Treatment of High Blood Pressure

At one time the treatment of high blood pressure (Hypertension), followed a very rigid approach. Nowadays doctors are much more relaxed about the way they approach the treatment of hypertension or high blood pressure in their patients, preferring a much more patient centred approach.

It is recognised that those people who have pre-existing conditions such as cardiovascular damage, kidney disease or stroke present with their own set of individual problems which all need treating on an individual basis; therefore it’s important that any medical or drug treatment is carefully tailored around them.

The first treatment of choice for those suffering with high blood pressure is usually a lifestyle change. For those who are overweight, smoke, lead very stressful lives or don’t exercise, sometimes this is the only wake up call they need. Once they make the lifestyle modifications required, they will often find their blood pressure will lower itself too a more normal limit.

As long as they keep these lifestyle changes, there shouldn’t really be any reason why they need to worry about their blood pressure later though of course it should be carefully monitored on a regular basis.

Some medications used to treat high blood pressure include

• Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) and angiotensin receptor blockers
• Beta-blockers
• Diuretics
• Calcium channel blockers (CCBs)
• Alpha-blockers
• Clonidine
• Minoxidil
  

Unfortunately it’s often found that one drug which treats a particular disease, has an adverse effect on another drug treating a different medical problem, so getting the balance right when prescribing medication to those suffering a variety of different illnesses can be difficult.

Clinical trials can prove useful for some people who find the drug regime they have been on is unsuitable. Many doctors will ask specific patients who they are having difficulty treating with conventional drugs, if they will participate in clinical trials for new drugs.

These drugs are not available to the general public (sometimes not for a year or so), and the temptation to try a new treatment can be an irresistible lure, especially to someone who is not responding to the treatment they have been given.

There have been some very satisfactory outcomes for those who have agreed to participate in clinical trials.