High Blood Pressure Treatments
Experience Our Patient First Telehealth Services
What is High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major health concern that affects many people, but the exact cause is unknown. However, there are some factors that can put a person at higher risk, such as smoking, being overweight, lack of physical activity, too much salt in the diet, drinking too much alcohol, and age. Additionally, if there is a family history of high blood pressure, or if you are of African American descent, you may be more likely to experience hypertension. Chronic kidney disease can also be a contributing factor. It is important to be aware of these risk factors to help reduce your chances of developing high blood pressure.
High Blood Pressure Tests and Treatment
If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, Ellen Vital Clinic will recommend some tests to find the cause. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is one option, though it may not be available everywhere. Be sure to check with your insurer to see if it is covered. Additionally, lab tests like cholesterol and blood sugar tests can be done to check for conditions that can contribute to high blood pressure. An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a quick and painless test to measure heart rate, and an echocardiogram uses sound waves to create images of the heart. Both these tests can help determine the cause of high blood pressure.
High Blood Pressure Treatment
Finding the right medication to treat hypertension can be a challenging process. It is important to consider your overall health and the level of your blood pressure when determining the best course of action. In many cases, taking two or more medications together is more effective than taking one medication alone. It may take some time to find the medicine or combination of medicines that works best for you.
High blood pressure can be treated with a variety of medicines, including diuretics, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and calcium channel blockers. Diuretics are commonly used to reduce sodium and water in the body and are usually the first medications prescribed for high blood pressure. However, side effects such as increased urination can result in low potassium levels, so your health care provider may recommend a potassium-sparing diuretic if needed. ACE inhibitors block the formation of a natural chemical that narrows blood vessels, while ARBs block the action of this chemical and calcium channel blockers help relax the muscles of the blood vessels and reduce heart rate. It is important to note that grapefruit products should not be consumed when taking calcium channel blockers as they can increase the levels of these medications to dangerous levels.
Get in touch with a clinician at Ellen Vital Clinic today to get started with the right Hypertension treatment for you!
