Generally, the goal of treatment for hypertension is to keep blood pressure below 140/90. People who have chronic kidney disease or diabetes will need to keep their blood pressure below 130/80. Sometimes, making adjustments to your lifestyle can play a major role in this. You need to review your diet, start exercising regularly, lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, stop smoking and find appropriate stress management techniques to help you lower your blood pressure.
A program called DASH (or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) has been created to help people remember how to structure their eating plans to lower their blood pressure. DASH advises people to eat a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, low-fat or fat-free products, fish, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, and to eliminate sugar, sweets and red meat from the diet. It also recommends a diet high in potassium. Based on a 2000-calorie eating plan, it is recommended that people with high blood pressure structure their meals to contain 55 per cent carbohydrates, 18 per cent proteins, 27 per cent total fat (of which only 6 per cent should be saturated fat), 1500 – 2300 mg sodium, 150 mg cholesterol, 4700 mg potassium, 1250 mg calcium, 30 g fiber and 500 mg magnesium.
Advances in medication for high blood pressure have also been impressive, and the medication is now easier to take with minimal side effects. If you do experience side effects, your doctor may alter your dose or prescribe another type of medication. Different types of medication work in different ways; some reduce the amount of fluid and salt in the body, while others dilate the blood vessels or slow the heart down. Sometimes, a combination of medications may be necessary.
Diuretics or water pills rid the body of excess fluid and may be used on their own or with other medications. Other types of medication include ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, angiotensin II receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, alpha blockers, alpha-beta blockers, nervous system inhibitors and vasodilators. Doctors and clinics that offer affordable healthcare in Las Vegas will be able to find the best combination for you.