If your blood pressure readings are high, the physician will use other tests and procedures to determine whether the heart , kidneys , or other organs show any damage. In the first step the patient is instructed to adopt various lifestyle changes. These may include losing weight, reducing salt intake, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol, and ceasing to smoke. If hypertension is mild or moderate, these measures may be sufficient to lower pressure and keep it controlled. If this does not work, drug therapy will be required.
Antihypertensives work in various ways.
They may get rid of excess salt and fluid, slow down the heart , or relax heart and artery muscle tissue. Many of the newer drugs that treat hypertension prevent the production of body chemicals that constrict or squeeze blood vessels. These are often described as beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, or calcium-channel blockers. Many need to be taken only once each day and have few or no side effects in most people, unlike older drugs that frequently caused impotence , diarrhea , or dizziness . If the first drug your physician prescribes does not work for you, a different dosage or a different drug will be tried.