Are you one of the millions of people who have hypertension?  Would you be surprised to find out that you may be a candidate for simple lifestyle changes that can get you off medication?

This overview of hypertension defines what it is, how to diagnose it, its complications, causes, and treatment. Hypertension is often over-diagnosed when taken in the doctor's office; home blood pressures are far more reliable. Pre-hypertension is defined and possible solutions for mild hypertension are offered. It is not usually a lifelong disease and lifestyle changes including diet and exercise can help.

Hypertension is often over-diagnosed when taken in the doctor's office; home blood pressures are far more reliable. Pre-hypertension is defined and possible solutions for mild hypertension are offered. It is not usually a lifelong disease and much can be done to get you off medication after you've learned to live a healthy lifestyle.

Hypertension: Do You Have It?

Hypertension does not have to be permanent. It is related to the style in which we live our lives and we can modify that. Underlying causes and tools for treatment are described.

Hypertension: Using Lifestyle to Manage It

Over the years the way we evaluate and treat for hypertension has changed considerably. There has been a tendency to treat blood pressures that are greater than 140/90, but new data published in the January issue of the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that for people over the age of 60 suggests that BPs of 150/90 should no longer be treated with drugs. 

Of course, everyone with hypertension should be advised to live a healthy lifestyle because it can control about 90% of all cases of hypertension by itself. Drugs should be reserved when a good try at lifestyle strategies such as as diet, exercise, stress reduction, getting sufficient sleep, weighing what we should, and avoidance of toxic environmental chemicals. All patented drugs interfere with normal cell biochemistry and most have "side effects" that can cause disturbing symptoms. 

The best way to assess your blood pressure is to take multiple home readings. This is more accurate than taking blood pressures in the doctor's office because of the "white coat syndrome." Many people are treated for high blood pressure and don't have it a all! Overtreatment leads to complications from medications as well as hypotension (low BP). It is also a good idea to titrate BP medicines to home values on a daily basis.

We also know that if there is more than a 10 mm of Hg difference in BP between the left and right arm, the risk for a complication of high BP goes up dramatically. BPs should be measured at least one time in both arms simultaneously.

How to Assess Your Bloodpressure

The first long term study (22 years) showed that for every month of treatment with chlorthalidone for high blood pressure extended life by one day. This JAMA of December 2011 showed that over 10 years this is 4 months of life extension. It has already been well established that strokes and heart attacks are reduced dramatically, and that may be much more important than longevity. 

It would be much more interesting to see the long term effects of lifestyle in extending life and quality of life. The thiazide diuretics increase cholesterol, uric acid and insulin resistance and lead to side effects you would not see with lifestylel management.

Treating Hypertension Exteends Life