No Simple Answer for High Blood Pressure


Blood PressureIf you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you may have been led to believe that medication is a reasonably certain way to control it. But more and more, doctors are finding that a multi-pronged approach, including exercise, diet, a strong physician/pharmacist team and even your mindset could be the best way to bring things under control. Here's what's happening in labs, doctor's offices and in the patient's own home when it comes to today's high blood pressure care.

 

Warning Signs
Some people who are later diagnosed with high blood pressure—called hypertension in the medical community—recall having had symptoms. But a very large number of hypertension patients say they had no symptoms at all. This makes it all the more important that you get screened regularly for high blood pressure.

 

When symptoms do occur, they include vision changes, chest pain, ear “buzzing,” confusion, vision changes and, in extreme cases, headache and/or pressure (see your doctor immediately particularly if this last symptom is present).

 

These symptoms could mean other conditions, however—if they occur at all. That's why it's important to be screened regularly at your doctor's office or clinic to find out what your blood pressure is, how it compares to the last time you were checked and whether or not you may need treatment.

 

A Measure of Heart Health
A blood pressure reading records systolic pressure (the top number), which measures the pressure created when the heart beats, and diastolic pressure (the bottom number), the pressure within your blood vessels when the heart is at rest. In a standard 120/80 blood pressure reading, 120 is the systolic measurement, and 80 is the diastolic measurement.

 

Generally speaking, if your systolic number is above 140 and/or your diastolic number is above 90—and these readings are found to be consistent (certain events, including stress or pregnancy, can temporarily raise blood pressure), you are considered to have high blood pressure.

 

Many doctors are beginning to take a proactive approach, however, and are addressing what is called “pre-hypertension.” This would be a systolic pressure of 120-139 and/or a diastolic pressure of 80-89. If your readings fall within this category, your doctor will probably want to take your blood pressure reading several times during a single day or several days in a row, to see whether the condition is consistent and warrants attention.

 

Drugs Options for Hypertension
Having high blood pressure puts you at a higher than average risk for certain diseases such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease. For these reasons, your doctor may immediately wish to put you on a drug regimen to control your condition.

 

Because of the seriousness of hypertension, pharmaceutical research is ongoing. You may be prescribed one or more of the following:

  • Diuretics. These flush excess water and sodium from the body. (It's notable that despite newer and more targeted drug advancements, some researchers are saying that the old stand-by of a diuretic may be superior to other medicines.
  • ACE inhibitors. ACE inhibitors cause blood vessels to relax, hence lowering blood pressure. They work by preventing the formation of a certain hormone that causes vessels to narrow.
  • Beta-blockers. These make the heart beat somewhat more slowly, with less force.
  • Calcium channel blockers. CCBs prevent calcium from entering the muscles of the heart and blood vessels, which causes them to relax.
  • Vasodilators. These open or widen blood vessels to reduce pressure.

Other drug treatment options include alpha-beta blockers, nervous system inhibitors and angiotensin antagonists.

 

It Doesn't Stop There
Drug treatment of hypertension is fine—in fact, many times, it's critical—but drugs only give part of the picture, researchers say. Lifestyle changes, including avoiding salt/sodium, achieving or maintaining a healthy weight, exercising and reducing stress are all part of the big picture when it comes to high blood pressure management.

 

Research is pointing to ways to enhance drug and lifestyle change therapies. For instance, meditation was found to directly impact blood pressure in this study. And interestingly, it has been found that when doctors and pharmacists work together to achieve the appropriate medication for the client, the results can be better for the patient.

 

Other researchers are looking into links to existing drugs and how they may help in the field of hypertension treatment. One artificial sweetener may actually help control blood pressure, the authors of the study say.

 

It all points to the same thing: treating high blood pressure means looking into all aspects of the patient—his or her lifestyle, for example, and level of stress—rather than being reduced to a single pill. By combining pharmaceutical, stress-relieving, diet and exercise benefits, you'll increase your chances of maintaining a healthy blood pressure...and a healthy life.

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