Hypertension Natural Remedies – Control High Blood Pressure Naturally

Our heart pumps oxygenated blood in to blood vessels called arteries which carry the pure blood to all parts of our body. When blood pushes against the arterial walls while traveling, a pressure is generated, called blood pressure. High BP may be classified in to primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension occurs due to no specific cause. Secondary hypertension occurs due to some underlying disease.

Causes of High BP

1. Overweight
2. Aging
3. Genetic grounds
4. Alcohol abuse
5. Sodium or salt sensitivity
6. Smoking
7. Caffeine intake
8. Emotional stress
9. Medications like contraceptive pills, diet pills, steroids etc.
10. Kidney disease
11. Adrenal gland disease 12. Narrowing of arteries.

Symptoms of High BP

1. Headaches
2.

Dizziness
3. Nose bleeding
4. Fatigue
5. Blurred vision
6. Sleepiness
7. Shortness of breath
8. Restlessness
9. Flushed face
10. Impaired memory

Remedies for Controlling High BP Naturally

1. One should stop smoking completely. Smoking damages blood vessels and hardens the arteries. A person who smokes is more prone to cardiovascular diseases and arteriosclerosis. In other words, high blood pressure worsens with smoking.

2. One should try to reduce weight. Most obese people have high blood pressure. Obesity can be controlled by cutting down on daily calorie consumption, avoiding chocolates and fatty junk food, doing calorie burning free hand exercises daily.

3. Reduction in salt intake can reduce blood pressure. One has to carefully read food labels and select food products with low sodium content. It is advisable not to consume more than 2000 milligrams of salt or one teaspoon salt per day.

4. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be included in diet. Meat consumption is to be reduced. Food rich in cholesterol and saturated fats should be strictly avoided. Cholesterol also leads to arteriosclerosis. Often high BP patients are asked to take potassium-rich food items, for potassium regulates pressure effectively. Food items like watermelons, bananas, oranges, potato, spinach etc contain high amounts of potassium.

5. Caffeine causes rise in BP, and thus it has to be checked. Coffee, tea, sodas that are rich in caffeine should be taken only in modest amounts.

6. Lowering stress can lower blood pressure. Practicing yoga, breathing exercises, extra-curricular activities, listening to music can reduce stress and allow one to be happy in life.

7. Exercises are essential for those with high blood pressure. 30 minutes of work-out daily is very necessary. Aerobic exercises, brisk walks and jogging can be done

8. Alcohol consumption should strictly be cut down.

9. Drinking plenty of water improves blood circulation to a large extent. One should drink good quantity of water to allow smooth flow of blood through blood vessels. This lowers BP.

10. Herbal supplement Stresx capsule is also very beneficial in lowering high BP and maintaining healthy blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure Natural Remedies – Control BP Naturally

High blood pressure is a common ailment troubling masses these days. If timely controlled, one may lead a healthy life even with high BP or else it may be quite risky and even life threatening. Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by blood on the artery walls while flowing through arteries in to the various organs. Normal BP is around 120/80 mm or millimeters of mercury.

The two figures in BP reading stand for systolic pressure and diastolic pressure respectively. The top number is systolic pressure; it is the pressure of blood on arteries, when heart contracts and pumps blood in to arteries. The lower number indicates diastolic pressure; it is the blood pressure on arteries, when heart relaxes after contraction. Thus systolic pressure indicates maximum pressure and diastolic pressure indicates minimum pressure of blood on arteries.

One needs to worry when systolic pressure exceeds 140 mm and diastolic pressure exceeds 90 mm. The reading implies high blood pressure. Consistent high BP may lead to heart failures, kidney failures, brain damage, cardiovascular disorders, hardening of arteries etc.

Causes

1. Aging

]]>

2. Family history
3. Salt or sodium sensitivity
4. Alcoholism
5. Smoking tobacco
6. Caffeine intake
7. Obesity
8. Stress
9. Inactivity
10. Certain medications like contraceptive pills, diet pills, steroids.

Symptoms

1. Headache
2. Sleepiness
3. Irritation
4. Dizziness
5. Nose-bleeding
6. Nausea and vomiting
7. Flushed face
8. Visual problems.

