Everyone wants better blood pressure control. However, when you are just getting started with taking control of your blood pressure, it can be a challenge to know what to do. The key, is to remember that you do not have to do this by yourself.
It is okay to reach out for help. Your health care provider, family, and friends can help you.
Uncontrolled Blood Pressure
No matter if you have hypertension, resistant hypertension, or refractory hypertension, you need your blood pressure controlled. If your blood pressure is uncontrolled on your current blood pressure medications, call your health care provider’s office during business hours and talk with their nurse for guidance.
The best kept secret is that you can call your health care provider’s office after hours. There is usually someone on call that can give you advice. Make plans to have your health care provider’s number and your pharmacy’s phone number handy for any needed adjustments.
Family Members Can Help
Like many family members, I started out helping my grandfather with getting control of his blood pressure back in 1986. His blood pressure was most times uncontrolled when he went to his office appointment. So, his doctor changed his blood pressure medications frequently.
Then, I bought him a blood pressure monitor and taught him how to use it. This changed everything. He took his blood pressure morning and evenings until he got control of his blood pressure, which took about 4 weeks.
After seeing for himself that his blood pressure was uncontrolled, he asked me to get him a calendar to log his numbers. He asked me to get him a pill box to keep up with taking his blood pressure medication routinely.
He also asked me to peel several whole garlic. He placed the pieces in warm water and soaked until cool. Then, he placed the 32 ounce jar of garlic and water in the refrigerator.
Everyday he would drank a swallow along with his blood pressure medications. His blood pressure was controlled within 4 weeks. Then he continued to take his blood pressure twice a day and log on his calendar.
I have no idea how much of the garlic water he drank and how he mixed it, but it worked to get his blood pressure controlled.
Here are the 5 Tips for Better Blood Pressure Control in 6 weeks
1) Monitor your blood pressure at home to rule out white coat syndrome and to get your true blood pressure using the technique provided by the 2017 hypertension guidelines.
2) Log your blood pressure numbers on a pocket calendar or use the a blood pressure App from the app store.
3) Share these numbers with your health care provider during your office visit. Call your provider’s office between visits if your blood pressure runs high for medication adjustments.
4) Use a weekly or monthly pill box to monitor your medication adherence. Fill it up every week or every month. This will act as a reminder and will let you know if you skipped a dose. Place your pill box next to your tooth brush or anywhere that you will notice it daily. If you take your medication twice daily, place your pill box where you would routinely see it at your second dose.
I recommend a 30 day pill box for home and a 7 day pill box that you can keep at work in your locker. Therefore, if you forget to take your medication at home, you will have medication at work to take.
5) Ask your health care provider if you need a long acting diuretic (chlorthalidone) and a calcium channel blocker (amlodipine or nifidepine) to be included in your medication regimen. These drugs have been shown to be effective in many patients with hypertension, resistant hypertension, and refractory hypertension.
Be sure to eat at least 1-2 bananas a day when you take a diuretic unless you are on an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotension receptor blocker ( ARB), or a potassium sparing diuretic (amiloride, aldactone, etc). This will help replace your potassium. Ask your health care professional before taking any additional potassium, especially if you have kidney disease.
I believe these tips will work for you within 6 weeks as well as they did for my grandfather and hundreds of patients.
