When the doctor tell a patient that they have high blood pressure and the various diseases that can result from the condition, the initial reaction is fear that your life will never be the same. But with healthy eating, exercise and medication, if needed, the hypertensive patient can lead a normal life.

You should maintain a healthy weight by regular exercise. Avoid using too much salt in your cooking. Add the required daily levels of potassium, calcium and magnesium along with fiber to your diet. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink and stop smoking. Use any anti-inflammatory medications like Nsaids cautiously. Reducing stress at work and home will also be of benefit to the patient with high blood pressure. Buying a blood pressure cuff to monitor your blood pressure at home is advised, as well.

In most cases, extensive tests are not needed to diagnose high blood pressure in an adult. A physical examination and a medical history are routinely used to evaluate hypertension. Additional blood tests and a urinalysis may be done before starting treatment to determine if there has been damage to organs and to check for complications. Some people only need lifestyle changes to control their blood pressure, while others need mediations, as well. But whatever method is used to treat high blood pressure, it is a lifelong process.

There are more than eighty different medications available to treat high blood pressure and ninety percent of patients with hypertension get good results from antihypertensive medicines if they follow their doctor’s instructions. Your treatment will be more successful if you follow these guidelines:-

• Work with your doctor to establish treatment goals
• Involve your family in your treatment program by improving the entire family’s diet and exercise regime
• Measure your blood pressure at home. Keep track of the daily readings
• Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about your progress
• Be sure to take your medicine every day.
• Keep your doctor appointments even if your blood pressure is under control

Home treatment is important to help control hypertension. Even if a doctor prescribes medication, there are still many steps you can take to lower your high blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Changes in lifestyle or behavior can help control blood pressure and in some cases allow you to reduce the amount of medication you need.

High blood pressure in children is rare but needs to be evaluated to find treatable causes. Children age 3 and over should have their blood pressure monitored regularly during routine physical exams by a pediatrician. Research has shown that preventing obesity in childhood can help prevent high blood pressure and obesity in adulthood. Since it is a hereditary disease, the chances of your children being affected later in life are great.

For the adult male, living with hypertension has a two-fold concern. They are not only concerned with the management of their high blood pressure but they are also worried about whether or not the medications prescribed will make them impotent. This is a valid concern not only for the man but for the woman in his life.

All blood pressure medications can cause erectile dysfunction. It is difficult to predict how any one man will react to the mediations but there are general guidelines about the risk of temporary erectile dysfunction. These concerns should be discussed openly with your physician when you are choosing the hypertension medication to control the disease.

Among the three most useful types of medication, the risk appears higher for diuretics and beta blockers but lower for ACE inhibitors. If you cannot tolerate an ACE inhibitor, your doctor can consider angiotensin receptor blockers which have a shorter track record but appear promising for vascular disease in general and erectile function in particular.