Alternative medicine (1)
- Herbal supplements may not mix with heart medicines
Complications (7)
- Brain aneurysm
- Enlarged heart
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- see all in Complications
Lifestyle and home remedies (10)
- Sample menus for the DASH eating plan
- DASH diet: Tips for shopping and cooking
- DASH diet: Tips for dining out
- see all in Lifestyle and home remedies
Symptoms (1)
- Symptom Checker
Tests and diagnosis (3)
- Blood pressure chart: What your reading means
- Microalbumin test
- Blood pressure test
Treatments and drugs (9)
- Beta blockers
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers
- Calcium channel blockers
- see all in Treatments and drugs
Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
continued:
10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication
6. Avoid tobacco products and secondhand smoke
On top of all the other dangers of smoking, the nicotine in tobacco products can raise your blood pressure by 10 mm Hg or more for up to an hour after you smoke. Smoking throughout the day means your blood pressure may remain constantly high.
You should also avoid secondhand smoke. Inhaling smoke from others also puts you at risk of health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease.
7. Cut back on caffeine
The role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debatable. Drinking caffeinated beverages can temporarily cause a spike in your blood pressure, but it's unclear whether the effect is temporary or long lasting.
To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage you regularly drink. If your blood pressure increases by five to 10 points, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine.
8. Reduce your stress
Stress or anxiety can temporarily increase blood pressure. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Once you know what's causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress.
If you can't eliminate all of your stressors, you can at least cope with them in a healthier way. Take breaks for deep-breathing exercises. Get a massage or take up yoga or meditation. If self-help doesn't work, seek out a professional for counseling.
9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and make regular doctor's appointments
If you have high blood pressure, you may need to monitor your blood pressure at home. Learning to self-monitor your blood pressure with an upper arm monitor can help motivate you. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before getting started.
Regular visits to your doctor are also likely to become a part of your normal routine. These visits will help keep tabs on your blood pressure.
- Have a primary care doctor. People who don't have a primary care doctor find it harder to control their blood pressure. If you can, visit the same health care facility or professional for all of your health care needs.
- Visit your doctor regularly. If your blood pressure isn't well controlled, or if you have other medical problems, you might need to visit your doctor every month to review your treatment and make adjustments. If your blood pressure is under control, you might need to visit your doctor only every six to 12 months, depending on other conditions you might have.
10. Get support from family and friends
Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the doctor's office or embark on an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low. Talk to your family and friends about the dangers of high blood pressure.
If you find you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This may put you in touch with people who can give you an emotional or morale boost and who can offer practical tips to cope with your condition.
Previous page(2 of 2)
- Chobanian AV, et al. The seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. New England Journal of Medicine. 2003;289:2560.
- Flint AJ, et al. Excess weight and risk of incident coronary heart disease among men and women. Obesity. 2010;18:377.
- Your guide to lowering blood pressure with DASH. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/. Accessed June 13, 2012.
- Tseng C, et al. A predictive model for risk of prehypertension and hypertension and expected benefit after population-based life-style modification (KCIS No. 24). American Journal of Hypertension. 2012;25:171.
- Haskell WL, et al. Physical activity and public health: Updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2007;116:1081.
- Nelson ME, et al. Physical activity and public health in older adults: Recommendation from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2007;116:1094.
- Chase NL, et al. The association of cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity with incidence of hypertension in men. American Journal of Hypertension. 2009;22:417.
- Reduce salt and sodium in your diet. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/sodium/sodium.htm. Accessed June 12, 2012.
- Quitting smoking. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/q_smoke/q_smoke.htm. Accessed June 12, 2012.
- Jefferis BJ, et al. Secondhand smoke (SHS) is associated with circulating markers of inflammation and endothelial function in adult men and women. Atherosclerosis. 2009;208:550.
- Limit alcohol intake. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/l_alcohol/l_alcohol.htm. Accessed June 13, 2012.
- Spruill T. Chronic psychosocial stress and hypertension. Current Hypertension Reports. 2011;12:10.
- Rossi GP, et al. Drug-resistant hypertension and resistance to anti-hypertensive treatment: A call for action. Journal of Hypertension. 2011;29:2295.
- Home blood pressure monitoring. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/SymptomsDiagnosisMonitoringofHighBloodPressure/Home-Blood-Pressure-Monitoring_UCM_301874_Article.jsp. Accessed June 13, 2012.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm. Accessed June 13, 2012.
Find Mayo Clinic on