High Blood Pressure Treatment (cont.)
Medical Author:
John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEPJohn P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Medical Editor:
Jay W. Marks, MD
Jay W. Marks, MDJay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. In this Article
 Can high blood pressure be prevented?
High blood pressure can sometimes be prevented if individuals follow a healthy lifestyle and: Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can make a person two to six times more likely to develop high blood pressure. Get regular exercise. Physically active people have up to a 50% lower risk of getting high blood pressure than people who are not active. Reduce salt intake. Less than 4 grams per day is the goal. Drink alcohol in moderation, or not at all. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure. If a person drinks alcohol, they should limit it to no more than two drinks a day. Reduce stress. Stress can raise blood pressure. What's new in high blood pressure?A novel approach to hypertension treatment has been found by studying a hormone that controls insect growth. Butterfly researchers identified and characterized epoxide hydrolase, an enzyme involved in a critical pathway in the breakdown of anti-inflammatory arachidonate metabolites called EETs, or epoxyeicosatrienoic acids. Other researchers found that inhibiting the breakdown of EETs reduced blood pressure in rodents. This newly discovered enzyme also reduced vascular inflammation and end-organ damage, the long-term effects of high blood pressure. The oral form of the enzyme developed in this study, currently in clinical trials, reduced the most common type of high blood pressure in middle-aged individuals. Pharmaceutical companies in several countries have initiated programs using this enzyme to treat high blood pressure, inflammation, diabetes, pain, and other disorders. A surgical procedure also is being tested in other countries to lower high blood pressure. The procedure involves disrupting the nerves to the kidney. REFERENCES: Reviewed by Jay W. Marks, MD on 10/11/2012 Patient CommentsViewers share their comments
High Blood Pressure Treatment - Smoking
Question: Are you a smoker or former smoker undergoing treatment for high blood pressure? After diagnosis, did you quit smoking?
High Blood Pressure Treatment - Alcohol
Question: Do you have hypertension and also drink alcohol? Have you cut back since receiving a diagnosis?
High Blood Pressure Treatment - Coffee and Caffeine
Question: In what ways do coffee and other caffeinated beverages affect your blood pressure?
High Blood Pressure Treatment - Medications
Question: What medications and other types of treatment do you receive for hypertension?
High Blood Pressure Treatment - Diet
Question: Did you add or eliminate certain foods from your diet to control your high blood pressure? Did it help?
High Blood Pressure Treatment - Experience
Question: What kinds of treatments have been effective for your high blood pressure?
High Blood Pressure Treatment - Alternative Medicine
Question: Describe any alternative or complementary medicine you use to treat your high blood pressure.
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