Three major strategies for prevention and treatment of high blood pressure Nine major misunderstandings
Now hypertension has become a common disease, which is directly related to urbanization, aging, unhealthy diet, excessive drinking, overweight, mental stress, and too little physical activity. Regarding the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure, some experts have summarized three major strategies and nine major misunderstandings. They will share them with you today so that more people can deal with high blood pressure calmly.
Three major strategies
The first strategy is early detection and adequate treatment. Hypertension does not have any symptoms in the early stage, but it can cause damage to the heart, brain, and kidneys. Therefore, it is necessary to raise awareness, detect it early, and treat it early. Some people are lucky even if they are discovered early, hoping that their blood pressure will only increase accidentally. Once the blood pressure is under control, they will start to reduce the medication or even stop the medication, causing the blood pressure to rise and fall suddenly. Therefore, hypertension must not only be detected early but also adequately treated and well controlled.
The second strategy is to comprehensively correct the bad lifestyle. Eat a balanced diet, eat less McDonald's , KFC , etc., increase the intake of fruits and vegetables, and ensure that you consume one pound of fresh vegetables every day. Limit sodium intake to 5g/day, don’t be a couch potato, exercise regularly, and ensure 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical exercise every week. Effectively eliminate tension, control excessive excitement, anger, impatience, and relax your mind.
The third strategy is to optimize drug treatment. Antihypertensive drugs are divided into calcium ion antagonists, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, diuretics, and beta-blockers. Different types of hypertension require different antihypertensive drugs due to different risk stratification. Please ask your doctor before adding, reducing or changing medications.
Nine major misunderstandings
The first misunderstanding is that a rise in blood pressure outside the hospital is hypertension. Only if you measure your blood pressure three times in the clinic on different days and take the average value, systolic blood pressure ≥ 140mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90mmHg, can you be sure that you have high blood pressure.
The second misunderstanding is that mercury sphygmomanometer is accurate. This is really OUT. The electronic blood pressure monitor with the cuff tied to the upper arm is very accurate. Patients with high blood pressure can use this to measure their blood pressure at home.
The third misunderstanding is that there is no high blood pressure if there is no feeling. High blood pressure can cause symptoms such as headache, dizziness, and insomnia. But not everyone has symptoms of high blood pressure. Some patients may not feel anything when their blood pressure is elevated. However, high blood pressure is an invisible killer. It will not harm you just because you don’t feel it. It will also cause chronic damage to the heart, brain, and kidneys.
The fourth misunderstanding is that antihypertensive drugs cannot be taken casually, as they will not stop taking them. Antihypertensive drugs are not addictive drugs, and there is no dependence. What is dependent is high blood pressure, not antihypertensive drugs.
The fifth misunderstanding is that antihypertensive drugs have side effects, so they should not be taken. All drugs have side effects. The side effects of antihypertensive drugs can be completely controlled, and the benefits and risks must be weighed. When the benefits far outweigh the risks, there is no need to panic at all.
The sixth misunderstanding is that antihypertensive drugs need to be changed every few years. As long as the blood pressure is well controlled and there are no side effects, there is no need to change the medication. Dressing changes are only needed when blood pressure is poorly controlled or fluctuates with the seasons.
The seventh misunderstanding is that if your blood pressure is high, you should take medicine, and if your blood pressure is normal, stop taking medicine. This will keep your blood pressure in a state of flickering. Unstable blood pressure is like the tide of sea water, constantly impacting your heart, brain and kidneys.
The eighth misunderstanding is that the lower the blood pressure is, the better. Low blood pressure may be fatal. For patients with simple hypertension, the blood pressure should be controlled at 140/90mmHg. For patients with coronary heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and cerebral infarction, the blood pressure should be controlled below 130/80mmHg.
The ninth misunderstanding is that taking health care products can lower blood pressure. Health products are not reliable for lowering blood pressure, formal treatment is the right way!
Source: Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
