I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

How will my high blood pressure be managed?

If your doctor or nurse determines that you have high blood pressure, your doctor will discuss with you a blood pressure management program. You must play an active role in discussing and directing your program in partnership with your doctor or nurse. This ensures that you have the best chance of controlling your blood pressure.

Your personalized blood pressure management program will consist of lifestyle and diet changes and probably antihypertensive, or blood pressure lowering, drugs. Often, it may be necessary to take more than one blood pressure lowering drug to lower your blood pressure to the level that is right for you. In addition, your doctor may prescribe other drugs, depending on your total risk and medical condition.

The recommendations that your doctor makes to reduce and manage your blood pressure will be determined by several factors:

• How high your blood pressure is.
• How long your blood pressure has been high.
• Whether or not you have any other medical conditions (diabetes or kidney problems).
• Whether or not you have any other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The results of other tests and your physical examination.

Your doctor will also calculate your cardiovascular risk for two reasons:

• To determine whether your level of hypertension requires treatment.
• To determine whether you will benefit from other complementary risk-reducing treatment (such as aspirin and/or cholesterol-lowering drugs).