seen as a factor contributing to better blood circulation against the background of a declining elasticity of blood vessels. Our studies show that high blood pressure can lead to damage of internal organs and the development of angina and heart attacks. Regardless of age, blood pressure lowering with diet or exercise, diuretic drugs and beta-blockers, in the event that shows the drug therapy, reduces the risk of heart attacks or strokes.
When you measure your blood pressure, the result is two numbers – systolic / diastolic blood pressure. Systolic pressure – the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts and ejects blood. The lower the elasticity of arteries with age (atherosclerosis), systolic blood pressure increases. Diastolic pressure – the pressure in the arteries when the heart relaxes and fills with blood. And systolic and diastolic blood pressure may be elevated. Increase in systolic and / or diastolic blood pressure can significantly increase the risk of angina one or myocardial infarction.
Non-drug treatment of high blood pressure
Blood pressure lowering should begin with non-drug methods. Use one or more of these techniques can help you reduce the pressure to a value which eliminates the need for medication. Even if you do not take antihypertensive drugs to lower blood pressure, you should listen to perhaps a greater number of these recommendations. One study found that more than one-third of people who were taking antihypertensive medications were able to refuse medical treatment using only dietoterapevticheskie methods. In addition, these recommendations safer drug therapy, because they do not lead to side effects. In addition to lowering blood pressure, these techniques may have other positive effects on your health.
1. Weight loss.
2. Restriction of salt intake. Reduce intake of salt – is one of the first steps if you want to lower their blood pressure.
3. Restricting alcohol consumption. Reducing the number of daily users of alcohol to 25 ml, based on 40% ethanol can significantly reduce blood pressure.
4. Exercise. Light exercise outdoors, such as a daily 15-20 minute walk at a comfortable pace will have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system and blood pressure.
5. Reduce the number of consumed fat. Reduce the number of consumed fat reduces blood pressure. Moreover, a diet high in animal fat – a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Thus, reducing the amount of fat in your diet will help reduce the risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system.
6. Increased consumption of coarse-fibered foods. A diet high in fiber may reduce blood pressure. A large amount of fiber contained in vegetables, fruits and whole grains. It should be understood that it is a tissue of the products, rather than tissue from dietary supplements.
Increased consumption of calcium and potassium can reduce blood pressure, although some researchers dispute this claim. Be that as it may, increased consumption of potassium and calcium, achieved through diet, may have other positive effects on your health and can be recommended as a health-building methods.
In a recent study conducted study of patients aged 60 to 80 years with well-controlled blood pressure, which was achieved long-term antihypertensive medication. The results showed that reducing salt intake to receive 1800 mg per day or less and a slight decrease in body weight (about 4, 5 kg) led to a further significant reduction in blood pressure against the backdrop of continuing drug therapy. By the end of the study, more than 30 percent of the patients blood pressure decreased by reducing the acceptance of salt and reduce body weight, up to a value at which eliminated the need for drug therapy. Reduce salt intake was equally effective in patients suffering and not suffering from overweight to prevent relapse, to reduce the need for antihypertensive drugs and reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases such as angina, heart attack. Reducing salt intake in combination with a decrease in body weight was more effective in reducing blood pressure than any of these methods separately, regardless of antihypertensive drugs.
When you need medication?
In deciding whether to resort to medication for hypertension should take into account two things. The first – is to improve health while reducing blood pressure, the degree of this improvement depends on how high was the initial pressure.
The second point – this is the risk of negative reactions, which depends largely on what is meant by this term.
As was shown in several studies, the reduction of elevated diastolic blood pressure reduces the chances of stroke and heart attack.
However, if elevated systolic blood pressure only, as often happens in older people, the positive effect of its reduction of medical methods is highly contentious. Most doctors believe that high systolic blood pressure requires medical treatment only if it exceeds a certain level. Reduction in systolic pressure no greater than this level, with the help of drugs is even more controversial.