Control BP (Blood pressure) Naturally

1. Weight reduction – Obesity is one cause of blood pressure. Losing extra pounds can reduce BP miraculously. For instance, losing 10 pounds can work wonders for a patient of BP. Weight reduction improves the effectiveness of BP medicines, the patient is taking. The doctor may suggest a target weight and the patient must strive to achieve it. Also one must be attentive about one’s waist line. Flab around waist increases the risk of blood pressure. For men, the waist line should not exceed 40 inches and for women, the waist line should not exceed 35 inches.

2. Reduction in alcohol intake – Heavy drinking increases BP. More than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men can cause elevation in BP. One may maintain an alcohol intake diary to estimate ones drinking pattern. If one is consuming more than 12 ounces of beer or 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80 – proof liquor, it is wise to cut down. Sudden break in drinking can have a reverse effect, raising BP considerably. It must be done under doctor’s supervision.

3. Avoiding smoking – Smoking and tobacco intake should be avoided strictly. Nicotine in tobacco causes considerable rise in BP. Blood pressure may rise up to 10 mm, after an hour of smoking. Being a passive smoker or inhaling smoke can also cause the same kind of health problem.

4. Cutting down on caffeine intake – One must reduce the intake of caffeinated beverages, for it causes a hike in BP. One must not consume more than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day.

5. Herbal supplements – Stresx capsule is a clinically formulated herbal supplement that works highly effectively against hypertension or high BP. It not only lowers high BP but also helps in maintaining healthy blood pressure level naturally.

Find More Controlling Blood Pressure Naturally Articles

All of us know that high blood pressure is a very common problem all over the world. There are various types of hypertension but essential hypertension is the most commonly found type. It is not related to any specific cause and is mostly related to heredity and lifestyle. Hypertension is one of the most dreaded lifestyle diseases.

It has been estimated in many studies that about a quarter of adult population have high blood pressure and the worst part is that about a third of them do not even know that they have hypertension. This condition is generally associated with many serious diseases like heart problems, strokes, kidney problems and failure of many organs in the body.

High blood pressure is usually difficult to detect in everyday life because its symptoms are very subtle and nonspecific. It can present as headaches and dizziness for example. The best way is to go to your doctor and ask for a BP check. If the BP is found to be normal, You must plan to recheck it about every 6 months.

If you have high blood pressure, your first effort should be to control it without any medications with as natural methods as possible. Following are some of the ways to reduce your hypertension naturally:

1. You should have your weight maintained in the normal range. If you are over-weight, the chances of complications of hypertension are high. By reducing weight significantly you can actually bring the systolic pressure down to normal level if your blood pressure is of mild to moderate degree.

2. Do some physical exercises. If you do not have enough time, do whatever is possible. Some exercise is better than no exercise.

3. Reduce the salt intake in your diet. People usually consume about ten grams per day. The average intake recommended is 5 grams per day. If you further reduce it to about 3 grams, it will definitely help control your blood pressure.

4. Change your eating habits. You should eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetable. Have foods low in fat and take lean meat, chicken and fish. Eat fruits rich in potassium. It has been proved in many studies that potassium is quite effective to treat this condition. Garlic is also good for high blood pressure. It is better to take garlic supplements because the high beneficial doses of garlic cannot be consumed in your food only.

5. You should avoid caffeine. One cup of coffee per day is okay. It is not considered to be good if it is more than that. Consumption of red wine in moderate quantities has been known to reduce hypertension.

6. Controlling all the factors which cause anxiety, stress and loud noise can help reduce your blood pressure.

Follow the above advice and be the master of your body. Do not let hypertension steal away your quality of life.

Related Blogs

• Hypertension in Being pregnant Treatment | quitsmokinghelp4u.com
• Songs for the treatment of hipertensià ³ n? | All About Hypertension

There are several different remedies for high blood pressure, tips and tricks to reduce your blood pressure, natural remedies and even medications that can lower elevated blood pressure. Here are some steps you can take to take your life back.

One of the most popular remedies for high blood pressure is to ‘treat by what you eat’. Basically what this means is to reduce the sodium intake, increase the fresh veggies and fruits.

You will also need to increase the amount of water you drink daily, eliminate alcoholic beverages and caffeine as well. These changes might sound a little drastic, especially if you consider the amount of foods that have sodium in them, but you will be glad you made the changes when you begin to see your blood pressure drop.

