Permanent Solution to Hypertension?

Hypertension, which occurs when the blood pressure in your arteries is too high, can lead to blood vessel diseases such as strokes, heart attacks, and leg pain caused during walking. As hypertension does not cause any symptoms until the damage is already done, it is important to occasionally have your blood pressure checked.

Hypertension has no permanent solution. However, it is usually managed with both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic methods.

Treatment begins with reducing or eliminating risk factors.

Lifestyle modification can control hypertension and enhance the effects of drug treatment.

The usual dietary recommendations are to restrict sodium intake to 2 g/day, to increase potassium intake, to restrict saturated fat intakes, and to adjust calorie intake as required to maintain optimum weight.

An exercise program that promotes endurance and relaxation is usually recommended.

Physical training

It increases stroke volume, which has the effect of lowering heart rate and hence systolic blood pressure.

Relaxation

It is expected to reduce levels of circulating catecholamines which has the effect of reducing vascular tones and blood pressure.

Cessation of smoking

To eliminate vasoconstrictor effects of nicotine

Medication

Four group of drugs are used to manage hypertension in a tailored therapy approach:

1. Diuretics

2. Angiotensin inhibitors

3. Vascular smooth muscle relaxants

4. Adrenergic blockers.

Other Therapies & Advice
Check for metabolic syndrome

If you are male, overweight, have high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol, and perhaps even have insulin resistance or diabetes, you probably have metabolic syndrome. This is often caused by a low testosterone level (even if it is in the low normal range, for example a total testosterone level of 450), and simply taking natural testosterone (by prescription) can reverse all of the above problems while leaving you feeling much better!

Check for sleep apnea

Consider this if you're overweight and snore.

Check for allergies

Food allergies can also trigger high blood pressure. If your pulse or temperature regularly go up after you eat, consider allergy desensitization using NAET. To see if food allergies are causing your high blood pressure, consider a Multiple Food Elimination Diet to see if your pressure goes down. (See online references below.)

White coat hypertension

Make sure you don’t only have "white coat hypertension." Some people's blood pressure shoots up whenever they see a doctor. For many people, this is the only time their blood pressure goes up, so they end up being treated for high blood pressure when they don't have it. Many grocery store and drugstore pharmacies have a blood pressure machine for the public which you can use (you actually sit in it). Check three readings each visit (one right after the other) to make sure that they are consistent. After you get used to the blood pressure machines, you may find that your blood pressures are lower.

Blow off some steam

Don't forget the mind/body component. Some of us are like pressure cookers, and when we close down our "steam release valve" the pressure builds up inside of us. We may look calm on the outside but actually have high blood pressure on the inside. Give yourself permission to have a good hissy fit once in awhile to blow off steam. It can help your elevated blood pressure to come down.