Treatment of High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure Treatment Follow-Up

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is dangerous because it can lead to strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, or kidney disease. The goal of hypertension treatment is to lower high blood pressure and protect important organs, like the brain, heart, and kidneys from damage. Treatment for hypertension has been associated with reductions in stroke (reduced an average of 35%-40%), heart attack (20%-25%), and heart failure (more than 50%), according to research.

High blood pressure is now classified as a systolic blood pressure greater than 130 and diastolic over 80.

To prevent high blood pressure, everyone should be encouraged to make lifestyle modifications, such as eating a healthier diet, quitting smoking, and getting more exercise. Treatment with medication is recommended to lower blood pressure to less than 130/80 in people older than age 65 and those with risk factors such as diabetes and high cholesterol.

Treating high blood pressure involves lifestyle changes and possibly drug therapy.

Lifestyle Changes to Treat High Blood Pressure

A critical step in preventing and treating high blood pressure is a healthy lifestyle. You can lower your blood pressure with the following lifestyle changes:

Losing weight if you are overweight or obese

Quitting smoking

Eating a healthy diet, including the DASH diet (eating more fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy products, less saturated and total fat)

Reducing the amount of sodium in your diet to less than 1,500 milligrams a day if you have high blood pressure; healthy adults should try to limit their sodium intake to no more 2,300 milligrams a day (about 1 teaspoon of salt).

Getting regular aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking at least 30 minutes a day, several days a week)

Limiting alcohol to two drinks a day for men, one drink a day for women

In addition to lowering blood pressure, these measures enhance the effectiveness of high blood pressure drugs.

Drugs to Treat High Blood Pressure

There are several types of drugs used to treat high blood pressure, including:

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors

Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)

Diuretics

Beta-blockers

Calcium channel blockers

Alpha-blockers

Alpha-agonists

Renin inhibitors