Blood Pressure and Diet

[Ashen]

Causes and treatment of hypertension aren't universal so I can only speak to my own experience with diet modification.

I greatly reduced sodium intake and cut out caffiene fror more than a month when my doctor and I first considered putting me on meds. My BP didn't budge at all.. I was a bit shocked that there wasn't even a small improvement but my doctor told me that family history was pointing to genetic predisposition. We tried a ACE inhibitor at first and that worked well . Dry cough side effect though so had to switch to a ARBS inhibitor and it has worked very well. At this point I think the only dietary improvement that would help , would be to lose weight. Reducing fat accumulation around the kidneys might improve their function and reduce the overproduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme. It is unlikely that any dietary intervention will permenantly overcome my genetic predisposition though.

Just out of curiosity has anyone else ever experienced the persistent dry cough side effect from your meds? It took me way longer than it should have to realize it was a hypertension med sideeffect.

Edited September 24, 2013 by Ashen (log)

[scubadoo97]

No cough for me on an ACE inhibitor but that should have been probed during your first follow up. Some docs won't tell you all the non serious side effects up front but will be looking for them in follow up

[weinoo]

The way to find out about a med's side effects is to do the research yourself.

I've never been prescribed an ACE inhibitor, and really don't have any noticeable side effects from my BP cocktail.

Ashen's experience seems to fall along the lines of being very similar to mine - if I lost 10 lbs. (and I'm not heavy, I'm just not the same weight I was in college, that's for sure) and didn't like cocktails as much as I do, I'd probably shave 5 - 10 points off my BP.