Need to know the main way I can control my high blood pressure.
Q: Need to know the main way I can control my high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when your blood creates too much pressure in your blood vessels, which damage these vessels and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. Keeping blood pressure in a healthy range often takes a multi-pronged approach. Taking your blood pressure medication as prescribed every day is extremely important. There are also several lifestyle strategies that can help lower your blood pressure, such as losing weight, reducing your intake of sugar and processed carbohydrates, watching your sodium intake, limiting alcohol, getting daily exercise, and managing stress levels.
You may already be doing some of these things, but you'l get the best results by trying to adhere to all of these recommendations. If you feel you are doing your best with lifestyle measures yet your blood pressure remains too high, I recommend seeing your doctor to discuss increasing your blood pressure medication dosage or possibly switching to another type of medication.
Answered By dLife Expert: Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE
Certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian living in Southern California.
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