Contents:
- Medical Video: High Blood Pressure: What You Need to Know About Medications
- When should I take hypertension medication?
- Prescribing high blood pressure prescriptions may be delayed for the elderly
- How do you know if you have hypertension?
Medical Video: High Blood Pressure: What You Need to Know About Medications
Normally, blood pressure ranges from 120/80 mmHG. Blood pressure can be considered high or hypertension when it is higher than 140/90 mmHG. If you have experienced this, should you immediately take medication for hypertension, or can it be treated first by living a healthier lifestyle? Check out the answer below.
When should I take hypertension medication?
Blood pressure that is too high will interfere with blood circulation and can be fatal. However, should you immediately take hypertension medication? Not always the case. Before prescribing medication, the doctor must first consider how high blood pressure, health conditions, and also your age.
When your tension reading is still around 120-139 mmHG for systolic pressure but the diastolic pressure is less than 80 to 89, it means you are still classified as prehypertension. You may not need high blood pressure drugs at this time, as long as they can be controlled with a healthy lifestyle and you do not show the risk of complications. Even so, prehypertension should not be underestimated. People with prehypertension are at higher risk for hypertension.
If your reading is 140/90 to 159/99 mmHG or higher than 160/100 mmHG, you may need to take hypertension medication. If you have had a blood pressure of 180/120 mmHG or higher, this is very high. You need immediate medical assistance to control it.
In general, the doctor will prescribe medication if your blood pressure does not go down after three months changing your lifestyle to be healthier. Medication for high blood pressure can also be prescribed by a doctor, when he detects you have other health problems such as kidney disease or heart disease.
High blood pressure increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. If you have other medical problems, such as high cholesterol, diabetes, or heart disease, your doctor will recommend treatment faster.
Prescribing high blood pressure prescriptions may be delayed for the elderly
Provisions for prescribing hypertension drugs can be different for older people. Because, rthe risk of heart disease will increase with age. The risk of side effects from hypertension drugs such as dizziness and falls can also be more serious when consumed by the elderly. So if you have hypertension and are 80 years or older, your doctor may delay giving prescriptions to protect you from these side effects.
But if you are 60 years or older, American Collage of Physicians and American Academy of Family Physicians recommend that you start taking hypertension medication if your blood pressure is 130 or higher.
So, discuss further with the doctor who handles you to be able to know more precisely when you have to take hypertension medication. The doctor can also determine the type of medication, dosage, and how to use it according to your needs.
How do you know if you have hypertension?
Maybe you don't realize that you have dangerous high blood pressure. Because hypertension generally often does not display symptoms that are not visible. The only way to truly believe you have hypertension is through regular blood pressure testing.
How often your blood pressure should be checked varies from case to case. If you are worried about your current blood pressure level, check with your doctor.
