Compliance with the Treatment Plan for High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the pressure inside your blood vessels when your heart beats. If your blood pressure is higher than 120/80, you may have a problem with your blood pressure. Consequences of being chronically hypertensive are heart attacks and strokes. High blood pressure is known as a silent killer, as it has no symptoms.

Three out of ten Americans have high blood pressure, and this percentage rises as one's age increases.

The following action steps are recommended for those with chronic high blood pressure (i.e. hypertension).

• Eating nutritionally and following portion control guidelines

• Exercising daily

• Limiting salt use

• Reducing alcohol consumption

• Taking hypertensive medications as prescribed

• Eliminating cigarette smoking

We have all read many articles about compliance with hypertensive treatment plans, so take a guess at the percentage of people who follow at least one of the action items specified. You probably did not even come close. Ninety-eight percent of people diagnosed with hypertension follow at least one action item.

However, becoming overly smug about the compliance percentage, one needs to dissect the whole, and take another look. For instance, while 70% of Americans are compliant with exercising, 30% are not. The percentage also changes depending upon which state you live. For instance, in Montana, the percentage of those who exercise is only 59%. For each of the actions, one will see the same variability within the item. Furthermore, the survey did not address the depth of compliance. For instance, how often or how vigorously does one exercise.

Additionally, as all action items are required for good health, again a problem is seen. Your chances of maintaining good vascular health and blood pressure significantly decreases with each action item which is eliminated.

To conclude, it is a sad fact that only 30% of Americans with hypertension have it controlled; a lack of non-compliance.

Therefore, it behooves all of us to conscientiously follow a health life style; but especially if you are already diagnosed with hypertension.