Vitamin supplements have also been considered one of the top remedies for treating high blood pressure. You will need to speak with your medical care provider to determine the actual vitamins you need to take to assist in your reduction of blood pressure. More than likely you will need to take a calcium and a potassium vitamin supplement among others.

Exercising is critical to lowering your blood pressure. By exercising regularly you will be knocking out two birds with one stone. Losing unnecessary weight is great for lowering blood pressure and exercise is great for getting the blood pumping smoothly. Exercising will regulate the heart rate and decrease the stress on the heart from lack of exercise.

Reducing your stress levels is also vital in lowering your blood pressure. This can be the most challenging lifestyle change a person will have to make. However, you might find it beneficial to go to yoga classes, meditate or speak with a professional in order to find a method to reduce your stress.

Do not expect to reduce your blood pressure overnight. No matter what the remedies for high blood pressure are, it will take time for your body to be able to regulate the blood pressure.

Once your blood pressure is under control you will still need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and continue on the regimen you have chosen to treat your high blood pressure. The changes you make are going to have to be life long changes. You will need to be committed to getting healthy and staying healthy.

Related Blogs

• Lower Your Blood Pressure With Potassium Rich Foods | Disease Symptoms
• How to Lower Blood Pressure without Medication · Heart / Cardiac Diseases / Symptons / Syptoms / Diaganosis & Treatments

When it comes to a person keeping their high blood pressure under control there are a number of different methods available. Some of the main steps a person can consider when it comes to high blood pressure control are covered in this article.

Firstly, following the treatment that their doctor prescribes for them is important. In many cases this means making changes to diet as well as quitting habits which increase the risk of high blood pressure.

It is estimated that as many as 50% of people who have been prescribed medication for high blood pressure do not follow the prescription as outlined.

The majority of cases of malignant hypertension (really high blood pressure) come about from people who misuse or do not follow prescriptions correctly. Malignant hypertension is very serious and requires immediate attention as it can be damaging to major organs and vital functions.

An excess amount of salt in the diet can make the condition worse. It was discovered that diets high in sodium/salt increase the risk of high blood pressure, as salt helps the body to retain water resulting in the heart having to work much harder than it should due to the increased level of fluid it has to pump around the body.

On average adults should only consume around about 2,400 mg of salt per day which averages out at about 1 teaspoon a day. Currently, it is estimated that most people in the US are consuming between 4,000 and 6,000 mg each day.

Lifestyle choices, including smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can impact blood pressure levels, and they should be reduced or be stopped altogether. Nicotine and the chemicals in cigarettes can cause serious damage to the arteries by clogging them with fat which results in yet more pressure being placed on your heart in order to push the blood through the arteries which have become constricted.

Alcohol contains high levels of refined sugars, which can unfortunately cause further complications and allow cholesterol to build up in the body.

If exercise could be bottled, it would be called a miracle drug. Even a small amount of regular exercise can lower blood pressure, and it can reduce appetite and help a person lose weight, another risk factor for high blood pressure.

If a person is overweight then the risk of elevated blood pressure increase. Generally, losing weight is a by-product of a blood pressure dietary treatment plan.

Continue reading to discover more natural methods to control blood pressure and sign up for our free newsletter.

If you want to take a natural approach to treating high blood pressure there are certain herbs and foods that have been shown in trials to be beneficial, including Garlic, Hawthorn and CoQ10. However, it is important to speak with your doctor to ensure there are no interactions with other medication you may be taking.

High blood pressure control comes from understanding the condition fully, and knowing what steps can be taken to lower blood pressure levels, and what has the potential of raising them, and then proceeding with common sense.

Related Blogs

• Malignant Hypertension Blood Pressure | Hypertension Site
• 

  Here Are Some Blood Pressure Medications | Chaos Cafe And Parlor

In the last 2 articles, we learned about high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps out blood. High blood pressure means raising pressure in your heart and staying high over time, damaging the body in many ways. High blood pressure or arterial hypertension is almost never a serious health threat. However, doctors attempt to lower it in their patients because it can have serious long-term consequences. Since general approaches and supplements have provided us with many clues in controlling high blood pressure. We can control it with natural foods.

