Home Articles Articles Stress Busters What to Do in High BP
Stress Busters

What to Do in High BP

what to do in high bp
Hypertension is a common condition that can come with age and an unhealthy lifestyle. Individuals with hypertension may not have any symptoms, which is why regular blood pressure (BP) checkup is essential. This is a crucial step towards hypertension treatment. If left untreated for long, hypertension can result in life-threatening complications like stroke or heart attack.Points covered

Another thing that people often do not know is that there are different types of hypertension or high blood pressure conditions. Thus, each type has a different blood pressure treatment and a set of tips for patients.

Types Of Hypertension

Different types of hypertension are:

  • Primary hypertension
  • Secondary hypertension
  • White-coat hypertension
  • Masked hypertension
  • Accelerated hypertension
  • Malignant hypertension
  • Hypertensive emergency
  • Isolated systolic hypertension
  • Resistant hypertension
  • Pseudo hypertension

What To Do In High BP?

What to do in high BP?This is a rattling question everyone has. That’s because high blood pressure is a “silent killer” as it often shows no symptoms but poses a major risk for heart disease and stroke.The good news is that if you’re experiencing elevated blood pressure, a few lifestyle changes can significantly reduce your numbers and lower your risk. All this can be done without the need for medications.So if you’re wondering what to do in high BP, here’s what you can do!

Lifestyle Modification Tips For Hypertension Patients

Lifestyle Modification Tips for Hypertension PatientsThe most important step towards controlling hypertension is to consult your doctor and work out a thorough treatment plan.

    1. Diet

      DietA high-sodium and low-potassium diet contribute to the rise in blood pressure levels. A high blood pressure diet should, therefore, consist of higher potassium intake and lesser sodium intake. However, a potassium-rich diet may be harmful to people with kidney diseases and patients of resistant hypertension and hypertensive emergency. The best thing to do is to consult your doctor or ask a nutritionist for a personalized diet plan to maintain normal blood pressure.

    1. Regular Exercise

      Regular ExerciseExercise for high blood pressure helps in keeping a person active and maintaining healthy blood flow in the body. A person need not perform rigorous exercises. Rather, simply walking and jogging every day for a minimum of 40-45 minutes can be beneficial to lower blood pressure.

    1. Maintaining Weight

      Maintaining WeightBeing overweight can add to the blood pressure trouble. Hence, maintaining weight is beneficial for every type of hypertension. Exercise for high blood pressure and a healthy diet help in maintaining a healthy weight and Body Mass Index (BMI).

    1. Lifestyle

      LifestyleAdopting a healthier lifestyle is today’s need. Strictly avoiding smoking and alcohol along with cutting down on unhealthy diet is essential for people with hypertension. Both smoking and alcohol not only harm the body in the long run but also cause an immediate increase in blood pressure.

    1. Stress Management

      Stress ManagementStress has immediate as well as long-term effects and adds to hypertension. Doctors often recommend stress management to hypertension patients. Meditation and yoga are two ways to manage stress, especially for people with white-coat and masked hypertension. Other stress-relieving measures that help in reducing stress and blood pressure include deep breathing, sauna bath, and therapies like acupuncture. Keeping calm in situations of stress is necessary for people with hypertension.

  1. Regular Monitoring

    Regular MonitoringRegularly monitoring blood pressure is as important as a healthy diet and regular exercise. Not keeping a regular check on blood pressure may lead to a much higher rise in BP, causing severe complications like a heart attack or stroke. Malignant hypertension and hypertensive emergency may be detected early and managed effectively with regular BP monitoring.

Go For BP-Lowering Supplements

Go for BP-lowering supplementsThere are special supplements available in the market which have shown promise for lowering blood pressure: These can be easily availed without any prescriptions.

  • Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid
  • Whey protein
  • Magnesium
  • Coenzyme Q10
  • Citrulline

Eat Foods Rich In Magnesium

Eat foods rich in magnesiumMagnesium is a vital mineral that helps blood vessels relax. While magnesium deficiency is pretty rare, many people prone to hypertension don’t get enough.
You can increase the magnesium intake by adding vegetables, dairy products, legumes, chicken, meat, and whole grains, to your daily diet.

Cut Down On Caffeine

Cut down on caffeineCaffeine is known to temporarily raise blood pressure levels, after consumption. It lasts for about 45 to 60 minutes and the reaction varies from person to person
Although, some people may be more sensitive to caffeine than others. If you’re caffeine-sensitive, you may want to cut back on your coffee consumption or try decaffeinated beverages.

Conclusion

Hypertension is a medical condition that can cause serious complications if not given proper medical attention and care. A little discipline and care is what it takes to manage any type of hypertension. Adopting a healthy lifestyle and regular BP monitoring are essential in today’s life. To know more about hypertension and how to control it, check out our other articles.

