It is hot in summer and the blood pressure of hypertensive patients has dropped. Do I need to stop or reduce antihypertensive drugs?
Unconsciously, summer has come quietly, and the temperature will be higher and higher. This is another problem for hypertensive patients. If blood pressure drops in summer, should antihypertensive drugs be discontinued or reduced? ?
Generally speaking, climate change will also have an impact on blood pressure. Blood pressure is usually high in cold winters and low in hot summers. This is why cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents in elderly hypertensive patients often occur in winter. . Although the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents is relatively low in hot summer, it should not be taken lightly, because elderly hypertensive patients often have low blood pressure at this time, resulting in syncope and falls. Today, let's talk about how to adjust antihypertensive drugs for hypertensive patients in summer.
The blood pressure of hypertensive patients has dropped in summer. Do I need to stop or reduce the antihypertensive drugs?
Blood pressure is not constant and fluctuates with the changes of day and night and seasons, but as long as the fluctuation range is not large and still within the normal range, the impact on the body is usually small. Due to sweating a lot in summer, blood volume decreases, and blood vessels are easily dilated due to heat expansion and cold contraction, and blood pressure will drop at this time. Patients with grade 2 are very prone to hypotension, so these patients can adjust the antihypertensive drug regimen according to the blood pressure level.
If it is a hypertensive patient using an antihypertensive drug, it can be adjusted by reducing the dose; and if it is a combination drug, it can be adjusted by suspending one of the drugs in the combination. Due to individual differences and each person's response to antihypertensive drugs, the specific adjustment plan should be consulted with a doctor and carried out under the guidance of a doctor.
Hypertension patients should never make these mistakes
1. Stop the drug if the blood pressure is low, and take the drug if the blood pressure is high
An occasional high or low blood pressure does not mean anything. As long as there is no discomfort, the blood pressure level can be comprehensively assessed by taking multiple measurements at different time periods. Do not decide whether to take antihypertensive drugs based on a certain blood pressure level, such as some patients. Stop taking the drug if it is found that the blood pressure is low, and then take the drug when the blood pressure is high. In this way, blood pressure will fluctuate up and down like a roller coaster, which is more prone to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents.
2. The antihypertensive drug regimen is adjusted too frequently
It is normal for blood pressure to fluctuate in a small range within a short period of time after each adjustment of the antihypertensive drug regimen. Generally speaking, blood pressure needs to be observed for about 7 days to be considered stable. The adjustment of the plan is unreasonable, and then rushing to adjust again, this will outweigh the gains.
3. Excessive dependence on drugs to control blood pressure
Hypertension requires comprehensive treatment, in addition to drug treatment, should also focus on non-drug treatment. Nonpharmacological treatments for hypertension are mainly lifestyle interventions, such as sodium restriction, regular exercise, weight control, alcohol restriction, and elimination of behaviors and habits that are detrimental to mental and physical health.
To sum up, hypertensive patients are advised to do two things in hot summer: monitor blood pressure more diligently and contact the attending doctor more closely. In this way, the blood pressure can be kept as stable as possible and the occurrence of hypotension can be avoided.
references:
[1] "Guidelines for Primary Management of Hypertension in China" (2014 Revised Edition)
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