The Best Treatment Options For High Blood Pressure

June 11, 2008 · 176 views · Filed Under General Health

How to treat high blood pressure

Treatment for high blood pressure is a crucial focus for modern doctors – failure to deal with the problem increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and dementia.Â

Look after your blood pressure treatment properly and you can reduce the risk of death, the risk of stroke and the risk of heart attack or coronary disease.

The British Hypertension Society produced a new set of guidelines in 2004 and here’s what they say about blood pressure treatment and blood pressure measuring.

Blood Pressure Measurement Everyone of us should have a blood pressure measurement at least once every five years. Once we’re older than age eighty we should have a check at least once a year. If your blood pressure reading is on the high side or is on the cusp of becoming high then you really should be getting checked once every year no matter what age you are.

If their blood pressure reading is borderline or high then the frequency of checking should be increased to at least once a year.

You cant be diagosed with high blood pressure on the basis of only one reading. At least four separate readings should show high levels before you are told you have high blood pressure.

Nobody should be labelled as having high blood pressure unless at least four seperate seated readings confirm the problem.

Some people with suspected high blood pressure will need a twenty four hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor check. All of those who have high blood pressure should invest in a monitor that allows them to check at home.

High Blood Pressure Treatment

Get your life in order. Improving your lifestyle is the most important aspect of modern blood pressure treatment.

Lose weight – and don’t delay. Weight loss will reduce blood pressure levels in almost everyone. It could mean the difference between needing tablets every day for life or simply managing by controlling diet and general health.

Reduce your dietary intake of alcohol and salt. Reduce your saturated fat intake, increase oily fish or take extra in the form of fish oil capsules. Eat more fibre and try to max out on fresh fruit and vegetables.

Exercise – walking is best – for thirty minutes three times a week can significantly lower high blood pressure levels. If you can’t manage thirty minutes at a time then three ten minute bursts is just as good. Don’t just sit there …. go for it!

Blood pressure medication

If you do end up needing medication for your high blood pressure then you need to chat it through with your doctor. There are lots of options and your doctor can provide you with a tailor made combination of medications to suit your own health needs.

Most high blood pressure sufferers need more than one type of medication to achieve good blood pressure control. The target blood pressure level should be below 140/80 or below 130/80 if you suffer from diabetes as well as blood pressure. Newer guidelines set the bar even lower than that – with some cardiologists aiming for readings around 115/70 as the ideal.

In reality the lower your reading is the better your long term health will be.

Garleton Hill is a family doctor in Scotland and a specialist in blood pressure treatment. He suffers from high blood pressure himself so has a true insiders view of the topic Get more information regarding blood pressure.

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