| High blood pressure is one of those health oddities | | | | Things like a better diet regular exercise and |
| that you can have for several years and not | | | | eliminating alcohol or tobacco use. Or at least |
| even know you have it. So, what happens when | | | | dramatically reduce its use. |
| you are diagnosed by the doctor as having high | | | | In some cases your blood pressure may be so |
| blood pressure or hypertension? To begin with, if | | | | high that other treatment options will also need to |
| you don't know what your blood pressure reading | | | | be used. This means that you could be put on |
| is currently you should have it checked. It is so | | | | high blood pressure medication immediately to get |
| easy to do. The next time you are at Walgreen's | | | | it brought down to a normal level. |
| pharmacy, stop over and get it checked at their | | | | There are several types of anti-hypertension |
| little booth. It's free and it can help. | | | | medications available. Your doctor will take your |
| High blood pressure is nothing to play around with. | | | | current health conditions into account in putting |
| Its symptoms can lead to heart disease, heart | | | | you on one of these drugs. The doctor will then |
| attacks, kidney failure, strokes and other medical | | | | monitor you for how well the medicine is working |
| problems. | | | | as well as any side effects. You may need to go |
| The normal blood pressure range that is generally | | | | on a different medication if one is not working |
| acceptable in the medical community is 120-130 | | | | right. |
| over 80-85. But this is just a general guideline and | | | | In many cases just by making lifestyle changes |
| may not apply in all cases. For example, an | | | | can bring blood pressure levels back down to |
| African-American would have a lower limit in order | | | | normal. But don't feel bad if you find you still need |
| to be considered normal. | | | | medicine to help reduce these levels. The |
| What happens when you are first diagnosed with | | | | important thing is that you get the treatment in |
| hypertension? | | | | controlling the problem. It is completely painless |
| In most cases your doctor will try and get your | | | | and it will certainly add many more years to your |
| blood pressure controlled with lifestyle changes. | | | | life. |