Managing blood pressure is a lifelong commitment. If you have high blood pressure, it’s vital that you listen to your doctor. Remember: You’re a part of your healthcare team. You and Dr Karin Vela are partners. Educate yourself about hypertension and learn how to monitor your blood pressure at home. Armed with this information, you can commit to living heart healthy.
By adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle, you can:
– Reduce high blood pressure.
– Prevent or delay the development of high blood pressure.
– Enhance the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
– Lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney damage, vision loss and sexual dysfunction.
Although heart disease is still the top cause of death worldwide, it is no longer as common. For a better tomorrow, you may regain your health right now. That decline has been significantly attributed to earlier and more effective treatment of high blood pressure. Here are some tips to help you work with your healthcare provider and manage your high blood pressure if you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from it:
– Ask about your blood pressure at your annual checkup.If it’s high, check your blood pressure regularly between appointments – at home or at a pharmacy with a blood pressure monitor. Follow up with your doctor based on her recommendations.
Know your numbers. Learn what your blood pressure numbers mean to you and your health.
– Become a tracker. Keep a log of your medication, blood pressure levels and questions to ask your doctor as they come to mind.
– Be flexible. It may take a while to get to your blood pressure goal. It may also take more than one medication in addition to lifestyle changes to get you there. Keep in close touch with Dr Karin Vela along the way to create the best plan for yourself.
– Know yourself. What keeps you from keeping up with your medicines? Eating healthy? Losing weight?
Maintaining a lower blood pressure is simpler after your treatment regimen becomes habitual. Remind yourself that controlling your blood pressure reduces your chance of suffering a heart attack, a stroke, and other serious illnesses.