Clinical Trials. LeWine, MDChief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing. This patient decision aid Lowwering the National Institute for Health and Care Oressure NICE Lowering your blood pressure, kb Energy management strategies also help you to pressur Nutritional caloric intake treatment options. Some studies have suggested that getting too little magnesium is linked with high blood pressure, but evidence from clinical studies has been less clear 41 To decrease sodium in your diet, try using herbs and spices to add flavor to foods in place of salt. Along with helping lower blood pressure, regular physical activity benefits your mood, strength, and balance. home High Blood Pressure Home.

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Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure New research Mood-boosting techniques little Deluxe range of infection from prostate biopsies. Lowerjng at Nutritional caloric intake blooe linked to high blood pressure. Icy fingers and toes: Poor circulation or Raynaud's phenomenon? Taking medication to lower high blood pressure is a proven way to reduce your risk for heart disease. But adopting lifestyle changes may let you maintain healthy readings and perhaps even avoid drug therapy.

Lowering your blood pressure -

Common examples are candesartan , irbesartan , losartan , valsartan and olmesartan. Possible side effects include dizziness, headaches, and cold or flu-like symptoms. Calcium channel blockers reduce blood pressure by widening your blood vessels.

Common examples are amlodipine , felodipine and nifedipine. Other medicines, such as diltiazem and verapamil , are also available. Drinking grapefruit juice while taking some calcium channel blockers can increase your risk of side effects. Sometimes known as water pills, diuretics work by flushing excess water and salt from the body through your pee.

They're often used if calcium channel blockers cause troublesome side effects, or if you have signs of heart failure. Common examples are indapamide and bendroflumethiazide. Possible side effects include dizziness when standing up, increased thirst, needing to go to the toilet frequently, and a rash.

You might also get low potassium and low sodium after long-term use. You'll have regular blood tests to check for this. Beta blockers can reduce blood pressure by making your heart beat more slowly and with less force.

They used to be a popular treatment for high blood pressure, but now tend to be used only when other treatments have not worked. This is because beta blockers are considered less effective than other blood pressure medicines. Common examples are atenolol and bisoprolol.

Possible side effects include dizziness, headaches, tiredness, and cold hands and feet. While there are definite benefits from taking medicines to reduce blood pressure if you're under the age of 80, it's less clear it's useful if you're over It's now thought that if you reach 80 while you're taking medicine for high blood pressure, it's fine to continue treatment provided it's still helping you and is not causing side effects.

If you're diagnosed with high blood pressure and you're aged over 80, your doctor will also consider your other health risk factors when deciding whether to give you treatment for the high blood pressure. Page last reviewed: 11 July Next review due: 11 July Home Health A to Z High blood pressure hypertension Back to High blood pressure hypertension.

Treatment - High blood pressure hypertension Contents Overview Causes Diagnosis Treatment Prevention. When treatment is recommended Everyone with high blood pressure is advised to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Try to: cut your salt intake to less than 6g 0. Get more advice about lifestyle changes to prevent and reduce high blood pressure Medicines for high blood pressure Several types of medicine can be used to help control high blood pressure.

Many people need to take a combination of different medicines. if you're under 55 years of age, or you're any age and have type 2 diabetes — you'll usually be offered an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin-2 receptor blocker ARB if you're aged 55 or older, or you're any age and of African or Caribbean origin, and you do not have type 2 diabetes — you'll usually be offered a calcium channel blocker You may need to take blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life.

ACE inhibitors Angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE inhibitors reduce blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessels. Angiotensin-2 receptor blockers ARBs ARBs work in a similar way to ACE inhibitors.

Processed foods are often high in salt, added sugar, and unhealthy fats. They may lead to weight gain. All these factors can contribute high blood pressure. Foods labeled low fat may be high in salt and sugar to compensate for the loss of fat. Fat is what gives food taste and makes you feel full.

Eating less processed food will help you eat less salt, less sugar, and fewer refined carbohydrates. All of this can result in lower blood pressure. Smoking can affect your all-around health, including your blood pressure.

One study showed that nonsmokers in areas with smoke-free restaurants, bars, and workplaces had lower blood pressure than nonsmokers in areas without smoke-free policies.

Get some tips here for stopping smoking. Finding ways to manage stress is important for your health and your blood pressure. Ways of relieving stress depend on the individual but can include:. Get some tips here for relieving stress.

Cacao contains flavonoids, an antioxidant that may help lower blood pressure. These flavonoids may help dilate, or widen, your blood vessels. However, the American Heart Association notes that while eating a little dark chocolate is unlikely to be harmful, the amount a person is likely to eat per day will probably not provide enough flavonoids to produce health benefits.

Does dark chocolate have other benefits? Some herbal medicines may help lower blood pressure. However, more research is needed to identify the doses and components in the herbs that are most useful.

Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking herbal supplements. They may interfere with your prescription medications. Learn more about herbal remedies for high blood pressure. Sleep deprivation may increase the risk of high blood pressure. Tips for sleeping well include :.

Get some tips on sleeping well. Fresh garlic or garlic extract may help lower blood pressure. One review found that for people with high blood pressure, garlic supplements reduced their systolic blood pressure by up to about 5 mm Hg and their diastolic blood pressure by up to 2.

Can you eat raw garlic? Previous studies had already suggested that consuming protein may lower blood pressure in the short term. High-protein foods include:. Anyone considering switching to a high protein diet should first speak with a doctor, as it may not be suitable for everyone.

It is also essential to balance different types of protein and to balance protein foods with other items. How much protein do you need per day? However, there is not enough evidence to confirm that most supplements can manage blood pressure. Always check with a doctor before using a supplement, as not all supplements are safe for everyone.

They may worsen other conditions or interact with existing drugs. Learn more about supplements that may lower blood pressure. A review found that consuming 30 g or more of alcohol appears to increase the heart rate for up to 24 hours. Blood pressure, meanwhile, tends to fall for the first 12 hours but then increases.

A standard drink contains around 14 grams of alcohol. Despite the hype, drinking a lot of red wine is not beneficial for heart health, according to the American Heart Association.

They suggest limiting alcohol intake to two standard drinks per day for males and one per day for females. How does alcohol affect the body? People who usually consume 1—3 cups of coffee per day are unlikely to experience a rise in blood pressure.

However, your blood pressure might go up if you consume a lot of coffee or even a small amount when you are not used to it. In contrast, high-caffeine energy drinks may increase blood pressure and, with that, the risk of cardiovascular problems.

Experts discourage the consumption of energy drinks, especially among minors with existing health conditions. If you find that caffeine is affecting how you feel, you might want to try decaffeinated coffee. Is caffeine good or bad for health?

Some research suggests that drinking milliliters ml of water within 2 hours of waking up and another ml 2 hours before bedtime may help reduce blood pressure. However, more research is needed. How much water do you need each day? Which medications can manage high blood pressure? This will depend on the cause and any existing diagnoses you have.

Sitting quietly and doing breathing exercises might help. A person with an existing diagnosis may need to take their prescribed medication. There is a strong link between salt intake and high blood pressure, and reducing salt in the diet can help lower the risk of hypertension and its complications.

How much salt do you need each day? High blood pressure increases the risk for a number of health conditions. People can often prevent it or manage it at home through exercise, dietary choices, stress management, and other strategies. Read this article in Spanish.

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Several herbs may help lower high blood pressure. Learn more about good herbs for hypertension, from basil to hawthorn. Foods that are rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium can help lower blood pressure.

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