What makes hypertension so difficult to treat and why are you likely to receive different treatment from a relative or friend with the same condition?
Although a lot of research has been done on high blood pressure, the best way to treat it medically remains a mystery to doctors. The medical profession continue to perform studies, test drugs and try different treatments on individuals while patients have to go through the process of finding out with their doctor what works best for them.
Why is that? Surely with all the research which has been done, they have found the medication which will cure the problem?
What is being shown in all the studies is that hypertensive disease (high blood pressure) is not a simple phenomenon with one cause and one cure. It is brought about by a number of different processes – metabolic, genetic and environmental, which together create the condition. Working out which factors are at play in any one individual (and finding out how to treat them) is therefore a complex business and difficult for doctors to pin down. And new drugs are being frequently released onto the market for this condition too – so this all adds to the complexity..
So you can’t expect to be given a one drug fits all solution on your first visit to the doctor after finding out you have the condition. Some exploration about what is best for you is likely to be necessary. You may be given one blood pressure drug for a few weeks to see if it is right for you and then something else to try if it does not suit you.
And while you should always consult your doctor if you have hypertension (or any other health issue) many doctors now believe that lifestyle changes are the best way to treat it, especially if you have a mild case. So don’t be surprised if your doctor simply wants you to lose weight, take more exercise and change your diet a bit rather than have you take a hypertensive drug.
By Janice Elizabeth Small
