Summary: A recent report suggested all patients at risk for heart attack should have their BP lowered by drugs. It’s true that people with lower blood pressure live longer, but this does not mean people should take drugs to lower it. They would do better to eat a low fat, low salt diet and get exercise which helped 85% of patients off their BP drugs and to avoid bypass surgery in the 70′s (Pritikin). Rx drugs are a cause of death now rivaling heart disease due to adverse drug reactions, (JAMA, 4-15-1998; Western Jour Med, June, 2000; Archives of Int Med, Sept 10, 2007)

Contrast http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2015-12-24/all-high-risk-patients-should-get-blood-pressure-meds-study with center column here> http://LeadingCauseOfDeathPrescriptionDrugs.com

The reason why there are so many types of blood pressure drugs is because if one of them worked very well without adverse side effects, there would be no need for the others, but they all have adverse effects as the fine print in the package insert will show anyone with an inquiring mind.

40 years ago, a bulletin sent to cardiologists by the American Heart Association said that unless the blood pressure is inordinately high with a diastolic (lower number) of 105 or more, treatment should begin with environmental factors rather than drugs. Here are some suggestions to help lower blood pressure:

1. What we put in our mouth is the main factor in most cases. 97% of people are born “normal,” and if they have a problem 40 or 60 years later, they did it to themselves, but this is also reversible early better than later. The three no-no’s are alcohol, salt and fats. Alcohol makes the blood sticky and should be avoided. We need about 1-2 grams of salt a day, but the average American gets about 10 times their need in packaged and processed foods. A high fat diet also makes the blood sticky, so that more pressure is needed to push it through the vessels. This means finding a low-fat salad dressing and avoiding fried foods. The tasty part of meat, including chicken, is the fat. Beware of baked goods that have shortening ingredients by the cupful.

2. Exercise helps lower blood pressure several ways, one of which is helping us cope with stress and enabling us to sleep better. If we don’t get enough sleep, the body makes stress hormones (catecholamines) that drive our blood pressure up.

3. Sunlight has a mild blood pressure lowering effect.

4. Avoid heavy meals within 3-4 hours of sleeping. Food in the blood stream with sluggish flow during sleep favors clumping of blood and mini-strokes.

5. Drinking more water would be beneficial for most people, but not at meal-time, especially not ice water as it shuts down digestion, and water dilutes the digestive juices. Drink between your meals.

6. Positive mental attitudes like the words on our coins, “In God we trust,” are good for us all.

7. Some prescription drugs can cause high blood pressure. Ask your pharmacist for a package insert and study it, looking up any words you don’t know on Google, and consider seeking natural remedies the same way.   

Dr. Richard Ruhling was board-certified in Internal Medicine and taught Health Science at Loma Linda University. His websites most relevant to this topic arehttp://LeadingCauseOfDeathPrescriptionDrugs.com and http://RichardRuhling.com