What you should know about resistant hypertension

If you suffer from high blood pressure, you know that it raises your risk of everything from a heart attack and stroke to dementia and kidney disease.

Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to lower your pressure and with it your risk of these conditions. In fact, you may have already seen your doctor and been put on medication to control your high blood pressure.

But the fact is that for many people these medications simply don’t work well enough, leaving their blood pressure elevated and their danger high…

It’s a condition known as resistant hypertension.

But, what exactly is resistant hypertension, how do you know if you have it, and most importantly, what can you do about it?

Resistant hypertension basics

For most people, making healthy lifestyle changes and possibly adding in a prescription medication is enough to optimize their blood pressure and keep them out of the danger zone.

However, if you fit into any of these categories, resistant hypertension could be the problem:

• Your doctor has prescribed at least three different blood pressure medications for you, and…
• You take them as directed, without skipping any doses, and…
• Your blood pressure is still elevated.

So basically, if you have to take four drugs in order to get your blood pressure below 130/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) or simply can’t get it under control at all, you have a classic case of resistant hypertension.

What causes resistant hypertension?

The truth is doctors aren’t 100 percent sure why some people have high blood pressure that is resistant to treatment compared to others but there are some factors that do put you at higher risk, like:

• Age — You’re more likely to suffer from resistant hypertension as you get older.
• Race — African Americans are at higher risk for resistant hypertension than other races.
• Sex — Men are much more likely than women to have high blood pressure that is difficult to treat.

There are also other factors that can cause your hypertension to be resistant but are reversible that your doctor needs to rule out. Things that can elevate your blood pressure include:

• White coat syndrome — Some people begin to feel nervous just stepping into their doctor’s office, which causes their blood pressure to skyrocket. If this is you, wearing a portable heart monitor for 24 to 48 hours can help rule out resistant hypertension.
• Other prescription drugs — Some drugs like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), diet pills, decongestants, and even antidepressants can elevate your blood pressure. So, be sure to talk to your doctor about how the medication you’re taking could be contributing to your resistant hypertension.
• Your diet and lifestyle — Eating a diet that is high in sodium, consuming too much alcohol and being sedentary and obese can all result in high blood pressure. In order to overcome hypertension, you have to address each of these issues by eating a healthy diet, losing any excess weight and getting regular exercise.

Other underlying causes are conditions like sleep apnea, kidney disease or problems with the arteries that flow to your kidneys and a disorder of your adrenal glands.

Your doctor should carefully consider each of these issues before making a diagnosis of resistant hypertension and prescribing additional medications.

Fighting resistant hypertension

The number one way to overcome resistant hypertension is through lifestyle changes — and it’s the only way to lower your pressure without risking a single side effect.

Ones to implement immediately include:

#1 — Maintaining a healthy weight

Obesity and high blood pressure go hand-in-hand so shedding those extra pounds can only do good things for you.

#2 — Staying active

Shoot for a half hour, five days a week of regular physical activity to improve your blood flow and keep your heart healthy.

#3 — Managing stress

According to Harvard Health, managing stress is an overlooked way to lower your blood pressure. Strategies they suggest include relaxation through meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga, nurturing yourself by getting a massage, taking a walk or simply listening to your favorite music and strengthening your social network to connect more with others.

#4 — Eating for lower blood pressure

To lower your blood pressure, go with a low sodium diet like the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet, which emphasizes fresh fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy. And, avoid drinking excess alcohol.

Related: Two foods that shield your heart from high blood pressure damage

If these lifestyle changes aren’t enough to control your blood pressure, your doctor might consider changing your prescription, increasing your dose, changing the time you take your medication or adding an additional prescription to your regimen.

High blood pressure is dangerous, plain and simple. And, if you’re living with resistant hypertension and your blood pressure is uncontrolled it could be only a matter of time before the worst happens. Make immediate lifestyle changes and talk to your doctor about underlying causes that could be elevating your pressure. The time to act is now.

Editor’s note: If this health issue really matters to you or a loved one… if you want to discover how to slash your risk of stroke… stop sudden cardiac death — and drop heart disease risk by 400 percent, click here to keep reading!

Sources:

1. High blood pressure (hypertension) — Mayo Clinic
2. Resistant Hypertension: When Blood Pressure Won’t Budge — Berkeley Wellness
3. 7 ways to reduce stress and keep blood pressure down — Harvard Health Publishing