Are current hypertension treatment guidelines too aggressive for elderly patients? One Doctor recently reviewed this question in the British Medical Journal publication Clinical Evidence.
Dr. James Wright is the Coordinating Editor of Clinical Evidence and also a member of the Cochrane Hypertension Review Group. His conclusion after carefully reviewing the results of seven high quality randomized controlled trials was to take a more conservative approach in his pharmacological treatment of patients 80 years and older, modeling his methods after those used in the Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (HYVET).
To find …

If you are carrying a few extra pounds, weight loss may be an excellent way to lower your blood pressure naturally. According to the Surgeon General, high blood pressure is twice as common in obese individuals when compared to those at a healthy weight. Research also shows that when overweight persons drop their weight by 10 pounds it can not only naturally lower their blood pressure but can significantly cut their chances of becoming hypertensive. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment …

If you are using medications to control your hypertension, make sure you are fully aware of their side effects. In 2004 the American College of Sports Medicine wrote a full report on exercise guidelines for hypertensives. Included in the report were the following warnings for hypertensives on medications:
• Antihypertensive medications such as beta blockers and diuretics impair the ability to regulate body temperature during exercise in hot and/or humid environments
and provoke hypoglycemia (88,206). Thus, people using these medications should be educated on the signs/symptoms of heat illness, the role of …