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If your blood pressure is only a little high, lifestyle changes may control it. Your doctor may tell you to:
If these changes aren’t enough, your doctor may start you on both lifestyle changes and medicine.
Several kinds of medicines help to lower blood pressure. It may take time to find which medicine(s) work best for you. There are two important things to remember:
- You may need more than one medicine to reach your blood pressure goal. Your doctor will choose the right number of medicines.
- You may need to stay on medicine long term to control your blood pressure.
The main goals in using medicine to treat high blood pressure are to:
- Lower your blood pressure numbers (both top and bottom numbers) to meet your target goal. Goals may be different for different people. Learn more about what the numbers mean.
- Prevent problems that can come from untreated high blood pressure.
Keep in mind
No matter what medicines you take, remember:
- Always follow your doctor’s or pharmacist’s directions. Know when during the day, how often, and how much of each medicine you should take. Some medicines work better when taken at certain times of the day or night.
- Don’t skip a dose, even when you feel fine. Be sure you take the prescribed dose to get the full benefit.
- Keep track of all the medicines you take. Keep the list up-to-date. Take it with you when you see your doctor. Also, take it with you when you get a prescription filled. That way, your doctor and your pharmacist can go over the list to check for drug interactions and make sure that you’re getting the best possible treatment.
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