Treatment of High Blood Pressure

What is high blood pressure?

• Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries. High blood pressure, also

known as hypertension, is a common health condition where the pressure of the blood flowing through

blood vessels or arteries is higher than normal.1

• High blood pressure is common in patients with diabetes. Early detection and treatment of high blood

pressure will help in reducing the risk of various heart diseases such as heart attack and heart failure.2

What are the risk factors of high blood pressure?

Advancing age

Physical inactivity

Overconsumption of alcohol

Family history

Tobacco consumption

High levels of stress

Overweight/ obesity

Excessive salt consumption

Certain chronic conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes and sleep apnoea

There are many risk factors of high blood pressure, such as:3

What are the consequences of high blood pressure?High blood pressure can damage other organs of the body and may lead to many other complications. The consequences of high blood pressure include3:

Features of high blood pressurePatients with high blood pressure may have the following complaints3:

Detection of high blood pressure• If any of the above complaints are observed, you need to

consult a doctor3,4

• If your blood pressure is found to be ≥140/90 mm Hg, get your blood pressure checked again on another day within 1 month to confirm hypertension3,4

Heart attack/ heart failure

Loss of memory

Headache

Stroke

Difficulty in breathing

Difficulty in concentrating

or understanding

Loss of kidney function

Palpitations Eyesight problems

Loss of vision

Nosebleeds

Blood pressure targets to be achieved in patients with diabetes• The target blood pressure should be less than

140/90 mm Hg4

• In case of heart problems, blood pressure target should be <130/80 mm Hg4

Assessment of blood pressure in patients with diabetes• Regularly monitoring your blood pressure helps you to prevent the occurrence of complications such as

heart disease, eye disease and kidney problems4

• Your blood pressure needs to be checked at least once in a year and more frequently if your blood pressure levels are consistently high4

Blood Pressure

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Treatment of high blood pressure

1. Healthy habits5

B. Physical exercise

• Around 30 to 60 minutes of daily moderate exercise such as walking, jogging, swimming or cycling for at least 4 days in a week is recommended along with routine daily activities

Foods to Eat and Avoid

Foods to Eat: Parboiled rice, vegetables (carrots and tomatoes), bananas, and coconut water

Foods to Avoid: Sweets, snack foods (e.g. potato chips and samosa), white rice, white bread, salted nuts, salted/packed meat

C. Weight reduction

• Weight reduction by healthy food habits and regular exercise will help you in reducing blood pressure

D. Alcohol consumption

• Reduce alcohol consumption to less than or equal to 2 drinks per day or total of ≤14 drinks per week

E. Smoking

• Smoking and chewing of tobacco should be stopped completely

F. Stress

• Practising yoga/meditation will help you to reduce your stress level and blood pressure

A. Diet: Reduce daily intake of salt to <2 g

2. Medicines for high blood pressure

Drugs should be taken as prescribed by your doctor5

• Your therapy may start with some of the following drugs5:

− Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors

− Angiotensin receptor blockers

− Calcium channel blockers

− Diuretics

− Beta blockers

• If your target blood pressure is not achieved with a single drug, then a second drug is added5

• If any side effects are noted during the treatment, inform your doctor as early as possible5

• Dry cough, dizziness, diarrhoea, headache, dry lips, weakness and insomnia are some of the side effects you might experience. If you experience these symptoms or any other abnormal symptoms, consult your doctor6

• Inform your doctor if you are taking any drug other than those prescribed5

Do’s and Don’ts in High blood pressure

Do’s

• Eat green leafy vegetables

• Have coconut water and bananas

• Regular exercise

• Lose weight

• Check blood pressure periodically

Don’ts

• Have sweets and fried foods

• Smoking

• Consume alcohol

• Take stress

• Have salty foods

DisclaimerThis material is for informational purposes only. It does not replace the advice of the physician. You should consult the physician for any queries.

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this LBL is general in nature and is purely meant for educational and informational purposes only. You must not rely on the information provided in this LBL as an alternative or substitute to medical advice from your doctor. You should not delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information provided herein. The information provided in this LBL are based on general practices and may not be advisable for all patients. Therefore, please consult your doctor before following any of these.

This LBL is being provided under an initiative of AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited to promote healthy living in patients who have Diabetes. This initiative is not an incentive or reward for any willingness to use, in any manner whatsoever, any products or services sold or provided by AstraZeneca. While great care has been taken in collating the information provided herein, AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited does not provide a warranty, either express or implied, that the information provided herein is complete, true, accurate, up-to-date, or non-misleading.

References1. High Blood Pressure. NHLBI Web site. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/high-blood-pressure. Accessed February 6, 2019.

2. American Diabetes Association. 9. Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Management: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2018. Diabetes Care. 2018;41(suppl 1):S86-S104.

3. High blood pressure (hypertension). Mayo Clinic Web site. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410. Accessed October 15, 2018.

4. de Boer IH, Bangalore S, Benetos A, et al. Diabetes and hypertension: a position statement by the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2017;40(9):1273-1284.

5. Nerenberg KA, Zarnke KB, Leung AA, et al. Hypertension Canada’s 2018 Guidelines for Diagnosis, Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment of Hypertension in Adults and Children. Can J Cardiol. 2018;34(5):506-525.

6. Olowofela AO, Isah AO. A profile of adverse effects of antihypertensive medicines in a tertiary care clinic in Nigeria. Ann Afr Med. 2017;16(3):114-119.

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Approval ID: IN-3019 | Approval Date: 12/7/2019 | Expiry Date: 11/7/2021