Long-term use of blood pressure medication could be contributing to kidney damage. New kidney research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine is raising concerns that long-term use of drugs commonly prescribed to treat high-blood pressure and heart failure could be contributing to kidney damage.
Stopping medications can be harmful as it can raise BP to dangerous levels. Hypertension is a lifelong disease, so medications have to continue lifelong.
Safe medications to use include methyldopa and potentially some diuretics and beta-blockers, including labetalol.
The most common blood pressure medicines are ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers and diuretics. Many people need more than one medicine to bring their high blood pressure under control.
Normal blood pressure for most adults is defined as a systolic pressure of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80.
In general, you shouldn't stop taking blood pressure medications suddenly. If you do, they can cause potentially dangerous side effects that can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Blood pressure medications are often stopped more gradually, utilizing a strategy such as tapering.
While there is no cure for high blood pressure, it is important for patients to take steps that matter, such as making effective lifestyle changes and taking BP-lowering medications as prescribed by their physicians.
How they can cause fatigue: Blood-pressure medications may slow down the pumping action of the heart as well as depress the entire central nervous system, or, in the case of diuretics, deplete electrolytes that the body needs.
In an elderly cohort of hypertensive people or antihypertensive drug users, we found that ARBs and β-blockers consistently increased the risk for an incident stroke. β-Blocker use increased total stroke risk ≈41% to 43%, and ARB use increased stroke risk between 56% and 61%.
Your doctor may advise you to take medicine for high blood pressure if: Your blood pressure is more than a little high. You have organ damage or other health problems such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, diabetes, or kidney disease. You have one or more risk factors for heart attack or stroke.
If you forget to take one or more doses: take your next dose at the normal time and in the normal amount. Do not take any more than your doctor prescribed. If you miss one dose, skip it and continue with your normal schedule.
A Word From Verywell. Even if lifestyle changes have improved your blood pressure, never stop taking your medication without talking to your healthcare provider.
“Consuming diets with adequate magnesium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension).
Magnesium has been hypothesized to have a beneficial effect on hypertension by interacting with calcium (1, 2), reducing peripheral vascular resistance (1, 3, 4), increasing nitric oxide release (5) and endothelial prostaglandin I2 secretion (2, 6), and enhancing the effect of antihypertensive medications (7).
High doses of vitamin D can cause hypercalcemia, which increases the risk of fatal heart problems with digoxin. Diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac, others). Avoid taking high doses of vitamin D with this blood pressure drug.
Bananas. These are rich in potassium, a nutrient shown to help lower blood pressure, says Laffin. One medium banana provides about 375 milligrams of potassium, about 11 percent of the recommended daily intake for a man, and 16 percent for a woman.
Call 911 or emergency medical services if your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or greater and you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or symptoms of stroke. Stroke symptoms include numbness or tingling, trouble speaking, or changes in vision.
New Blood Pressure Standards for Seniors
The ideal blood pressure for seniors is now considered 120/80 (systolic/diastolic), which is the same for younger adults. The high blood pressure range for seniors starts at hypertension stage 1, spanning between 130-139/80-89.