How to Treat Hypertension

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a disease that affects many people across the world. Blood pressure refers to the force exerted on artery walls by the blood flowing through them. The narrower and stiffer your arteries become, the higher your blood pressure goes. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you can follow a few simple steps to learn how to change your lifestyle, your diet, and medication to treat hypertension.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Changing Your Diet

There are many things that are not meat that contain protein. Legumes, seeds, and nuts have great nutrients in them and should be added to your diet. They have plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and phytochemicals as well as protein.

Eat up to 6 servings per week as opposed to per day. This is because these foods have a high calorie content and should always be consumed in moderation.^{[1]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}

Try including walnuts, peas, great northern beans, almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, lentils, and black beans into recipes and meals to get the vital nutrients they have on them.
2
Reduce your sodium intake. The first choice for reducing blood pressure is always lifestyle changes. One major cause of hypertension is too much sodium in your diet. Decreasing your dietary salt intake every day can decrease blood pressure by several points.

Doctors typically recommend that those with hypertension limit their sodium intake to less than 1500 to 2000 mg per day. You can track this by checking out the sodium on food labels, which is listed in milligrams (mg) on every nutrition label.^{[2]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}
- Pay attention to serving sizes. It may seem like it have a low about of sodium, but if there are more than one serving in each container and you eat it all, you may consume more sodium than you think.
- Many processed foods, including most canned soups, contain high levels of sodium. Be careful of processed foods when considering how much salt your body is getting. Even processed foods that don't taste salty may have significantly more salt than is healthy.
- Don't add table salt to food. Ask your doctor if a salt-substitute can be used. These often contain potassium chloride.
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3
Eat more whole grains. When you need to reduce blood pressure, you should eat whole grains. Instead of choosing refined grains such as white bread, rice, and pasta, choose to each whole grains instead. Doctor's recommend six to eight servings of grains per day. Try to eat oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa.^{[3]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}
- When you buy grains, look for packages that say whole wheat, whole grain, and multigrain. These have better ingredients and are better for your heart.
4
Consume lean protein. When you are trying to treat your hypertension, you need to keep away from high fat meat. Instead, eat lean protein. Don't eat more than 6 servings of lean meat or protein a week. Try meats such as poultry breast and fish. Eat other types of hearty protein as well, such as soy or eggs.^{[4]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}
- When you do eat meat, trim away any fat or skin from the meat before cooking. Do not fry it. Instead, grill, broil, roast, boil, or poach your meats.
- Choose more fish for your diet. Fish such as salmon contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which help ease hypertension instead of contributing to it.
5
Increase vegetable and fruit intake. Vegetables and fruit are integral to any heart-healthy diet. The natural vitamins and minerals help combat weight gain, boost your immunity, and keep your blood pressure down. Try to eat at least four to five servings of vegetables and fruits per day.

Squash, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, artichokes, and carrots are good examples of vegetables that are high in fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Use fruits such as pineapples, mangos, bananas, blueberries, pomegranates, and strawberries both as a natural treat and a substitute for refined, sugary sweets that you crave.^{[5]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}
- Try leaving on the edible peels of vegetables and fruits for extra fiber and nutrients.
6
Limit sugary treats. Refined sugars found in sugary sweets work against the healthy portions of your diet. They can make you gain weight and mess with your blood pressure. Cut down to no more than five servings of sweets per week.^{[6]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}
- If you have to eat sweets, consume sweets that are lower in sugar and fat. Avoid fried sweets and those with too many saturated fats as well.
Beverages with caffeine and alcohol should not be consumed with you suffer from hypertension. Caffeine causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, especially in high doses. Try to have less than 400 mg per day of caffeine.

Drink no more than one serving of alcohol if you are a woman and no more than two servings of alcohol a day if you are a man.^{[7]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}

A small, eight ounce coffee contains 100 to 150mg of caffeine and a small, eight ounce tea has 40 to 120mg. Watch out for larger portion that are popular at coffee chains. These can pack a ton of caffeine in one cup.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Changing Your Lifestyle

1
Exercise more. Exercise of all kinds can help treat your hypertension. Start working out for at least 30 minutes a day with aerobic exercise such as walking, jogging, or swimming. Try to add strength training into your routine twice a week as well. Check with your doctor about your exercise regimen if you have medical problems or are very overweight.
- You should shoot for at least five days of exercise a week, or three if you do more intense, 25 minute long exercises such as HIIT cardio.
- Even if you have to start small, try to at least walk for exercise everyday. You can build up to more elaborate exercise routines and activities.^{[8]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}
- Find a buddy with whom to exercise. Whether it's a neighbor you treat as a walking buddy or your best friend whom you coerce into swimming laps with you, it's easier to consistently exercise when the exercise itself is a social activity.
- Try different exercises. As soon as you get bored with your routine, you're likely to quit. So the secret is never getting bored in the first place. Constantly think about what you could be doing to mix up your routine.
2
Reduce your stress. Stress, anxiety, and depression can increase hypertension. Learn to manage and cope with stress to improve your emotional and physical health.

