Hypertension is usually caused by a poor lifestyle. You can try to reduce high blood pressure by shedding excess weight. If this does not help and the pressure becomes stable at 140/90 or exceeds this value, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

As with any ailment, also withhypertensionthe rule that the sooner we start treatment (no matter if we change our lifestyle or take medications), the less trouble illness will cause. Otherwise, the problem will get worse and become life-threatening.

Where does high blood pressure come from

U almost 90 percent It is difficult for hypertensive people to answer this question. They suffer from the so-called primary hypertension, also known as essential hypertension. The causes of this disease are still not fully understood. However, it is known that we can inherit them. If there has been a history of high blood pressure in our family, the risk that we too will become ill is greater. But most often we persistently work for its creation. Lack of exercise, poordiet , obesity, smoking, alcohol abuse and long-termstresscontribute to the development of primary hypertension. Sometimes high blood pressure also develops when a woman has been taking birth control pills for many years, with an estimated 5-10% of women taking birth control pills. hypertensive people suffer from secondary hypertension, known as symptomatic. It is the result of other serious diseases. Once they are treated, the pressure usually returns to normal.

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Hypertension - when a doctor's help is needed

If you have not managed to break down the pressure by losing excess weight and changing your lifestyle, the help of a specialist is necessary. However, before the doctor diagnoses hypertension, we must regularly measure the pressure many times, for at least a month. He sometimes recommends wearing a device for continuous blood pressure measurement (the so-called Holter) around the clock. It is worn on the arm, above the elbow. Sometimes it is also necessary to perform an ECG, blood and urine analyzes, X-rays and the so-called heart echoes or fundus examinations. With all the results, you can choose the appropriate therapy. Daily medications are not always needed in mild hypertension. In the case of moderate and severe - we have to take medications constantly. These are usually diuretics, possibly the so-called beta blockers(slows down the heart rate), alpha-blockers (dilates the blood vessels) or so-called converting enzyme inhibitors (they do not allow this enzyme to release the hormone responsible for the increase in pressure). The cardiologist selects drugs individually for each patient. This is a tailor-made therapy with plenty to choose from, because there are over 60 preparations at your disposal. Modern drugs work for a long time and usually it is enough to take them once a day to get rid of troublesome symptoms and normalize the pressure. If the hypertension has become permanent, we must take medications for the rest of our lives.

You must do it

Each of us should measure blood pressure every six months. People from families with a history of cardiovascular disease must do it more often, as well as those who feel dizzy, faint, over-aroused, experience palpitations and similar symptoms.

Reasonable cooperation with a doctor necessary in the treatment of hypertension

Unfortunately, even the best specialist will do little if the patient does not cooperate with him. What does that mean? First of all, careful compliance with medical recommendations. And the most important of them sound like this:

  • Without consulting a specialist, we must not reduce the doses of drugs - even when we feel well. Because just like that, and no differently selected dose of the drug makes our he alth better. Only the doctor can decide about the change.
  • If you are taking any medications on a regular basis, tell your doctor about it. Then he will choose a preparation that will not interact (i.e. cause undesirable effects) with these drugs. This also applies to oral contraception.
  • If you feel unwell after the prescribed medication, ask your doctor to change it, but do not stop the treatment.

Category:

Cardiology