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Treating hypertension: Lowering your blood pressure with medications
Nov 10, 2021 - McMaster University - 12 minutes
The Bottom Line
What role should medications play in managing high blood pressure?
Hypertension should be considered to be a life-long condition that needs to be controlled and managed. The first step is understanding what healthy blood pressure targets are and monitoring your blood pressure at home. Implementing lifestyle changes is an important next step to reduce your blood pressure or to lower your risk of developing hypertension in the future.
In this video, Drs. Anthony Levinson and Richard Sztramko discuss when and what to consider when lifestyle changes alone are not enough to maintain a healthy blood pressure.
Learn the answers to the following questions:
0:30 - When should someone with high blood pressure take medication?
1:55 - What are common medications for high blood pressure? How do they work?
2:38 - What classes of medication are used for high blood pressure?
5:58 - Would medication be required for the rest of your life?
9:05 - How low should your blood pressure be with treatment?
Want to test your knowledge? After watching the video take this quick 5-question quiz.
Dr. Anthony J. Levinson is a Professor at McMaster University and holds the John R. Evans Chair in Health Sciences Educational Research and Instructional Development. One of the co-leaders of the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal, Dr. Levinson is also a psychiatrist with a special interest in medical psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, and preventive psychiatry. His area of research interest includes online learning to improve healthcare provider and patient education.
Author Details
Richard Sztramko
Dr. Richard Sztramko practices both Geriatrics and General Internal Medicine at Vancouver Coastal Health in the Sea to Sky region of British Columbia. He was formerly an Assistant Professor at McMaster University and UBC with a focus on eHealth interventions related to patient education, physician and healthcare provider communication.
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Heart and Stroke Foundation. Get your blood pressure under control. (2015). Accessed August 11, 2021. https://www.heartandstroke.ca/-/media/pdf-files/canada/health-information-catalogue/en-get-your-blood-pressure-under-control-v21-web.ashx. No longer available.
Acknowledgements
This work is supported through the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging and funds provided by the Dean and Vice-President, Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University.
DISCLAIMER: These summaries are provided for informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for advice from your own health care professional. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (info@mcmasteroptimalaging.org).
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