Lifestyle modifications
The first line of treatment for hypertension is identical to the recommended preventative lifestyle changes and includes, dietary changes, physical exercise and weight loss. These have all been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension. If hypertension is high enough to justify immediate use of medications, lifestyle changes are still recommended in conjunction with medication.
Medications
Several classes of medications, collectively referred to as antihypertensive drugs are currently available for treating hypertension. Prescription should take into account the person's cardiovascular risk as well as blood pressure readings, in order to gain a more accurate picture of the person's cardiovascular profile. Evidence in those with mild hypertension and no other health problems does not support a reduction in the risk of death or rate of health complications from medication treatment.
Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline
Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Losing just 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) can help reduce your blood pressure. In general, the more weight you lose, the lower your blood pressure. Besides shedding pounds, you should also keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure.
Eat a healthy diet
Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 14 mm Hg. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.
It isn't easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet:
Reduce sodium in your diet
Even a small reduction in the sodium in your diet can reduce blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg. The recommendations for reducing sodium are 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day or less. A lower sodium level — 1,500 mg a day or less is appropriate for people 51 years of age or older and individuals of any age who are African-American or who have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
To decrease sodium in your diet, consider these tips:
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. In small amounts, it can potentially lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg. But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol. Also, if you don't normally drink alcohol, you shouldn't start drinking as a way to lower your blood pressure. There's more potential harm than benefit to drinking alcohol. If you drink more than moderate amounts of it, alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. Track your drinking patterns. Along with your food diary, keep an alcohol diary to track your true drinking patterns.
