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Saturday 2 November 2013

The Important Thing About The Quality Of Your Life If You Suffer From High Blood Pressure Or Hypertension.


By Adelbert Botfield


Educating yourself on what works and what doesn't and why - can help you make better decisions for your health. Medication is the first choice of treatment when it comes to hypertension but is all medication good for you? Blood pressure medication side effects play a big part in your decision making process when choosing treatment.

This article will outline all possible side effects associated with BP medication and suggest alternative treatments for you to consider.

If you are pre-hypertensive, which means your systolic pressure is between 120 and 139 and your diastolic blood pressure is between 80 and 89, your doctor will probably advise you to make changes in your lifestyle like changing to a healthier diet, getting exercise and cutting down on alcohol intake. This natural medication for high blood pressure is often times all you will need to get your pressure back to normal.

If you have stage 1 high blood pressure, 140/90 to 159/99, then your doctor will most likely prescribe a drug and that typically will be a thiazide diuretic. The diuretic will flush excess water and sodium from your system allowing for your blood pressure to go down. In addition, the thiazide diuretic provides some protection from heart attack and stroke. If you are at this stage, it becomes very important that you follow the lifestyle changes necessary to lower your blood pressure.

Failing to do this will lessen the effect of the diuretic and will result in a need for a second, more powerful drug. When you start getting into these drugs you start risking some nasty side effects and your meds will suddenly have an impact on your quality of life. Here is a partial list that might be added to the diuretic:

ACE Inhibitors. These drugs block the production of a hormone that causes the blood vessels to constrict allowing them to relax. Less constriction equals lower blood pressure. ACE Inhibitors include the drugs Capoten, Prinivil and Altace.

Beta Blockers: this common treatment causes the heart to beat slower and with less pressure. Common side effects associated this medication include: cold hands and feet, depression, insomnia, exhaustion, shortness of breath, dizziness and a reduced sex drive. For most people that come off beta blockers, the rebound can be so dramatic to their health they many have to be put back on the treatment.

Alternative Treatments for High Blood Pressure

Is it becoming painfully obvious that you want to avoid needing these medications?However, if you have stage 2 hypertension, you probably won't have any choice but to take one or more of these drugs as it is essential that you get your pressure lowered as quickly as possible. Stage 2 hypertension is a blood pressure reading greater than 160/100.

Combining drugs is quite common. Often times this will mean you can take a lower dose of each which is good for your body, and it could prove less expensive as well. If your doctor has prescribed a combination, do not settle for anything less than a mix that allows you to control the pressure with minimal side effects.




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