Are Medications Enough to Treat High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure or hypertension is a chronic health condition affecting many people across the world. When the force with which your blood is pushed against the wall of your arteries is extremely high, it is known as high blood pressure. Blood pressure above 120/80 mm/Hg is considered as high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a dangerous situation that can damage your blood vessels, arteries and vital body organs, including eyes, kidneys, heart, and brain. This, in turn, leads to various chronic health problems some of which can be life-threatening.

Lifestyle changes and medications like olmigo are the most effective ways to treat hypertension.

Medications To Treat High Blood Pressure 

Some of the most commonly prescribed medicines for treating high blood pressure are:

Diuretics

These are also known as water pills and work by improving the functioning of your kidneys, thus helping in eliminating the excess salt and water from your body thereby controlling the blood pressure. These are of three types: thiazide diuretics, loop diuretics and potassium-sparing diuretics.

However, these medications may lead to some potential side effects like :

• Tiredness
• Muscle cramps 
• Weakness and fatigue
• Dizziness

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme(ACE) Inhibitor

ACE inhibitors restrict the production of angiotensin, a chemical that leads to the narrowing of the arteries, thereby restricting the blood flow and increasing blood pressure. Thus ACE inhibitors aid in the relaxation of the arteries and hence lowering the blood pressure.

However, they may lead to side effects like:

• Loss of taste
• Skin rashes
• Chronic dry, hacking cough
• Kidney damage

Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers

For narrowing the blood vessels, angiotensin needs a receptor for binding. Angiotensin II receptor blockers prevent the angiotensin from binding to the receptor, thereby preventing the narrowing of the arteries and hence reducing the blood pressure.

Olmigo is one of the effective Angiotensin II receptor blockers. In addition, Olmigo contains olmesartan and thus lower the blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels, thus reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke and other health complications associated with high blood pressure.

Olmigo can be prescribed in combination with other medications to boost its effect. However, Angiotensin II receptor blockers, including olmigo have some potential side effects like:

• Dizziness
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea
• Headache
• Upset stomach
• Pain in stomach 

Beta-Blockers

Besides olmigo or any other effective medicine, doctors may also prescribe beta-blockers to reduce the heart rate. This, in turn, reduces the pressure from your heart and hence lowering the blood pressure. Side effects include:

• Insomnia
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Slow heartbeat
• Cold hands and feet

Treating High Blood Pressure Without Medication 

Although medicines like olmigo are quite effective in treating high blood pressure, you can also lower your blood pressure without medications. Besides olmigo or any other medications, a healthy lifestyle plays a crucial role in managing your blood pressure. Also, medications have some potential side effects and a few drug interactions, which can increase your difficulties and make the situation worse. Hence doctors prefer lifestyle changes as the first line of treatment for high blood pressure.

Following are some lifestyle modifications that aid in lowering blood pressure:

Losing Weight

Excess body weight can restrict blood flow, leading to high blood pressure. Hence shedding extra pounds will help lower your blood pressure to a greater extent. If you are obese, losing extra weight is the best way to control your blood pressure.

Having A Healthy Diet

Your diet plays an important role in maintaining your overall health. A healthy and balanced diet will help maintain weight and improve blood circulation, thereby helping in lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of health complications and underlying causes associated with high blood pressure.

Following dietary changes are found to be effective in reducing your high blood pressure to the normal range:

• Reducing sodium consumption and increasing the intake of potassium in your meal.
• Including veggies, fibrous fruits, nuts, lean protein, low-fat dairy products, whole grains in your diet.
• Avoiding the consumption of processed and sugary food items 
• Avoid the intake of foods rich in trans and saturated fats
• Divide your meal into small portions

Exercising Daily

Exercising daily have tremendous health benefits. For example, a daily physical workout of 30 minutes for at least 5 days a week will keep you fit and energetic and help improve blood circulation and reduce excess body weight, thereby preventing high blood pressure.

Regular physical activity aids in lowering blood pressure if you have high blood pressure and can also reduce your risk of getting high blood pressure if you are prone to it. Aerobic exercises like swimming, rowing, cycling, jogging, dancing, and strength training are effective physical activities that help control blood pressure. But always consult your doctor before starting doing any kind of exercise.

Apart from exercising, a brisk walk will also serve the purpose.

Limiting Alcohol Intake

Most people consider alcohol as an energy booster and mood elevator but only when taken in moderation. Excess alcohol intake can raise your blood pressure and reduce the effectiveness of medicines used to treat blood pressure.

Quitting Smoking

Cigarette smoking can restrict the blood flow through the arteries by making them harder and narrower thus raising the blood pressure. Quitting smoking helps lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of several lethal health problems.

Reducing Stress

Prolonged severe stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Reducing stress not only helps in lowering blood pressure but also improves your physical and mental health.

Conclusion

High blood pressure is a severe health problem faced by most people across the globe that need to be addressed immediately. High blood pressure is a silent killer that doesn’t show any symptoms initially, thus making its diagnosis difficult. Untreated high blood pressure can lead to health-related severe problems by affecting blood circulation and damaging your essential body organs. A healthy lifestyle and a few medicines like olmigo help control your blood pressure.

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Tiara Morgis