1. Celery
If you are asking advice from your doctor about high blood pressure, chances are he will tell you to take 4 stalks of celery daily. Study shows that celery contains a chemical called limonene that acts as a mild tranquilizer that can lower levels of stress hormones in your blood. This allows your blood vessels to expand, giving your blood more room and reducing pressure.

2. Red tea
Red tea has flavonoids, which have been proven effective in treating assorted skin and circulation problems.

3.Fresh water algae or dark green vegetable
Fresh water algae contains a high amount of chlorophyll. Study shows that regular use of chlorella reduces high blood pressure and prevents strokes. When chlorella has been used consistently over a period of months, the low pressure often increases to normal.

4. Avocado
Avocados are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Adequate intake of potassium can help to guard against circulatory diseases like heart disease or stroke.

5. Whole grain
Whole grains which provide all edible parts of the grain include whole-grain corn, oats, popcorn, brown rice, whole rye, etc. Study shows that eating just one daily serving of whole grains may help prevent high blood pressure – and more servings could slash your risk even further.

6. Cold water fish
Cold-water fish like wild Alaskan salmon and sardines which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that has been proven record of lowering cholesterol levels and increasing blood circulation in your body, and subsequently reducing high blood pressure. Take fish-oil supplements if you cannot get enough omega-3-rich foods.

7. Gracefruit and beet juice
The effect was traced to nitrate in the gracefruit and beet juice that reacted with bacteria in the mouth. This led to chemical changes which resulted in blood vessels dilating to increase blood flow and reducing blood pressure.

Foods help to control high blood pressure also have the function of lowering cholesterol level as well as increase circulation of blood in the body, therefore it reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.

For more information on how to lower your blood pressure, please visit:

Kyle J. Norton

http://bestexpertarticles.blogspot.com/
http://highbloodpressurewatchiii.blogspot.com

Related Blogs

• Controlling High Blood Pressure Is The Easiest Thing To Do | High Blood Pressure Diet
• What are the Causes of High Blood Pressure? | High Blood Pressure Diet

Blood pressure control is important in that it can potentially save a hypertensive patient’s life. High blood pressure or hypertension is the force exerted on the artery walls by the blood flowing through the body. When the force is challenged, the pressure of the blood elevates. This elevated pressure can cause more serious complications; therefore it must be treated effectively.

High blood pressure has no significant signs or symptoms and is often referred to as the “silent killer.” Consequently, many Americans have developed the condition, yet they are not aware of it.

The American Heart Association documents that an estimate of 50million Americans suffer with high blood pressure and requires ongoing medical attention to maintain proper blood pressure control.

Healthcare professionals implement a well- rounded individualized treatment plan to decrease the pressure as well as control progression. Each treatment plan is designed to accommodate existing and pre- existing factors that may induce the development of the condition.

Initially, the healthcare professional will prescribe certain anti- hypertensive medications. These drugs are used to immediately lower the blood pressure levels. One of the most common drugs for blood pressure control is the calcium channel blocking agents (channel blockers or calcium antagonists). These channel blockers reduce the force of contraction of muscles of the heart and muscle.

Another drug used to reduce blood pressure is the peripheral vasodilators. Hydralazine (Apresoline), isxuprine (Vasodilan), and minoxidil (Loniten) act as blood vessel relaxers. Yet another antihypertensive drug is the thiazide diurectics. The diurectics promote sodium loss thereby lowering blood volume. More so, the thiazide diurectics helps lower the pressure of the walls of the blood vessels; which is also referred to as the peripheral vascular resistance.

Blood pressure control can also be accomplished by implementing daily healthy life- style changes. These changes may include a healthy eating plan, weight loss, and exercise. Healthcare professionals suggest that a healthy diet, which should consist of fruits and vegetables, low- sodium intake and foods that are low in fats and cholesterol. Obesity plays a major role in elevated blood pressure.

Changing your diet and incorporating physical activity into your daily routine will help you loose and maintain a healthy body weight. Lastly, exercise will not only help you loose weight, it will assist with improving the overall health.

Believe it or not, exercise does not require much effort. Light to moderate physical activity, such as walking, bicycling, or even yoga can significantly lower blood pressure. Exercise is also known to minimize the need for medications and reduce the effects of annoying side effects.

