High blood pressure (hypertension)

SECTION 4

How is high blood pressure treated?

Treatment lowers your blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and kidney damage. It usually combines healthy habits with medication when needed.

For most adults, the treatment goal is below 130/80 mm Hg. Your clinician will personalize your goal based on your health and how you tolerate treatment.

1. Healthy habits

Changes that help lower blood pressure include:

• Reduce sodium: Limit salty packaged foods, processed meats, and restaurant meals.
• Choose heart-healthy foods: The DASH eating plan emphasizes vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, and low-fat dairy.
• Stay active: Build a regular exercise routine appropriate for your health.
• Work toward a healthy weight: Even modest weight loss can help.
• Limit or avoid alcohol.
• Get good-quality sleep and manage stress.

These habits remain important even if you take medication.

2. Blood pressure medications

Common options include:

Other medications may be used when you have additional heart conditions or blood pressure that remains difficult to control.

Many patients need more than one medication. Different medicines work together, sometimes in a single combination pill.

Your clinician considers your readings, cardiovascular risk, kidney function, and other conditions when deciding when to start medication.

3. Address contributing causes

Sometimes another condition or medication contributes to high blood pressure. Your care team may evaluate these causes and treat them alongside your blood pressure.

The goal is lasting control, rather than briefly lowering one reading.