Often, hypertension can improve with lifestyle changes.
Hypertensiontreatment can involve lifestyle modifications, medications, andnatural remedies.
Home Remedies and Lifestyle Changes
Often, hypertension can improve with lifestyle changes.
Illustration by Joshua Seong. © Verywell, 2018
Weight Loss
If you are overweight,losing weightcan help reduce your blood pressure.
With some persistence, most people can do so using a combination of diet and exercise.
Bariatric surgery, which may be necessary for some individuals, has also been shown to improve hypertension.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Low Salt
A diet that is low in sodium can help lower your blood pressure.
Excess salt has been shown to increase blood pressure for some people, but not for everyone.
It’s best to get advice from a dietician regarding your salt intake.
Prescriptions
There are many prescription medications used for hypertension treatment.
These medications fall into categories based on their different mechanisms of action.
Diuretics
Diureticsalso referred to as water pills, increase the amount of fluid excreted in the urine.
They are believed to lower blood pressure by reducing the volume of fluid circulating in the blood vessels.
Side effects of this hypertension treatment include low potassium levels, frequent urination, and worsening ofgout.
Side effects include cough, decreased sense of taste, and elevated potassium levels.
Side effects include constipation, leg swelling, and headaches.
Side effects include allergic reactions,dizziness, and high potassium levels.
ARBs include:
Lotensin (Minoxidil)
Lotensinis avasodilator.
Minoxidil doesn’t act directly on the blood vessels.
It stimulates the action of an enzyme to produce chemicals that facilitate the relaxation of blood vessels.
Monotherapy and Combination Therapy
Use of a single antihypertensive medication is referred to as monotherapy.
Combination therapy is therapy with two or more prescription antihypertensives.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Over-the-Counter Therapies
There are no over-the-counter medications for lowering your blood pressure.
However, there are a number of options that can actuallycausehigh blood pressure as a side effect.
A low-sodium diet decreased blood pressure consistently over a period of four weeks.
Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you should take medication.
They’ll help you to find one that’s safe to take during pregnancy.
The first step to managing hypertension is changing life style.
That includes eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, losing weight, and quitting smoking.
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National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Complementary Health Approaches for Hypertension: What the Science Says.
American Heart Association.Understanding Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications and High Blood Pressure.
Harvard Health Publishing.When to expect results from a new medication.
March of Dimes.High blood pressure during pregnancy.
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