Things To Know About Treating Hypertension

Over seven hundred million people go undiagnosed with hypertension, and never consult a virtual doctor, which is why the condition has become the leading cause of premature deaths worldwide. Not only does hypertension, or high blood pressure, significantly increases the risk of a cardiac arrest, but it also negatively impacts the kidneys too.

But what exactly is hypertension and are there any treatment options? Keep scrolling to find out.

Understanding Hypertension

The force exerted by the blood pumping in our body against the arteries is referred to as blood pressure. When this arterial pressure increases, the condition is called hypertension. Hypertension is often left untreated because there are no obvious signaling factors—hence the name 'silent killer'.

A Professor at Imperial College London, was quoted saying: “Nearly half a century after we started treating hypertension, which is easy to diagnose and treat with low-cost medicines, it is a public health failure that so many people with high blood pressure in the world are still not getting the treatment they need.”

Prevention and Treatment

According to the "Guideline for the Pharmacological Treatment of Hypertension in Adults"—a book by the World Health Organization (WHO)—people with hypertension should consider:

• Any one of the following drugs, as prescribed by your doctor, as initial treatment; thiazide and thiazide-like agents, OR ACEis or ARBs, OR CCBs.
• Antihypertensive drug therapy

Other ways to treat hypertension

• Losing weight.
• Keeping yourself fit and hitting the gym regularly. Aerobic exercise works well too.
• Quitting smoking as blood vessels and arteries become hardened due to tobacco.
• Including more fruits, vegetables, fish and beans in diet.
• Relieving stress through meditations, yoga and warm baths.
• Cutting down on salt intake. Do not take more than 1500 milligrams of sodium in a day.
• Refraining from alcohol consumption altogether, but if you must take it, let it be no more than a single drink.
• Talking to a therapist, a counselor, or a virtual doctor to solve your anger management issues, if necessary.

Medications as treatment

• Diuretics
• Beta-blocker
• Renin inhibitors
• Combination medications
• Alpha-blockers
• Alpha-agonists

Do I Have Hypertension?

Experts suggest that leading a healthy lifestyle and exercising regularly keeps you fit and are the ultimate ways to prevent constantly elevated blood pressure. However, if you test yourself on two different days, and the systolic readings on both days is ≥140 mmHg and the diastolic readings are ≥90 mmHg—then book an appointment and get yourself checked by an online doctor.

TelMDCare offers online online medical consultations for patients all over the US. We are telemedicine doctors, and can also treat hypertension, hypothyroidism and other medical conditions. If you're in need of a virtual doctor, contact us now!