May – Heart Health
Blood Pressure: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?
You can’t see it, you can’t feel it… sometimes it’s hard to believe your high blood pressure is really there! But what you can’t feel can hurt you.
Here’s what high blood pressure can do to your body. Your blood provides valuable oxygen and nutrients to your organs and tissues as it circulates throughout your body. You need a certain amount of blood pressure to make sure that your organs and tissues receive enough blood to keep them healthy. But too much pressure can be a bad thing. Over time, high blood pressure can damage the organs, including the eyes, kidneys, brain, and heart. This can lead to:
- stroke
- heart attack
- heart failure
- kidney failure
- eye damage
The longer high blood pressure is untreated, the worse the damage can be. And the damage is being done, even if you can’t feel it! That’s why it’s so important to find a treatment that works for you.
There are many ways to lower your blood pressure. Just changing your lifestyle can go a long way. A healthy diet and regular exercise can lower your blood pressure as much as some medications. For some people, lifestyle changes may be enough. Others may need to combine lifestyle changes with medications to bring their blood pressure down to a healthy level.
If making lifestyle changes or taking your medications as prescribed is easier said than done for you, you’re not alone. Many people get effective solutions from their health care providers to help them stay on track. For instance, if you’re taking a number of medications and are having problems remembering to take them all when you should, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether there are combination medications available for the ones you take to help lighten your medication load. Remember, you can’t get the full benefit from your blood-pressure-lowering medications if you don’t take them regularly as prescribed.
When it comes to high blood pressure, the saying “out of sight, out of mind” can be dangerous! Talk to your doctor about ways to bring your blood pressure down to a healthy level.
Ask Your Pharmacist
Question: Is my blood pressure medication working? How can I tell?
Answer: Step one is to make sure you’ve been taking your medication regularly, and as directed. Step two is to find out what your blood pressure should be, and how often you should check it. This can depend on your medical condition(s), so you should ask your doctor. Step three is to check your blood pressure regularly. If your blood pressure is not at your target level, speak to your doctor about what to do next and to make a plan to get you back to your target. This may involve lifestyle changes, or finding ways to remember to take your medication regularly, or a change to your medication.
If you need help choosing the right blood pressure monitor that works for you, or if you need help taking your medications regularly, speak to your Pharmasave pharmacist.
Health Tip
There are some things you should do when taking your blood pressure, to make sure you get an accurate reading. You should stay still and relax. Here are some other tips you should know:
- Don’t smoke or have caffeine for at least 30 minutes before you take your blood pressure.
- Use the same arm each time.
- Don’t talk or watch TV while testing.
- Take your home machine to your doctor’s office once or twice a year, to check that it’s reading accurately.
To get more tips for taking your blood pressure, and to make sure you have a monitor that fits your arm properly, speak with your Pharmasave pharmacist.