Take time out of every day to do a relaxing, fun activity. This can be playing a game with family and friends, reading a book, watching your favorite TV show, going for a hike in your favorite location, or walking your dog.
- If your stress comes from your crazy schedule, learn to say no to activities that aren't a necessity. Give yourself time to rest each day and learn to manage your time better.
- If you feel like your anxiety and depression are not linked with hypertension or it is a major part of your life, speak to your healthcare professional.
3
Quit smoking. Smoking is one of the most common and avoidable contributing factors to cardiovascular death. It is bad for your overall health, especially that of your lungs and heart. The added chemicals in cigarettes cause increases in heart rate and vessel constriction, which transiently increased blood pressure.

The effects of smoking can also last for years, even if you quit. Cigarette smoking also causes your arteries to stiffen over time, which doesn't go away right after you quit. ^{[9]XResearch source}
- Ask your doctor about ways to quit smoking, such as shots, medications, patches, pills, and group or individual therapy.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Using Medication

1
Take thiazide diuretics. Often, your doctor will prescribe medication along side your lifestyle changes to get your blood pressure down. Thiazide diuretics such as chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide reduce the fluid volume in your heart and help relax the vessels. This lowers the pressure put on them, which lowers your blood pressure.
- These medications are taken once a day. The side effects include low sodium and potassium, which can lead to dizziness, vomiting, fatigue, muscle weakness, and irregular heart beat.^{[10]XResearch source} They may also make you urinate more often.
2
Use calcium channel blockers. Calcium channel blockers, such as amlodipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, verapamil, and diltiazem, are potent vasodilators. This means they work by relaxing the muscles in the walls of the vessels. This, in turn, helps the blood flow easier, which lowers your blood pressure.
- Take these medications one to three a day as directed. The side effects can include swelling in the lower extremities and decreased heart rate.^{[11]XResearch source}
3
Ask your doctor about angiotensin II inhibitors. Angiotensin II inhibitors include two classes of medications, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).

ACE inhibitors include medications such as captopril, enalapril, and lisinopril. ARBs include medication such as irbesartan, losartan, and valsartan. These medications inhibit Angiotensin II, a hormone that causes narrowing of the blood vessels and increased fluid retention in the heart.
- These medications are taken in similar ways. Take them one to three times daily. The major side effects include hypotension, which can cause dizziness and fainting. Other common side effects include elevated potassium, muscle weakness, irregular heart beat, and cough.^{[12]XResearch source}
- These are often prescribed for younger patients.^{[13]XResearch source}
There are two additional medications that you can take for hypertension when other methods and lifestyle changes do not work for you.

Beta blockers include medications such as carvedilol, esmolol, labetalol, metoprolol, nadolol, propranolol, and timolol. Alpha blockers include medications such as doxazosin and prazosin.^{[14]XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world's leading hospitalsGo to source}. These medications work by blocking signals from nerves and hormones in the body that cause your blood vessels to narrow.

These medications are taken in similar ways. Take them one to three times a day, as prescribed. Some side effects of these medications include cough, shortness of breath, hypoglycemia, high potassium, depression, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, headache, nausea, weakness, and weight gain.^{[15]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}
5
Try herbal treatments. Although not scientifically verified, there are several herbal remedies which are thought to help hypertension. However, don't substitute these unverified herbal remedies for proven scientific advice. Instead, supplement your diet with them if approved by your healthcare provider.
- Holly leaf extract is a Chinese herbal remedy that helps blood vessels. Drink it as a tea enhance circulation and blood flow to the heart.
- Fish oil, which are omega-3 fatty acids, may help with fat metabolism and lower blood pressure.
- Other herbal remedies such as garlic, hibiscus, coconut water, ginger, cardamom, and hawthorn berry extract all fight high blood pressure and may mimic properties in medicine that is used for blood pressure.
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Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Understanding Hypertension

1
Understand high blood pressure. Very generally speaking, the health problems from hypertension are the result of two major steps, the narrowing and stiffening of the vessels, which leads to decreased blood flow to different organs and body parts. This causes the heart to work harder to pump blood, which can damage the heart over time.

When pressure in vessels is high, there are increased stresses applied to the vessel wall by the blood flowing through it. As a result of this, the muscle in the wall thickens and the lining of the vessel becomes injured, which allows fatty plaques to develop.^{[16]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}
- Both of these events cause narrowing and stiffness, which results in decreased blood flow. When a body part has decreased blood flow, it does not receive the oxygen and nutrients it needs, and the tissue can get injured and even die. This difficulty in getting the blood to certain areas of the body can be measured with your blood pressure.
- Other common complications of hypertension include heart failure, kidney problems, and eye problems.
2
Measure your blood pressure. You need to take your blood pressure to see if it is high. To know if it is, you need to understand how to read blood pressure numbers. Blood pressure consists of two measurements, the systolic blood pressure (SBP), which is the blood pressure while your heart is beating. This number goes above the diastolic blood pressure (DBP), which is the blood pressure while your heart is resting between beats.