Related Blogs

• Fitness Elliptical Trainer For Healthy Lifestyle | SpotThisNow
• Which antihypertensive drug to use after a diuretic: an ACE-inhibitor or beta-blocker seems preferable to a calcium channel blocker « NPCi blog

Controlling your blood demands is just one of many gear you can do to avert stroking. Many people imagine that strokes can’t be vetoed. Controlling High Blood Pressure also requires you to make changes to your lifestyle, through decorous diet and apply. To help you, there are numerous herbal remedies free that are reported to help degrade HBP.

Medicine could be a great high blood make therapy. Ask your physician if any medications might be right for you. Medicines will sway your blood anxiety, but the cannot therapy it. You will ought to take blood bully medicine for a long time. Drugs that help dump high blood burden have various piece things. If you experience terrible periphery property from any drug, dealings your physician immediately. Drugs that lessen blood weight restrain diuretics, beta blockers and calcium outlet blockers.

Salt substitutes normally contain potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride as found in saline. The brackish substitute makes you engender saliva much in the same way saline does. Salt and baby intake must be dramatically condensed with an intensify in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy protects, makeup and protein from meat, fish and fowl. Losing authority would significance in poorer blood heaviness.

Vasodilators open blood vessels by relaxing the muscle in the vessel bulwark. Calcium outlet blockers (CCBs) preclude calcium from receiving into the muscle cells of the center and blood vessels, relaxing the blood vessels. Vasodilators are not commonly worn deserted to doctor ongoing high blood anxiety because of the significant drop in blood anxiety that they trigger, which may lead to empathy palpitations or hasty heartbeat. They may be worn if a being is in a hypertensive crisis or, when other course of medicine are not efficient in controlling high blood bulldoze.

Potassium pills may poverty to be taken with some diuretics. A diet high in potassium also may be desired. Potassium levels and kidney meaning are watched closely as the dose increases.

Tekturna works by sinking the ability of renin to start this treat. Doctors say Tekturna sole because it acts formerly in your body’s blood force means than other medications. Tekturna is known as a renin inhibitor. Renin is an enzyme created by your kidneys that starts a cascade of compound steps that increases blood stress.

Calcium Channel Blockers reduce the complete flat of calcium in the kindness, reducing blood stress. Alpha Blockers sink blood strain by warning the nerve impulses sent to the blood vessels, while Alpha-Beta Blockers trust the property of Alpha-Blockers and Beta-Blockers. Calcium outlet blockers keep calcium from inflowing the muscle cells of the mind and blood vessels. This reduces the nucleus degree and causes the blood vessels to relax. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, and CoQ10 deficiencies are candidly allied to high blood hassle. Therefore reducing their amounts in the body can make it more tiring for your doctor to normalize your blood weight. Beta-blockers are also one of the types of drugs worn to inferior blood force. Although migraines are not considered to be high blood anxiety headaches, high blood heaviness medication does look to help. Beta blockers will drop blood heaviness by regulating the affection scale. Other operative drugs for lowering your pressure are vasodilators, ace inhibitors and calcium waterway blockers. Beta blockers are ones group. They gradual the mind down.

Alternative medicines is relatively inexpensive while medications can easily loss a small destiny. Furthermore, medications regularly have part property, which may be tricky for some people to operate. Alternative therapies can help to cure the unruly of high blood pressure lacking taking option to conventional drugs that regularly have serious area effects. The focus of alternative treatments is to treat the very find of the disease.

Talk to your doctor about adjusting your medication and making lifestyle changes that will minor your blood pressure to under 140/90.

Related Blogs

• The Benefits Of Dead Sea Bath Salt
• Controlling High Blood Pressure Is The Easiest Thing To Do | High Blood Pressure Diet

Definition of High Blood Pressure

One disturbing fact about high blood pressure is that people can have it for years and not be aware of it. The National Heart Association estimates that about 30% of the adults in the United States have high blood pressure and that one third of them are unaware of it.

When you have your blood pressure taken it is reported in two numbers, as 120/80 for example. The first number is called the systolic and the second is the diastolic. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute have issued its set of guidelines for the interpretation of these numbers.

