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When it comes to high blood pressure, there are several ways your doctor may suggest getting your numbers under control. For some, it may be as simple as changing diet or adding more exercise to your daily lifestyle habits. Others require various forms and dosages from a wealth of medications. Mostly, your doctor will suggest nonmedication methods first.

Such early methods of lowering high blood pressure readings will mean a change of diet, limiting the salt, fats and sugars in your dietary intake. Added to that will more than likely be an exercise regimen. Taking a walk every day, joining a gym or Yoga classes may be all that it takes to get your pressure under control. Then again, if you have a family history of high blood pressure or are over 55 years old, you may have to look at a few more options to those listed above.

High blood pressure can sometimes result from your heredity, though for most people, poor eating habits is the major cause. Too much salt and not enough potassium in a diet may lead to
high blood pressure, as can drinking too much alcohol, smoking and not getting enough exercise. High stress jobs, such as those held by police officers, fire-fighters and corporate leaders, often experience a high rate of heart conditions. However, these days, high school students and those attending intense university course loads are also experiencing a higher rate of high blood pressure than just a generation ago.

The most common types of medications that your doctor will prescribe to treat high blood pressure are called Beta-blockers, diuretics and ACE inhibitors, as well as CCBs. Beta-blockers slow the heartbeat and decrease the force used by your heart to pump blood, and less blood flowing through the arteries means lower blood pressure. Diuretics, sometimes called water pills, work to flush kidneys and blood of excess water and salt, which serves to remove excess fluid in the body, by decreasing the effort of your heart to pump blood. There are several different types of diuretics, so make sure you know which one your doctor is prescribing for you. An ACE inhibitor, or angiotensin-converting enzyme, prevents the body from creating a hormone called angiotensin, which causes blood vessels to narrow. A CCB, also known as calcium channel blocker, prevents calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart and vessels, which serves to relax them.

Your doctor will advise you on each of these medications, should he prescribe them to you. Each comes with its own list of benefits and drawbacks, as well as side effects, so work with your doctor to understand what each of them does and how taking such medications will affect your diet and your living style. You should take these types of medications at the same time every day, so you may have to adjust your daily routine. Still, getting your blood pressure under control is vital to living as healthy and as active as a lifestyle as possible.

Having high blood pressure is no fun, but it is possible to get it under control through proper dieting, exercise and medications when necessary.