In most cases, diuretics are normally prescribed by doctors as the first line of therapy for individuals suffering from high blood pressure. Fortunately, if a particular drug is not effective, there are several others to choose from. It is possible that your doctor may opt for a different line of medication, if you tend to suffer from certain medical difficulties. To give you an example, ACE inhibitors are often used in the case of people suffering from diabetes.
After beginning drug therapy to counter high blood pressure, it is highly recommended that you meet your doctor once a month until you achieve the acceptable levels of blood pressure. Your doctor will recommend tests to evaluate the levels of potassium (as diuretics can lead to reduce levels) and magnesium as well creatinine levels (to gauge the health of your kidneys) in your blood, once or twice a year.
Recent studies have shown that substituting saturated fat with unsaturated fats in the diet is effective in lowering blood pressure levels. Fish oils as well as olive oils are excellent examples. As mentioned earlier, the reduced consumption of sodium is extremely beneficial in lowering the risk of heart disease. Whilst sodium is an essential component of our diets, we tend to overeat it. Most of the sodium that we consume comes in the form of table salt that is added to our food during the cooking process or which is added at the table. It is therefore essential to reduce the salt intake and this can be done by reviewing the source of salt in your diet such as salt based condiments, restaurant meals and fast foods. Check labels while shopping. Choose cereals, crackers, canned vegetables and other foods with low salt options. Balance your diet with the inclusion of foods with a high content of potassium, like fresh fruits and vegetables. While eating at restaurants, you can make a special request to the chef to avoid the use of salt in your meal.
answered by G M