OVER the past few weeks, Heart Smart Talk has highlighted the potentially devastating effects of hypertension or high blood pressure on the heart.

As a reminder, the complications of high blood pressure are often silent — meaning no symptoms. So it is important, even if you feel well, to get regular check-ups with your family doctor, who will make the appropriate referral for heart testing and consultation with a cardiologist.

The main complications of hypertension on the heart are:

1. Hypertrophy of the heart muscle: Increased thickness of the heart muscle, which can lead to chest pain during activity that increases your heart rate;

2. Enlargement of the heart;

3. Heart failure;

4. Abnormal heart rhythms, namely atrial fibrillation;

5. Contributing to blocked coronary arteries and heart attacks.

If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down. Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you might avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.

Here are five more ways to lower your blood pressure without medication.

1. LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL YOU DRINK

Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. In small amounts, it can potentially lower your blood pressure by two to four mm Hg. The protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol — generally more than one drink a day for women and for men older than age 65, or more than two drinks per day for men aged 65 and younger. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medication.

2. CUT BACK ON CAFFEINE

The role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debated. Caffeine can raise blood pressure by as much as 10 mm Hg in people who rarely consume it, but there is little to no strong effect on blood pressure in habitual coffee drinkers.

Although the effects of chronic caffeine ingestion on blood pressure aren’t clear, the possibility of a slight increase in blood pressure exists.

To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a caffeinated beverage. If your blood pressure increases by five to 10 mm Hg, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure-raising effects of caffeine. Talk to your doctor about the effects of caffeine on your blood pressure.

3. REDUCE YOUR STRESS

Chronic stress is an important contributor to high blood pressure. Occasional stress also can contribute to high blood pressure if you react to stress by eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol or smoking. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances, or illness. Once you know what’s causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress.

If you can’t eliminate all of your stressors, you can at least cope with them in a healthier way. Try to:

• Change your expectations. Give yourself time to get things done. Learn to say ‘no’ and to live within manageable limits. Try to learn to accept things you can’t change.

• Think about problems under your control and make a plan to solve them. You could talk to your boss about difficulties at work or to family members about problems at home.

• Know your stress triggers. Avoid whatever triggers you can. For example, spend less time with people who bother you or avoid driving in rush-hour traffic.

• Make time to relax and to do activities you enjoy. Take 15 to 20 minutes a day to sit quietly and breathe deeply. Try to intentionally enjoy what you do rather than hurrying through your “relaxing activities” at a stressful pace.

• Practise gratitude. Expressing gratitude to others can help reduce stressful thoughts.

4. MONITOR YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AT HOME

Home monitoring can help you keep tabs on your blood pressure. Make certain your lifestyle changes are working and alert your doctor to potential health complications. Blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before you get started.

Regular visits with your doctor are also key to controlling your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is under control, you might need to visit your doctor only every six to 12 months, depending on other conditions you might have. If your blood pressure isn’t well-controlled, your doctor will likely want to see you more frequently.

5. GET SUPPORT

Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the doctor’s office, or embark on an exercise programme with you to keep your blood pressure low.

If you find you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This may put you in touch with people who can give you an emotional or morale boost and who can offer practical tips to cope with your condition.

Dr Claudine Lewis is an adult cardiologist and medical director at Heart Smart Centre in Montego Bay. She is also a cardiologist at the Cornwall Regional Hospital and an associate lecturer with the University of the West Indies. Questions may be sent to questions@heartsmartcentre.com and for additional information call 684-9989 or visit the website www.heartsmartcentre.com