Did you know that nearly half of retirees have blood pressure that is not sufficiently controlled? The good news is that focused treatment can help. Clinical trials show that proper treatment of high blood pressure, or hypertension, has resulted in significant reductions of strokes (35-40%), heart attack (20-25%), and heart failure (>50%).(1)

 

In addition to treatment with medicine, physicians will often recommend lifestyle modifications and management strategies such as diet, exercise, alcohol moderation, weight loss, and smoking cessation. Studies have shown the positive effects of such lifestyle changes. For example, changes in diet alone have proven to reduce systolic blood pressure (SBP) by up to 14 mm Hg, while regular physical activity such as a daily walk can reduce SBP by as much as 9 mm Hg.(2-6) Another study found that four hours of everyday activity around the home can drop blood pressure by one category (hypertensive to pre-hypertensive, pre-hypertensive to normal).(7)

 

Give us a call for help with hypertension. We can assist with medication teaching and reminders, dietary changes, and an in-home activity and exercise plan to help get your blood pressure back to normal.

 

Sources:

  1. Gillespie C, Hurvitz K. Prevalence of Hypertension and Controlled Hypertension – United States 2007-2010. MMWR. 2013; 62 (3): 144-148.

 

  1. Sacks R, Svetkey L, Vollmer W, et al. DASH-Sodium Collaborative Research Group Effects on blood pressure of reduced dietary sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. N Engl J Med. 2001; 344: 3-10.

 

  1. Vollmer W, Sacks F, Ard J, et al. Effects of diet and sodium intake on blood pressure: subgroup analysis of the DASH-sodium trial. Ann Intern Med. 2001; 135: 1019-28.

 

  1. Whelton S, Chin A, Xin X, et al. Effect of aerobic exercise on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. Ann Intern Med. 2002; 136: 493-503.

 

  1. Hagberg J, Montain S, Martin III W, et al. Effect of exercise training in 60 to 69-year-old persons with essential hypertension. Am J Cardiol. 1989; 64: 348-53.

 

  1. Kelley G, Kelley K. Progressive resistance exercise and resting blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Hypertension. 2000; 35: 838-43.

 

  1. Stewart S, Pearson S, Horowitz JD. Effects of a home-based intervention among patients with congestive heart failure discharged from acute hospital care. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158:1067-1072.

Blood Pressure