The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has produced new guidelines on the use of medicines for people with high blood pressure. The guidelines set out a step-by-step process of selecting medicines for you and your health professionals to follow. These guidelines also meant that many people who were already in medicines needed to change their treatment. For more information, click here. Most people are shocked and surprised when they learn that they have high blood pressure, and that can lead to stroke and heart attacks. However, the condition can be controlled with current drugs that are well tried, in safety and many people have few side effects. Most importantly, they allow you to live longer and healthier lives. Why do I need to take medication? The higher your blood pressure, the greater the risk of developing a stroke, heart attack or heart failure. Studies over the past 30 years have clearly shown that lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of having a stroke, heart attack or heart failure. Your doctor or nurse will assess how to raise your blood pressure is several steps over a period of time. You will be required to take drugs if: Your readings are above a certain level, for example 160/100mmHg You have already made changes to your diet and your lifestyle have not lowered blood pressure enough Top What level of blood pressure, I am aiming if I take pills? If you are being treated for high blood pressure you want to get your level 140/85mmHg or less. This objective has declined in recent years. Previously, it was thought that 160/95mmHg was quite low. Many large studies have shown that blood pressure ideally should be lowered to less than 140/85mmHg. However, it is not always possible to achieve this level of blood pressure, especially if the blood pressure is very high at the outset. If you have diabetes or have already had a stroke or a heart attack, the doctor may feel that blood pressure should be lowered as a result of 130/80mmHg or less.