Blood pressure is usually higher when it is measured in the doctor’s office, compared to when the patient measures his home, usually it is attributed to feelings of nervousness. Ask your doctor about the available methods for measuring blood pressure at home, so you can find out whether your increased blood pressure in the doctor’s office. If so, perhaps, that you should not resort to drug therapy.
What is meant by “normal pressure” in adults? – There is a certain level, which would separate the “normal” pressure from “high”. This often surprises people who ask what is “normal pressure”. The determining factor is age, since older people are capable of enduring high blood pressure with fewer adverse reactions of the organism than younger people. According to a widespread misconception, the pressure of 140/90 is too high for the elderly. Although 140/90 can and is increased pressure for young people, in the case of people over 60 years, it can be regarded as normal.
Drug therapy of hypertension
Regardless of your age, in most cases, blood pressure can be maintained at normal levels with only one drug. National Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood recommend starting treatment with sparing diuretics in low doses. The safest and best-studied is the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide. The initial dose should be low: from 12, 5 to 25 milligrams a day or even every other day. Most experts are inclined to believe that the treatment of hypertension in moderate or heart failure should begin with half the standard dose, then the dosage should be slowly increased.
If necessary the use of second drug, the National Institute for the Study of Heart, Lung, and Blood recommends the use of beta-blockers, although older patients are not as effective as in younger people. As a consequence, beta-blockers are never the drug of choice for treating hypertension in elderly patients.
Blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme is also effective as auxiliary agents. For the treatment of hypertension is rarely assigned more than two drugs. If you take more than two drugs, most likely you need a different treatment regimen. If desired reception third drug, hydralazine is a drug of choice
Common side effects of antihypertensive drugs
In deciding whether to resort to drug therapy for hypertension, it is necessary to consider both positive and negative aspects of such treatment. It is extremely important that you tell your doctor about any side effects and he could revise the regimen if necessary.
Here are some of the side effects of antihypertensive drugs.
Depression – often called beta-blockers, reserpine, methyldopa and clonidine.
Fast fatigue – often called beta-blockers, reserpine, methyldopa and clonidine.
Impotence and other sexual dysfunction – often called beta-blockers, methyldopa, and many other drugs used in treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Dizziness – orthostatic hypotension as a consequence of a sharp rise from a sitting or lying position. That can lead to falls and fractures – often seen when taking any antihypertensive drugs, especially in the case guanitidina, prazosin and methyldopa. Older people have this side effect occurs more frequently, due to reduced compensatory capacity of the cardiovascular system with age.
Loss of appetite and nausea – especially often observed in the admission of hydrochlorothiazide, digoxin, and potassium preparations.
There are other side effects that may occur while taking any antihypertensive drugs. If you have a any side effects, or you just feel worse, tell your doctor. Very often preferable to have slightly elevated blood pressure without any – any kind of side effects from medication than low blood pressure on a background of serious adverse reactions to taking drugs that can seriously impair quality of life.
Cancel medication.
Traditionally, patients have reported that hypertension means the medication throughout their lives, while thousands of patients have refused medication, without notice or consultation with their doctors. For some patients, this is extremely dangerous, but many others are really no longer need to be taking antihypertensive drugs. According to the results of two large studies conducted in Australia and the UK, one third to one half of patients with essential hypertension and moderate, who refused to receive antihypertensive therapy, had normal blood pressure for a year or more.
In an editorial in the British Medical Journal says: “Treating hypertension is the prerogative of Preventive Medicine, and as in the case of any preventive strategy, the dynamics of treatment should be regularly monitored by your doctor. Many problems can be avoided, if not to start drug therapy of hypertension to a thorough examination of the patient … Patients should no longer say that the treatment of hypertension should continue throughout life, the possibility of dose reduction or complete withdrawal of antihypertensive drugs should be said from the beginning. ” This view is shared by American spetsalistami in the treatment of hypertension, who say “if your blood pressure remains at normal levels during the year, you should try to slowly reduce the dose of antihypertensive medications or consider using non-drug therapies.”