High Blood Pressure: Is Compliance to Medication Necessary?

Not too long ago a study came out that 1 in 4 people are not taking their blood pressure medications on time.  It is a known fact that patients with problematic or chronic diseases don't always take their medications on time and high blood pressure is definitely on that list.   Though at times being forgetful is okay, it is important that this doesn't turn into carelessness.  Not taking your medications on time increases stroke rate and mortality rate.  Small reductions in your blood pressure can be extremely beneficial. For example, a middle aged (between ages 40 and 69) person with a blood pressure reading of 175/105 mm Hg is 8X  (absolute risk increase of 800%) more likely to die of cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years in comparison to a patient of the same age/ethnicity/sex with a BP reading of 115/75 mmHg.

If blood pressure is persistently not controlled, it causes over-exertion of the heart. As the heart continues to pump blood at a normal heart rate of 72 beats per minute against high blood pressure, the heart wall muscles becomes thick and stiff over years, which is called left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).  As the heart thickens, it cannot efficiently contract or relax normally. Diastolic dysfunction, inability of the heart to relax normally, leads to inefficient pumping of deoxygenated blood and subsequently may cause heart failure. With the progression of LVH, you may suffer from arrhythmia and stroke. Persistent hypertension can lead to hardening of the arteries and atherosclerosis (building of plaque in the arteries), which may cause heart attacks and angina.

Remember: Failure to control your blood pressure can lead to serious health problems.

By controlling your blood pressure, you delay the effects of high blood pressure on your organs to much later on in your life. For every increase in 20/10 mm Hg of blood pressure, there is 2-fold increase mortality and even a small reduction in blood pressure translates in to a benefit. Below are some suggestions to help you control your blood pressure.

v  Simple lifestyle and dietary changes can help reduce blood pressure (See Healthy Lifestyle)

v  Take your blood pressure medications on time and as prescribed (Click Here for More Information)

v  Properly treated high blood pressure should not interfere with daily living

Click Here for more information on high blood pressure and new therapies on the horizon