Hypertension: Treatment

The goal of treatment for high blood pressure is to permanently lower blood pressure to normal levels to prevent secondary damage. The earlier and more consistent the treatment is, the better this succeeds. General measures are the first line of treatment for primary hypertension. Sometimes a change in lifestyle as part of a treatment is already sufficient to effectively combat high blood pressure. Blood pressure can also be lowered by medication, which is used when the general measures of a therapy are not sufficient. Secondary hypertension is addressed by eliminating the cause; if that is not enough, medications are also used to treat it.

General measures for hypertension

In the end, it’s relatively simple: if you have the risk factors under control, hypertension is usually under control as well. Looking at the factors that promote primary hypertension, it quickly becomes clear how to lower high blood pressure without using drugs for therapy:

  • Achieve and maintain normal weight
  • In the diet, pay attention to a healthy, low meat and fat mixed diet (low salt, few hot spices, little alcohol).
  • Regularly engage in physical activity
  • Exercise endurance sports (for example, swimming or jogging).
  • Stop smoking
  • Reduce stress (for example, with autogenic training or yoga).
  • It is also important to adequately treat any diabetes or dyslipidemia present, as these potentiate the risk of secondary damage to the vessels.

Medications for the treatment of hypertension

If the above measures for treatment do not help or are not enough, drugs are used. Blood pressure is lowered by drugs that stimulate the excretion of water and salt by the kidneys (especially diuretics), dilate the vessels (for example, calcium antagonists) or dampen the autonomic nervous system (for example, beta blockers).

Treatment is tailored to the individual patient. Important factors are, for example, age and previous illnesses. In most cases, treatment is started with one drug; only if this (or an alternative) does not help is it combined with another active ingredient. Medication for high blood pressure must be taken regularly – even if no symptoms are present – and in most cases for the rest of the patient’s life.