About P.A.D.: High Blood Pressure and P.A.D.: Management

Management:

What can I do to control my high blood pressure and reach my goal?

Thanks to years of research about high blood pressure, we know what lifestyle changes and medicines work to control the disease. The National Institutes of Health recommend these steps to control your blood pressure—and improve your health overall.

Lose weight, if you weigh too much, and stay at a healthy weight. Move more and eat less. Limit portion sizes. Cut down on high calorie and high fat foods. Be as active as you can throughout the day. To lose weight, eat only as many calories as you will burn.
Make wise food choices to keep your heart healthy. Follow an eating plan that has lots of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and that is moderate in total fat and low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
Quit smoking. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to control high blood pressure and P.A.D. At the same time, you will lower your chances of a heart attack, stroke, cancer and other health problems. Ask your health care team about how they can help you quit.
Reduce your salt and sodium intake. Read food labels to choose canned, processed and fast foods that are lower in sodium. Limit sodium intake to no more than 2,400 mg—about 1 teaspoon of salt—each day. Avoid snacks and fast foods that are high in salt and sodium.
Get more physical activity. Ask your health care team for help on starting a new routine. Work up to at least 30 minutes of brisk walking on a treadmill or go for walks outside 3 to 5 days a week. If you are just starting out, begin with 5 minutes a day and add 5 minutes more each week.
Be careful with alcohol. If you drink beer, wine or alcohol, limit your intake. For men, that means no more than 2 servings a day; for women, that means no more than 1 serving.
Take medicines as prescribed. There are many types of medicines to control high blood pressure. Your health care team will prescribe the right medicine, or maybe even more than one, that works for you. If you need medicine for your high blood pressure, make sure you understand what it is for and how and when to take it. Be sure to take the medicine as prescribed and if you have side effects, talk to your health care team about other options.
Work with your health care team. At each visit, ask what your blood pressure numbers are, what they mean and what you need to do to reach your blood pressure goal. Talk about any problems you are having taking care of your blood pressure and ask for help.