Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you might avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.
The following are the lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your blood pressure:
- Cut your salt intake to less than 6g (0.2oz) a day, which is about a teaspoonful – find out how you can reduce the amount of salt in your diet Here
- Eat a low-fat, balanced diet – including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables; get tips on eating more healthily Here
- Be active – read some tips about getting more exercise Here
- Cut down on alcohol – get tips on cutting down, including downloading a drinks diary and keeping track of your drinking Here
- Lose weight – find out what your ideal weight is using the BMI healthy weight calculator Here and read advice about losing weight if you’re overweight Here
- drink less caffeine – found in coffee, tea and cola
- stop smoking – get help quitting Here
- get at least 6 hours of sleep a night – read some tips for getting to sleep Here
If your blood pressure is exceptionally high and you are struggling to bring it under control even with lifestyle changes. You may need to take blood pressure medication to lower it further.
There is a wide range of blood pressure medications available. Most of these are grouped under four main types of medicine:
ACE inhibitors
Angiotensin receptor blockers
Calcium channel blockers
Thiazide diuretics
There are other types of medication available, but these four types are most commonly used today.
Finding the right blood pressure medication for you is important. Every person is different, and some types of blood pressure medication work better in different types of people. What works well for a friend or relative may not work so well for you. Many people find that one medicine alone will not lower their blood pressure enough. Each type of medication works in different ways in your body, so taking more than one should have more of an effect on your blood pressure. Doctors have guidelines to help them decide what to use, but it can take time to find the right blood pressure medications for you.