HYPERTENSION MANAGEMENT

Hypertension, or High blood pressure is classified as a systolic blood pressure greater than 130 mm Hg and diastolic pressure over 80 mm Hg.

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 mm Hg in people older than age 65 and those with risk factors such as diabetes and high cholesterol. 

Hypertension is dangerous and can cause damage to organs, like the brain, heart, and kidneys.

Lifestyle changes to treat High Blood Pressure

A critical step in preventing and treating high blood pressure is a healthy lifestyle.

Blood pressure can be lowered by making the following lifestyle changes:

• Losing weight if a person is overweight or obese.
• Quitting smoking as tobacco damages the walls of the blood vessels and hardens the arteries which is not good for the blood pressure.
• Following the DASH eating plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). – It include vegetables, fruits, whole grains fish, poultry, nuts, and beans. 

-High-potassium foods, like avocados, bananas, dried fruits, tomatoes, and black beans, get a big thumbs-up. This diet plan keeps sugary drinks, sweets, and high-fat meats and dairy products at a minimum.

• Reducing the amount of sodium in diet to less than 1,500 milligrams a day if a person have high blood pressure.

Healthy adults should try to limit their sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams a day (about 1 teaspoon of salt). Many processed foods have a lot of salt in them. For instance, soups, condiments, and tomato sauce can have as much as 75% of the total amount of salt you need each day. 

• Getting regular aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking at least 30 minutes a day, several days a week. Doing activities that get the heart pounding, like biking or swimming. Over the course of a week, aim to exercise consistently for at least 2 1/2 hours total.
• Keeping a healthy weight as per the age and height is key to maintain Blood pressure. If a person is overweight or have obesity, can lower their blood pressure by losing just 5 pounds.
• Limiting alcohol to two drinks a day for men, one drink a day for women.

One drink is an ounce of alcohol, 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer.

• Reducing stress. 

High Blood Pressure Treatment Follow-Up

• See your doctor at least once a month until the blood pressure goal is reached. 
• Once or twice a year, doctor may need to check the level of potassium in blood and other electrolytes and BUN/creatinine levels (to check the health of the kidneys).
• After the blood pressure goal is reached, patients should continue to see your doctor every 3 to 6 months.
• If anyone have diabetes or have had a heart attack or stroke, they will need to keep a closer watch on their blood pressure to prevent recurrent events. 
• With aging and hardening of the arteries, systolic blood pressure may creep up. A treatment that once worked well may no longer work. In this condition drug dosage may need to be changed, or you may be prescribed a new medication.
• Periodically, at every follow-up visits, people should be screened for damage to the heart, eyes, brain, kidney, and peripheral arteries that may be related to high blood pressure.
• Follow-up visits are a great opportunity for monitoring other associated risk factors, such as high cholesterol and obesity.

Contributor- Supriya Singh (PHD Scholar)