High Blood Pressure Treatment 4 Steps to Take to Lower Your Blood Pr
High Blood Pressure Treatment - 4 Steps to Take to Lower Your Blood Pr...
See also: On April 25, an expert panel convened by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) offered a number of concrete recommendations for treatment of people over 65. — Andersen Ross/Aurora Blood pressure medication can help you reduce the risk of a heart attack. "We have very good data to show that treatment is beneficial at least up to the age of 80," says cardiologist Jerome Fleg, M.D., of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and co-chair of the ACC-AHA writing committee. "After that the data are sparser although they still suggest a benefit." Here are some key recommendations to doctors from the consensus document, plus suggestions of steps you can take to lower your blood pressure. Base a diagnosis of hypertension on three taken on at least two office visits.
What you can do: "If your blood pressure was high when you had it taken at a health fair or at a pharmacy, don't just assume it was a bad day and forget about it," says cardiologist Richard Stein, M.D., of New York University School of Medicine, who was not involved with writing the document. "Follow up with a visit to your doctor." Set a systolic/diastolic target of less than 140/90 mm Hg in people 65 to 79 years old. For those 80 and over, aim for a systolic number between 140 and 145 mm Hg.
What you can do: If your numbers are in the red zone for high blood pressure, "allow your doctor to start treatment and don't kid yourself by saying you're fine," says Stein. " reduce the risk of a heart attack by almost 40 percent and the risk of a stroke by more than 30 percent." To avoid side effects, start with a single medication at the lowest dose and increase it gradually. If the response is inadequate, determine possible reasons the drug isn't working and add a second drug if necessary.
Next: What you can do: Tell your doctor if you regularly forget to take your pills, if you experienced uncomfortable side effects and stopped taking the pills, or if you didn't get the prescription filled because you couldn't afford it. Otherwise your doctor may prescribe a second drug in the mistaken belief that the first isn't working. Lifestyle changes may be the only treatment needed for milder hypertension.
Some 64 percent of men and 75 percent of women have blood pressure well above what it should be by the time they reach age 70, but only one in three of those men and one in four of those women have it under control.
Left untreated, hypertension increases the chance of a or . Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
New Treatment Guidelines for High Blood Pressure
4 steps to take to protect yourself reduce risk
Doctors face a particular challenge in treating older men and women for because they have more health problems than younger adults and because they're more likely to suffer from medication side effects.See also: On April 25, an expert panel convened by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) offered a number of concrete recommendations for treatment of people over 65. — Andersen Ross/Aurora Blood pressure medication can help you reduce the risk of a heart attack. "We have very good data to show that treatment is beneficial at least up to the age of 80," says cardiologist Jerome Fleg, M.D., of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and co-chair of the ACC-AHA writing committee. "After that the data are sparser although they still suggest a benefit." Here are some key recommendations to doctors from the consensus document, plus suggestions of steps you can take to lower your blood pressure. Base a diagnosis of hypertension on three taken on at least two office visits.
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What you can do: "If your blood pressure was high when you had it taken at a health fair or at a pharmacy, don't just assume it was a bad day and forget about it," says cardiologist Richard Stein, M.D., of New York University School of Medicine, who was not involved with writing the document. "Follow up with a visit to your doctor." Set a systolic/diastolic target of less than 140/90 mm Hg in people 65 to 79 years old. For those 80 and over, aim for a systolic number between 140 and 145 mm Hg.
What you can do: If your numbers are in the red zone for high blood pressure, "allow your doctor to start treatment and don't kid yourself by saying you're fine," says Stein. " reduce the risk of a heart attack by almost 40 percent and the risk of a stroke by more than 30 percent." To avoid side effects, start with a single medication at the lowest dose and increase it gradually. If the response is inadequate, determine possible reasons the drug isn't working and add a second drug if necessary.
Next: What you can do: Tell your doctor if you regularly forget to take your pills, if you experienced uncomfortable side effects and stopped taking the pills, or if you didn't get the prescription filled because you couldn't afford it. Otherwise your doctor may prescribe a second drug in the mistaken belief that the first isn't working. Lifestyle changes may be the only treatment needed for milder hypertension.
"The most useful lifestyle changes you can make are to restrict the amount of sodium in your diet, lose weight if you're overweight and start a regular exercise program."
What you can do: "The most useful lifestyle changes you can make are to in your diet, lose weight if you're overweight and start a regular exercise program," says Fleg. "I firmly believe that lifestyle factors can prevent conditions such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes as well as be useful in their treatment." "How high blood pressure is treated depends on the patient and the doctor," says Fleg, noting that the treatment recommendations should be individually tailored. "But," he emphasizes, "high blood pressure is not something to disregard. The important message is that it should be treated and not ignored." Nissa Simon is a freelance writer who lives in New Haven, Conn.High Blood Pressure Trends
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects a majority of men and women over 65.Some 64 percent of men and 75 percent of women have blood pressure well above what it should be by the time they reach age 70, but only one in three of those men and one in four of those women have it under control.
Left untreated, hypertension increases the chance of a or . Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures