High Blood Pressure - 4 (Concluding Part)

Follow-up

The most important element in the management of high blood pressure is follow-up care.

·         Routine blood pressure check-ups are important to monitor readings and decide upon a treatment plan. 

·         With age and the natural progression of hardening of the arteries, systolic blood pressure may elevate over time. A treatment that once worked well may no longer work as well and your medication treatment may need to be changed. 

·         Routine physical exams and screening blood tests may be suggested to help monitor the success of blood pressure management. 

·         Follow-up visits are a good time to discuss with your health care practitioner any medication side effects you are experiencing. He or she will have suggestions for managing side effects or may change your treatment.

·         Follow-up visits are a great opportunity for monitoring for other associated risk factors, such as high cholesterol, smoking cessation, and obesity.

High Blood Pressure Prevention

High blood pressure may be prevented by living a healthy lifestyle, including some of the following:

·         eating a nutritious, low-fat diet;

·         exercising regularly;

·         decreasing salt (sodium) intake, read food labels so you know the salt content before you buy a product in the grocery store or eating a meal at a fast food restaurant, and avoid adding salt to foods;

·         maintain a healthy weight and if you are overweight or obese, try to lose weight; 

·         drink alcohol in moderation; 

·         stop smoking; 

·         get routine health assessments and blood pressure screening; 

·         taking your blood pressure medications as directed, even if you're feeling fine; and 

·         reduce stress and practice relaxation techniques, physical activity will help with this.

·         High Blood Pressure Outlook

·         Lifelong control of hypertension will minimize the risk of developing heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and a variety of other illnesses. Unlike other illnesses in which medications are taken for only a short period of time, high blood pressure medication is usually expected to be taken for the rest of the individual's life. It is uncommon, but not rare, that significant lifestyle changes can lower blood pressure readings to normal.

·         Untreated or poorly controlled high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. That is why high blood pressure is called "the silent killer."