Normal SBP is below 120, and normal DBP is below 80. This means for most people that you would want your blood pressure lower than 120/80.
- A blood pressures of 120 to 139 / 80 to 89 is considered prehypertension. Stage 1 Hypertension is 140 to 159 / 90 to 99 and Stage 2 Hypertension is 160 or higher / 100 or higher.^{[17]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Heart AssociationLeading nonprofit that funds medical research and public educationGo to source}
3
Learn how to diagnose hypertension. Blood pressure varies regularly throughout the day. It is lower when you sleep and rest, and rises if you are excited, nervous, or active. For this reason, diagnosis of abnormal blood pressure is made only when elevated blood pressure is seen during at least three doctor’s visits, spaced over a period of weeks to months.
- You may have isolated systolic or diastolic hypertension. Whichever number puts you into the highest stage is the diagnosis you will be give. For example, if your blood pressure is 162/79, you have Stage 2 Hypertension.
- Anyone actively taking prescribed medication for high blood pressure is defined as having hypertension, regardless of their blood pressure measurements.
- Your doctor may recommend checking your blood pressure outside of his office, such as at the drug store, health department, or by using a blood pressure cuff at home.
4
Know about primary hypertension. There are two categories of hypertension, primary or essential, hypertension and secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension develops gradually over many years. The cause of primary hypertension is generally multi-factorial and it is strongly associated with several independent risk factors. These include increased age, due to the stiffening and narrowing of the arteries over time that happens as you get older.
- Weight gain and obesity is a major risk factor. In early disease, it is the result of increased cardiac output as your body has to work harder against increased weight. Overtime, fat and sugar metabolism is disrupted, which leads to increased blood pressure. Diabetes and dyslipidemia are also diseases of dysregulation of sugar and fat metabolism, respectively, similarly leading to increased risk of developing hypertension.
- Primary hypertension is significantly more common in those people who have parents with hypertension. Studies have shown that possibly up to 30 percent of blood pressure variation is due to genetics.
- Other risk factors of primary hypertension include stress, depression, race, high sodium intake, excessive alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity.^{[18]XResearch source}
5
Learn about secondary hypertension. Secondary hypertension does not occur over time as a result of lifestyle choices. Instead, it occurs in response to an underlying medical condition.

These include kidney problems, because your kidneys are in charge of regulating the composition of fluid in the blood and secreting excess water. Both acute and chronic kidney disease can cause dysfunction, leading to excess fluid retention, increased blood volumes, and the development of hypertension.
- Adrenal gland tumors can secrete hormones that affect heart rate, contraction of blood vessels, and kidney function, possibly leading to an increase blood pressure.
- Other conditions that lead to secondary hypertension are thyroid problems, obstructive sleep apnea, certain medications, illegal drug use,
- In some rare cases, children are born with congenital defects and malformation of the large blood vessels. As a result, blood flow is disrupted and hypertension can develop.
6
Seek emergency medical help. There are certain situations when you need to seek emergency medical help for your hypertension. The dangers of prolonged high blood pressure can lead to cardiovascular disease, kidney injury, and damage to eyes and peripheral nerves. This damage can lead to serious health problems and death through heart attack and stroke.

Even if you make every effort to control hypertension using lifestyle changes, natural remedies, and medical help, you may not be out of the water. Know the signs for heart attack and stroke so that you can seek medical attention immediately.
- The symptoms of a heart attack include pain or a heavy feeling in your chest, pain in your arm (especially on your left side), stomach, back, or jaw, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, sweating, lightheadedness, dizziness, and fatigue.
- Stroke symptoms include sudden feelings of numbness or tingling, weakness or paralysis in your face or extremities, vision changes, trouble speaking, confusion, trouble understanding others, and severe headache.^{[19]XResearch source}
- Signs of malignant hypertension include blurred vision, anxiety, confusion, decreased alertness, decreased ability to concentrate, fatigue, restlessness, sleepiness, stupor, lethargy, chest pain, cough, headache, nausea or vomiting, numbness of the arms, legs, face, or other areas, reduced urine output, seizure, shortness of breath, and weakness of the arms, legs, face, or other areas.^{[20]XResearch source}
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Tips

Talk to your doctor about any medications you take, including ones that are over the counter (OTC). Some medications, including many OTC decongestants, may increase your blood pressure.
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If you have regular headaches caused by your hypertension, look into ways to relieve hypertension headaches.
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How to Treat Hypertension

Steps

Changing Your Diet

Changing Your Lifestyle

Using Medication

Understanding Hypertension

Expert Q&A

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