High blood pressure Treatment

High blood pressure is often called the “silent killer” because you can have it for years without knowing it. Even without any symptoms, a blood pressure level in the prehypertensive range can increase your risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure.

The type of medication prescribed to treat high blood pressure will depend upon the patient and any other underlying illnesses that they might have. Medications that are often used include:

• Diuretics: Often called “water pills,” they cause the kidneys to make more urine and decrease the amount of fluid in the body.
• Beta blockers: These medications tend to relax the smooth muscles in artery walls decreasing the resting diastolic pressure. Additionally, they cause the heart to beat less forcefully, decreasing systolic pressure.
• Calcium channel blockers: These drugs work at the heart cell level, blocking the flow of calcium in and out of the cell, which causes the heart to contract less forcefully, and decreasing the systolic pressure it generates.
• Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs): These medications affect a group of hormones in the body that are associated with the kidney and blood pressure control, including renin, angiotensin, vasopressin and aldosterone. These medications cause arterial dilation and also affect the secretion of vasopressin and aldosterone.

lower your blood pressure with lifestyle changes

Start with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole-grain high-fiber products; choose fat-free and low-fat dairy products, legumes, poultry and lean meats; and eat fish, preferably omega-3 containing fish (e.g. salmon, trout, herring).

Take These Preventive Tips Seriously

	Following a Healthy Eating Pattern
	Reducing Salt and Sodium in Your Diet
	Maintaining a Healthy Weight
	Being Physically Active
	Limiting Alcohol Intake
	Quitting Smoking
	Stress Management

Stress can make blood pressure go up for a while, and it has been thought to contribute to high blood pressure. But the long-term effects of stress are as yet unclear. Stress management techniques do not seem to prevent high blood pressure. However, such techniques may have other benefits, such as making you feel better or helping you to control over-eating.