Importance of Hypertension Follow Up Treatment

Hypertension or high blood pressure if not appropriately treated increases your risk of heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. Studies have show that appropriate treatment of hypertension helps to protect important organs, like the brain, heart, and kidneys from damage.

[Read: Alternative Treatment for Hypertension]

But no single medication is known to work for everyone with hypertension or control BP adequately in everyone. Many people need more than one medication to control BP appropriately. You have to follow up regularly with your doctor after antihypertensive drug therapy is initiated for adjustment of medications as required.

• Most people need to follow up approximately at monthly intervals to until their target BP is reached. Your doctor may call you more frequently if you initial BP was very high or you have complications like heart disease, heart failure, kidney disease, diabetes.

• After your target BP is reached you will be called for follow up at 3- to 6-month intervals.

• Serum potassium and creatinine to detect complications in the kidney will be done at least 1–2 times/year.

[Read: Kidney Diseases caused by Hypertension]

• Your doctor may prescribe other medications like aspirin and statins if required.

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