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High blood pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) means blood pushes too hard against your artery walls. Almost half of American adults have it, usually with no symptoms — but it can cause stroke, heart failure, heart attack and kidney disease.
Lifestyle first
Healthy changes can lower it:
- losing weight;
- being physically active;
- managing stress;
- cutting sodium;
- avoiding alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs;
- getting enough sleep.
If that isn't enough, your provider may prescribe medicine.
How the medicines work
| Type | How it works |
|---|---|
| ACE inhibitors and ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers) | keep blood vessels from narrowing as much, so blood flows with less pressure |
| Calcium channel blockers | keep calcium out of heart and blood-vessel muscle cells, letting vessels relax |
| Diuretics | remove extra water and sodium, lowering the amount of fluid in the blood; often combined with other medicines, sometimes in one pill |
| Beta blockers | make the heart beat slower and with less force; usually a backup, or for people with certain other conditions |
- Two or more medicines often work better than one.
- If they don't lower your pressure enough, your provider may add another type.
- Keep up the healthy habits: medicine plus lifestyle changes lowers blood pressure more than either alone.
Sources
Based on "Blood Pressure Medicines," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licenza: CC0 1.0 (pubblico dominio) · Tratto da medlineplus.gov
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