Note of Caution: This article is for information purpose only. Always consult your doctor in case of any blood pressure or other health-related problems.

FAQs

1. How do you take care of yourself when you have hypertension?

The most basic question that comes to mind would be ‘what to do in high bp?’, well you can start by doing the following:

  • Consulting a physician – Understand your condition and then follow some healthy lifestyle routines.
  • Healthy diet – Following a healthy diet full of green vegetables, fruits, salads, and sprouts seems like a great start towards a healthy diet.
  • Start exercising – Living an active lifestyle will only help you stay fit and regulate your blood flow.

2. What should I do if I have high blood pressure right now?

The first thing would be consulting a physician. Only a doctor can tell you perfectly about your condition, and whatever treatment they suggest, you should follow it.

3. What should we do when BP is high?

There are many things one can do to control high blood pressure. Visit a physician first and seek medical help. After consulting with a doctor, you can follow an active and healthy lifestyle to control your BP. These lifestyle habits might include quitting harmful addictions like drinking and smoking, avoiding junk and unhealthy food, exercising, and reducing stress.

4. What foods should you stay away from when you have high blood pressure?

Foods with high sodium levels such as spinach, cheese, fast food snacks, frozen or processed foods – sauces, soups, ready-to-make dishes should be avoided. These have high salt content and can easily increase the BP levels.

BackReturn to all articles

Comments (8)

Kinjal

What kind of a diet needs to be followed by a hypertension patient?

BPincontrol Team

A healthy diet which is rich in vitamins and minerals would be the ideal diet. But to be specific, a diet with high potassium intake and very low sodium intake would be the right diet to follow. Having high sodium or low potassium foods contribute to the rise in blood pressure levels. However, a potassium-rich diet could also be harmful to people with kidney diseases and patients of resistant hypertension and hypertensive emergency. The best thing to do is consult your doctor or ask a nutritionist for a personalised diet plan to maintain regular blood pressure.

Suraj

What kind of lifestyle needs to be followed by a hypertension patient?

BPincontrol Team

The ideal lifestyle to be followed would revolve around 3 key areas; 1. Weight control: Being overweight can add to the blood pressure trouble. Hence, maintaining weight is beneficial for every type of hypertension. Exercise for high blood pressure and a healthy diet help in maintaining a healthy weight and BMI. Exercising also keeps a person active and helps in healthy blood flow in the body. A person need not perform rigorous exercises. Rather, simply walking and jogging every day can be beneficial. 2. lifestyle Habits: Smoking and alcohol are part of today’s unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, avoiding them both along with cutting down on a high BP diet is important for people with hypertension. Both smoking and alcohol not only harms the body in the long run but also causes an immediate increase in the blood pressure. 3. Stress Management: Stress has direct effects and influence on hypertension. Doctors often recommend stress management to hypertension patients. Meditation and yoga are two ways to manage stress, especially for people with white-coat and masked hypertension. Other stress-relieving measures include deep breathing, sauna bath, and therapies like acupuncture.

Sunil

Is it necessary for hypertension patients to regularly monitor blood pressure?

BPincontrol Team

Yes it is. Hypertension is a medical condition that can cause serious complications if not given proper medical attention and care. Having a discipline and a regularized routine is essential to manage any type of hypertension. So along with maintaining a healthy lifestyle and exercising regularly, it’s very important to regularly monitor the blood pressure. Not keeping a regular check on blood pressure may lead to severe complications like kidney problems or even heart attack or stroke, in people with malignant hypertension and hypertensive emergencies.

Aayushi

Is there more than one type of Hypertension?

BPincontrol Team

Yes, there are many types of Hypertension, also known as High Blood Pressure. The condition is characterised by alarmingly high blood pressure readings and rarely observed symptoms. It’s therefore essential to keep monitoring your blood pressure regularly after the age of 18. Five of the most commonly found types of hypertension include: 1. Primary Hypertension: This is the most common type of hypertension. Generally, it is caused by genetic reasons and can worsen due to lifestyle habits. 2. Secondary Hypertension: In this case there is a definite reason for occurrence of hypertension - like prevailing medical conditions such as Narrowing of arteries Side effects of medications Hormonal and thyroidal changes, etc. 3. White-coat hypertension: White-coat hypertension is a psychologically induced form of hypertension that occurs when a patient enters a medical environment, like a doctor’s office or a hospital. 4. Masked hypertension: The exact opposite of white-coat hypertension. Which means patients have normal blood pressure readings in the presence of a doctor and high readings when they measure at home.  5. Pseudo hypertension: This is a rare condition in which the walls of arteries are very stiff and the cuff of the blood pressure monitor has to be tightened with high pressure to get a reading. In this condition, the blood pressure readings are often much higher than actual.

Add your comment

×