•Normal – below 120/80 mmHg

•Prehypertension – Systolic pressure between 120 and 129, diastolic pressure between 80 an 89.

•Stage 1 Hypertension – Systolic pressure between 140 and 159, diastolic between 90 and 99.

•Stage 2 Hypertension – Systolic over 160 and diastolic above 100.

In the initial stages of high blood pressure it is not uncommon to experience no symptoms at all. Over time symptoms may include nosebleeds, dizzy spells and headache.

Many times there are no obvious causes for high blood pressure. What we do know is there are certain risk factors associated with developing the condition. These include age and heredity, smoking, excess weight and having a diet consisting of high sodium intake.

NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

You should always work very closely with your doctor if you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. They may want you to take medication to control it. If you do not treat high blood pressure it can cause damage to your organs, heart attack and stroke. You should also explore natural remedies and lifestyle changes with your physician.

(CoQ10) COENZYME Q10

Recent studies suggest that this is effective in treating high blood pressure. In one study systolic pressure was reduced by 17.8 mmHg and another showed it to be reduced by 6.1 mmHg. These were viewed as significant reductions by researchers.

GARLIC SUPPLEMENTS

Recent studies have shown that garlic supplements have the ability to lower both systolic and diastolic pressure. Patients with mild cases of high blood pressure have been the most successful. These supplements have the ability to thin down blood and may interact with prescription drugs. It is therefore advised that this be done only under the supervision of your primary care provider. Due to the blood thinning abilities garlic supplements should be discontinued in the weeks prior to and after any type of surgery.

HAWTHORNE

Studies show that this has the capability to significantly reduce both systolic and diastolic pressure. It has been long used by herbal practitioners and has not shown any interaction with prescription medication.

FISH OIL

Additional research is needed on this. There have been some preliminary studies that show it can produce moderate effects. Fish oil contains an acid called DHA that is thought to be responsible.

FOLIC ACID

This is a B vitamin that is needed for the formation of red blood cells. Limited studies suggest that it can lower blood pressure in some people.

DASH DIET

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute along with the National Institute of Health both promote the DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). Studies have shown that this diet which includes fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, nuts and beans can reduce blood pressure in as little as two weeks. If you are interested in doing further research I would suggest that you visit their websites for detailed information.

If left untreated high blood pressure overtime can present serious health problems. These are some of forms of natural remedies that you can do further research on. Others include biofeedback, yoga, aerobic exercise and Ayurvedic Medicine. Some of these also offer important forms of stress reduction which can also be beneficial.

Related Blogs

• Introduction to High Blood Pressure
• Endometriosis Part I – Definition, Stages, Symptoms, Causes and Affects of Endometriosis | about depression

Treatment for high blood pressure will depend on your blood pressure levels and your associated risk of developing a cardiovascular disease, such as a stroke.

There are seven main risk factors for developing a cardiovascular disease. These are:

age, high blood pressure, smoking (or a previous history of smoking), obesity, lack of exercise, having a high level of cholesterol in your blood, and having a family history of cardiovascular disease.

If your blood pressure is slightly high and your GP feels that the risks of cardiovascular disease are low, you should be able to get your blood pressure under control by making some simple changes to your lifestyle, such as modifying your diet and taking regular exercise.

If your blood pressure is moderately high, or your GP feels that your risks of developing a cardiovascular disease in the next ten years is higher than one in five, you will be given medicines, as well as being advised to make changes to your lifestyle.

If your blood pressure is severely high (180/110 mmHg or above) you will be referred to a specialist in the treatment of high blood pressure.

Changes in lifestyle

The following changes in lifestyle are known to reduce blood pressure:

regular exercise of at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week, moderating your alcohol intake to recommended levels (less than 21 units per week for men; and less than 14 units per week for women), eating a low-fat, balanced, healthy diet, restricting your consumption of salt to less than 6g (0.2oz) a day, losing weight if you are overweight or obese, restricting caffeine consumption to less than five cups of coffee or tea a day, and relaxation therapies, such as meditation.

It should be stressed that even achieving a relatively low drop in blood pressure can have significant health benefits. For example, a reduction of 5 mmHg in your diastolic blood pressure will reduce the chances of you having a stroke by 34%, and of developing heart disease by 20%.

