BLOOD PRESSURE, ELEVATED (HYPERTENSION): TREATMENT
More often than not, the cause of your elevated blood pressure will not be obvious. The next step, then, is to treat the elevated blood pressure itself. It’s important to keep in mind that, when treating high blood pressure, the doctor and patient are also working together to prevent a future heart attack or stroke. Therefore, it’s essential to find a treatment plan that can be implemented and managed well over time with relative ease.
The usual treatment for this condition is a course of medication, lasting sometimes months or even years. However, since most people resist this approach unless it is absolutely necessary, doctors can forestall the use of medication, at least in the beginning. I and many of my colleagues believe in a logical, proven plan of treatment that begins— simply enough—with patient education.
Diet is the first part of your treatment, since salt affects kidney function, which in turn causes the blood pressure to rise. Don’t add table salt to your food, and stay away from foods that are salty, including pickles, pretzels, popcorn, and other salty snacks. Get into the habit of reading food labels, and resist fried fast foods and restaurants that normally use large quantities of salt in their food, such as Chinese and other ethnic cuisines. Low-fat milk and dairy products are good foods if you have hypertension, since some research suggests that a diet low in calcium may encourage the development of high blood pressure.
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