Can I stop antihypertensive drugs if my blood pressure is normal? The answer is no, the vast majority of patients with hypertension need to take medication for life, because hypertension is still a controllable but incurable chronic disease. But there are several situations in which we must be clear.
The first is secondary hypertension
We know that secondary hypertension is secondary to certain medical conditions, such as hyperthyroidism can cause hypertension, and hypothyroidism can also cause hypertension. In addition, pheochromocytoma, renal artery stenosis, breathing and sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome, anxiety disorders, etc. can cause hypertension, and the hypertension caused by these causes can be discontinued after the primary disease is treated and the blood pressure returns to normal.
Second, on the basis of strict control of diet, the drug is stopped
After the diagnosis of hypertension, if within the first three months of taking the drug, we have achieved strict dietary control, especially a low-salt diet, (the daily salt intake can not exceed 6 grams), plus physical exercise, smoking cessation and alcohol restrictions, and then regular rest, on the basis of doing these, if the blood pressure reaches a normal value, you can gradually reduce the dose of the drug under the guidance of the doctor, wait until three months, to see if there is a chance to stop the antihypertensive drugs.
Third, the diastolic blood pressure is too low
There are some elderly people with high blood pressure in winter, when the temperature is high in summer, his blood pressure will be reduced, this kind of patient must not stop the drug, but we have to observe blood pressure, if the diastolic pressure of the elderly has been very low, even below 60, at this time his heart and brain blood supply will be insufficient, so that the antihypertensive drugs can be reduced, on the basis of the reduction, continue to observe blood pressure, get up in the morning blood pressure, measure blood pressure before going to bed at night, do not stop the drug by yourself, and reduce the amount under the guidance of the doctor.
If the blood pressure control is good, you can reduce the amount of the drug again, reduce the blood pressure to the standard, you can stop the drug observation, if the patient's daily life is not affected, you can also stop the drug, but still insist on measuring and recording blood pressure, once the blood pressure fluctuates, you must immediately start drug control.
Emphasize that if some patients are because of high blood pressure, but the root cause is a heart problem, the engine blood supply is not good, this time the patient will often have a feeling of heart discomfort, this time caused by low blood pressure, must come to the hospital for treatment, do not think that it is caused by antihypertensive drugs, I put the antihypertensive drugs stopped, so that it will cause heart accidents.
The combination of long- and short-acting antihypertensive drugs is more effective
Some elderly people always wonder which long-acting drugs and short-acting drugs are more suitable for themselves, for example, some elderly people have high blood pressure from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, because people's blood pressure has two peaks in 24 hours, one is six to ten o'clock in the morning, and the other is four to eight o'clock in the afternoon, how should antihypertensive drugs be used at this time? Obviously, he should not be given a long-acting antihypertensive drug.
Because after using long-acting antihypertensive drugs, not only the blood pressure at 5 pm is reduced, but the blood pressure may be reduced at other times. At this time, we must use short-acting drugs in combination, such as captopril oral absorption effect is good, 15 minutes can take effect, peak time can be in an hour, its blood concentration is very good, so if the blood pressure is high at 5 pm, you can eat captopril at 4 o'clock, so that his blood pressure at night will not have much impact.
Medical content collaborator of this issue: Guan Gongchang Chief Physician of Cardiovascular Hospital of Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital