Lao Zhang is 63 years old this year, and since he was diagnosed with high blood pressure some time ago, he has paid special attention to his health, cooking with less oil and less salt, and he also picked up the badminton he liked before, and he has to play two or three games a week.
In addition, I have not forgotten the most important blood pressure medication, and I have taken it on time every day. When I went for a follow-up examination this time, the doctors were amazed: Lao Zhang only took half a pill every day, and his blood pressure dropped to about 115/75mmHg.
At this time, Lao Zhang muttered a little in his heart, his blood pressure was already "low" when it reached 115/75mmHg, and the blood pressure medication had also taken the "lowest" dose, so it seemed that he could only stop the medicine at this time.
1. Can I stop taking the medicine if my blood pressure drops to 115/75mmHg after taking the medicine?
Many people in life, like Lao Zhang, want to stop taking the medicine after controlling their blood pressure to 115/75mmHg, afraid that their blood pressure will be too low, because we now subconsciously know that greater than 140/90mmHg is high blood pressure, and 115/75mmHg and 140/90mmHg are still far behind.
That seems reasonable, but Guo Yifang, vice president of the Hebei Provincial People's Hospital, said the idea was wrong. The normal blood pressure value is less than 120/80mmHg, and in the range of 120/80mmHg to 140/90mmHg, it is considered to be high blood pressure, which can also be called "normal high value".
Therefore, Dean Guo Yifang said that the comparison is also compared with 120/80 mmHg, so that the blood pressure value of 115/75 mmHg is actually not low. In daily life, it is still necessary to pay attention to maintaining good living habits and taking medications regularly to stabilize blood pressure within this range.
Within the normal range, as long as there are no symptoms related to low blood pressure, such as dizziness and paleness, the cardiovascular system will be safer if the blood pressure is lower.
A 21-year chronic disease study based on 430,000 people in China also pointed out that as long as blood pressure exceeds 120/80mmHg, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases.
Specifically, compared with normal blood pressure, the risk of cardiovascular disease increased by 10% in patients with blood pressure of 120~129/<80 and 32% in patients with blood pressure of 130~139/80~89mmHg.
2. Why can't blood pressure medication be stopped casually? One exception
A number of domestic studies have reported that the medication compliance of hypertensive patients in mainland China is very poor, and about 36~55% of patients do not follow the doctor's instructions for a long time.
The reason for this phenomenon is related to two reasons. One is that patients feel that they do not need to continue taking medicine after their blood pressure has dropped, which is of course wrong.
Pang Wenyue, deputy director of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine of Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University, said that the return of blood pressure to normal after taking the drug is the effect of antihypertensive drugs and the result achieved under the balance of drugs. If the drug is stopped, it will cause blood pressure to continue to rise, and long-term blood pressure fluctuations will lead to a significant increase in the risk of myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction.
Second, I am worried that long-term medication is not good for the liver and kidneys. In this regard, Professor Yu Guolong of the Department of Cardiology of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University said that many studies have shown that long-term use of antihypertensive drugs has little effect on liver function, has no effect on kidney function, and can even improve the kidney function of patients with chronic kidney disease. On the premise of taking medicine according to the doctor's instructions, the benefits of drugs to the body far outweigh the disadvantages.
Antihypertensive drugs must not be stopped at will, and most patients need to take lifelong medication to control their condition after being diagnosed with hypertension. There is one exception, however, and that is the development of drug intolerance.
For example, the most common side effects of pulp drugs are dry cough, and dipine drugs may cause patients with ankle edema and gingival hyperplasia, and if these adverse reactions affect normal life, the drug should be stopped in time. But the discontinuation of the drug here does not mean that you will no longer take blood pressure medication, but that you will change to a tolerated blood pressure medication.
3. Once these 5 drugs are eaten, they can be stopped at will or "killed"
In addition to antihypertensive drugs, there are also some drugs that cannot be stopped immediately after the condition is relieved, otherwise the body cannot adapt immediately, and adverse consequences may occur.
1. Hypoglycemic drugs
Diabetes, like high blood pressure, is an incurable chronic disease, and medication is also required after blood sugar stabilizes, otherwise it will cause a sudden rise in blood sugar and even induce ketoacidosis coma.
2. Hormone drugs
Prednisone, dexamethasone and other hormone drugs, sudden discontinuation of the drug can easily lead to a rebound of the condition, and even more serious than the original condition.
3. Antiepileptic drugs
Patients with epilepsy need to take medication for a long time, and blindly stopping the medication will lead to frequent seizures and even persistent epilepsy.
4. Anti-angina drugs
This type of drug is generally used in patients with angina pectoris and coronary heart disease, and stopping the drug directly after the onset of effect may induce more severe angina pectoris, and even evolve into myocardial infarction.
5. Anti-tuberculosis drugs
In general, anti-tuberculosis drugs need to be taken continuously for more than 1 year, and they still need to be taken after the symptoms disappear to avoid recurrence and bacterial resistance.
As the old saying goes, "medicine is three parts poison", and this poison refers to the harm to the body. However, if the harm caused by the disease is far greater than the side effects of the drug, we have to take the medicine according to the doctor's instructions, let alone stop the drug casually.
Resources:
[1] "Blood pressure 115/75 or 135/85, which is better?" 》. China Medical Tribune Today Cycle 2021-01-23
[2] "[Popular Science] Danger! These drugs can't be stopped right away. Yunnan Drug Regulatory 2023-11-09
[3] "Why can't I stop taking medication for high blood pressure at will?" You will understand after reading these doubts". Xiangya Hospital, Central South University 2023-09-28
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