See the ‘prevention’ section for more information about the possible changes that you can make to your lifestyle in order to lower your blood pressure.

Medicines

There are a number of medicines that can be used to treat high blood pressure. You may be given a combination of different medicines to take to bring your blood pressure under control.

For many people with high blood pressure, it is recommended that they take blood pressure lowering medicines for the rest of their lives. However, if your blood pressure levels remain under control for several years, it may be possible to discontinue treatment.

The most widely used medicines for treating high blood pressure are outlined below.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors work by blocking the actions of some of the hormones that help regulate blood pressure. By stopping these hormones from working, the medicines help reduce the amount of water in your blood and also widen your arteries, both of which will bring your blood pressure down.

ACE inhibitors are not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with conditions that affect the blood supply to their kidneys, or people with a history of heart disease.

ACE inhibitors have been known to reduce the supply of blood to the kidneys which can reduce their efficiency. Therefore, blood and urine tests may be carried out before you start taking ACE inhibitors to make sure that there are no pre-existing problems with your kidneys.

Annual blood and urine tests may be required if you continue to use ACE inhibitors.

Side effects of ACE inhibitors include:

dizziness, tiredness or weakness, headaches, and a persistent dry cough.

Most of these side effects should pass in a few days, although some people find that they continue to have a dry cough.

If side effects become troubling, a medicine that works much in a similar way to ACE inhibitors, known as an angiotensin-2 receptor antagonist, may be recommended.

ACE inhibitors can cause unpredictable effects if taken with other medications, including over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Check with your GP or pharmacist before taking anything in combination with this medicine.

Calcium channel blockers

Calcium channel blockers work by relaxing the muscles that make up the walls of your arteries. This causes your arteries to widen, reducing your blood pressure.

Calcium channel blockers are not recommended for people with a history of heart disease, liver disease, or circulation problems. Side effects of calcium channel blockers include:

flushed face, headaches, swollen ankles, dizziness, tiredness, and skin rashes.

However, these side effects should pass within a few days, once your body gets used to the medicine.

You should not drink grapefruit juice if you are taking calcium channel blockers because this can cause a drop in your blood pressure.

Thiazide diuretics

Thiazide diuretics work by reducing the amount of water in your blood, and widening the walls of your arteries. They are not recommended for pregnant women, or people who have gout.

Thiazide diuretics have been known to reduce the level of potassium in your blood, which can interfere with your heart and kidney functions. They can also raise the level of sugar in your blood which could lead to diabetes.

Therefore, you will probably be recommended to have blood and urine tests every six months so that your potassium and blood sugar levels can be monitored.

A few people have reported that they could not get, or maintain, an erection while taking thiazide diuretics, but this particular side effect was resolved once the medicines were withdrawn.

Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers used to be a popular treatment for high blood pressure, but now they only tend to be used when other treatments have not proved successful. This is because beta-blockers have more potential side effects than the other medicines that are used to treat high blood pressure.

Beta-blockers work by slowing down your heart rate, and the force of your heart. This reduces the pressure at which the blood is pumped out of your heart and around your body.

Common side effects of beta-blockers include:

tiredness, cold hands and feet, slow heartbeat, and diarrhoea and nausea.

Less common side effects of beta-blockers include:

sleep disturbances, nightmares, and impotence.

Beta-blockers can also interact with other medicines, causing possible adverse side effects. You should check with your GP or pharmacist before taking other medicines in combination with beta-blockers.

Medicines and ethnic groups

Research has shown that different blood pressure lowering medicines work better for different ethnic groups. For example, ACE inhibitors are a more effective as a first choice medicine for treating high blood pressure in white people, whereas calcium channel blockers, or thiazide diuretics, tend to work better as a first choice medicine for black people.

It is thought that this is due to the fact that black people tend to have a lower level of renin in their blood. Renin is an enzyme that helps to regulate blood pressure. ACE Inhibitors work best where there is a high level of renin in the blood, so they often prove not as effective in treating black people with high blood pressure.

Beds Factory one stop for quality beds, mattress and Mattresses

Related Blogs

• Introduction to High Blood Pressure
• High Blood Pressure and Herbs That Help | High Blood Pressure Diet