Medicine Talk

The Blood Pressure Rebellion

4.  Know and use the correct blood pressure cuff size for your body. Make sure health personnel use it too!
Cuffs range from pediatric to large to thigh cuffs. Cuffs that are too small can falsely elevate readings.

5.  Maximize one blood pressure medicine before moving on to add another.
That's right. Notice I did not say switch drugs. Twenty years ago when I was a student, we used to think that a person had very serious hypertension if we could not control pressure with three drugs. Today, we know that most persons will require two or three medicines to gain full control. This is normal, not failure!

6.  If you notice sexual side effects while using certain blood pressure medicines, share this with your doctor.
Many of us forget to ask about this important area of life.

7.  Do you really know what foods are high in sodium?
Most of the medical students I teach get a "D" when I give them this question! If your answer is no, you are in good company. Ask for written materials to help you make better food choices. If you do, ask yourself if you've been serious about avoiding such foods. Although not food, certain anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen also contain high salt loads. Consider alternatives.

8.  Focus on modest weight loss if you are overweight.
For every extra pound of fat we carry, 7 miles of blood vessels must be created to support it. That's a lot of extra stress on your heart. Many people can achieve lower pressures with weight loss of only 7 to 15 pounds. This may allow them to use less medicine too.

9.  Consider the DASH diet to lower blood pressure.
This has been proven to lower pressures by over 5 mm. A nutritionist may be able to work out a plan with you individually, but you might take a look at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf Want more extreme measures? Vegetarian diets can lower pressure by 5-10 mm.