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Uncle Wang is a retired teacher, 68 years old this year, many years of teaching career, let him develop a rigorous and meticulous character, after retirement, he finally has time to take care of his body.
Some time ago, Uncle Wang went to the hospital for a comprehensive physical examination, and after the physical examination report came out, he found that his blood pressure was a little high, reaching 140/90mmHg, and the doctor told him that this already belonged to the category of high blood pressure, and suggested that he start taking blood pressure medication and have regular check-ups.
Uncle Wang was a little hesitant, he was worried that long-term medication would cause damage to liver and kidney function, so he decided to consult Dr. Zhang, a cardiologist who had worked in a tertiary hospital for many years.
"Dr. Zhang, I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure, and the doctor recommended that I take antihypertensive drugs for a long time, but I am worried that it will hurt my liver and kidneys, what do you think?" Uncle Wang asked.
Dr. Zhang smiled and said, "Uncle Wang, your worries are normal, but you don't have to, in fact, high blood pressure itself can damage the liver and kidneys, and taking antihypertensive drugs regularly can protect the liver and kidneys and prolong life." "
"Really, I thought it was not good to take medicine for a long time," Uncle Wang was a little surprised.
"Clinical studies have proven that antihypertensive therapy can not only reduce the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, but also reduce the progression of kidney disease," Dr. Zhang patiently explained, "Hypertension can increase the pressure of the glomeruli, leading to glomerulosclerosis and decreased kidney function, and antihypertensive therapy can alleviate the high pressure state of the kidneys and delay the deterioration of kidney function, a large study with a 10-year follow-up showed that patients who adhere to antihypertensive therapy have a significantly lower rate of decline in kidney function than those who do not treat." "
"What about blood pressure medicine for the liver? I've heard that some drugs may hurt the liver," Uncle Wang asked.
"At present, commonly used antihypertensive drugs, such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs, CCBs, etc., have little impact on liver function, and by lowering blood pressure and reducing the blood supply pressure to the liver, it is conducive to protecting the liver.
Individual medications, such as diuretics, may occasionally mildly elevate liver enzymes, and once abnormalities are found, they can be switched to other antihypertensive drugs, and in general, the benefits of antihypertensive therapy outweigh the risks, and the damage to the liver and kidneys is far less than the harm of hypertension itself," Dr. Zhang answered Uncle Wang's questions in detail.
"Oh, I see, does long-term use of blood pressure medication cause dependence?"
"Antihypertensive drugs do not produce addiction, some patients are worried that there will be a rebound after stopping the drug, in fact, this situation is not common, and with the improvement of lifestyle and the control of complications, some patients can gradually reduce the drug under the guidance of the doctor, or even stop the drug, but it should be emphasized that once diagnosed with hypertension, long-term monitoring and regular follow-up are required. "
So which blood pressure medication should I choose?"
"The choice of drug needs to take into account factors such as age, comorbidities, economic conditions, etc., and also need to weigh the antihypertensive effect and adverse effects of the drug.
Combination medication can be used if necessary, but it is necessary to avoid overdose, and at the same time, do not neglect lifestyle interventions, such as a low-salt diet, moderate exercise, smoking cessation and alcohol limitation, and weight control, which are essential for lowering blood pressure and prolonging life. "
Uncle Wang carefully wrote down Dr. Zhang's advice, but he still had a doubt: "I have a friend who buys blood pressure medicine on the Internet by himself, and says that the medicine prescribed by the doctor is a rebate drug, the quality is not good, and it is expensive.
After hearing this, Dr. Zhang shook his head again and again: "This is a very dangerous practice, first of all, the quality of the drugs sold online cannot be guaranteed, some may be counterfeit drugs, some may be inferior drugs, not only can not achieve the effect of lowering blood pressure after taking it, but also may endanger life safety, and secondly, self-medication without a doctor's evaluation is easy to overdose or drug-drug interactions, which is counterproductive."
As for the kickback medicine that your friend said, it is even more nonsense, now the medical management is very strict, and the doctors prescribe drugs according to the patient's condition and evidence-based medical evidence, and there is no profit driven, I suggest that you advise your friend, or respect the profession, and standardize the use of drugs under the guidance of doctors. "
Uncle Wang suddenly realized, and even claimed that it was: "You are very reasonable, it seems that I also have to learn more medical knowledge, and I can't follow the crowd, by the way, I also want to ask, in addition to taking medicine, what else can I do to control my blood pressure and prolong my life?"
"That's a good question," Dr. Zhang said approvingly, "In fact, medication is only part of lowering blood pressure, and more importantly, lifestyle improvement, I would like to give you a few suggestions:
1. Eat a reasonable diet, reduce sodium and salt intake, and eat more potassium-rich foods, such as vegetables, legumes, etc.;
2. Insist on aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, etc., at least 5 times a week, for more than 30 minutes each time;
3. Quit smoking and limit alcohol, tobacco and alcohol are the 'killers' of blood vessels, aggravating arteriosclerosis;
4. Keep a calm mind, learn to release stress, chat with friends more, and cultivate hobbies that are beneficial to the body and mind;
5. Monitor blood pressure regularly, and if blood pressure is not well controlled, seek medical attention in time and adjust the treatment plan.
As long as you can do these things, combined with regular medication, high blood pressure can be completely prevented and controlled, and your life expectancy will be greatly extended.
What do you think about this? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!