Hypertension is a common and dangerous chronic disease in the elderly. Hypertension not only causes symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and difficulty sleeping, but also increases the risk of serious complications such as stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and kidney failure. Therefore, the treatment of hypertension in the elderly is not only urgent but also must be based on a scientific, comprehensive, and appropriate foundation for aging.
So what is the foundation for treating hypertension in the elderly?
It is a synchronous combination of a healthy lifestyle, a reasonable diet, appropriate exercise, psychological control, and compliance with medical treatment. All of these factors create a solid foundation system, helping to control blood pressure effectively, safely, and sustainably.
1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is the most important and sustainable factor in the treatment of hypertension. In the elderly, the organs in the body have decreased function, the cardiovascular system is vulnerable, so a moderate and scientific lifestyle is a “natural medicine” to help stabilize blood pressure effectively.
A healthy lifestyle includes:
- Get enough sleep and on time.
- Limit stress, avoid strong emotions.
- Do not smoke, do not drink alcohol.
- Eat on time, do not skip meals, do not eat too late.
Many studies have shown that positive lifestyle changes alone can help reduce systolic blood pressure by 5–15 mmHg without medication.
2. Reasonable diet
Diet plays a key role in the treatment of hypertension. The elderly need to follow a diet:
- Reduce salt: According to WHO, the maximum amount of salt that should be consumed is 5 grams/day. Reducing salt helps reduce water retention in the body, reducing pressure on blood vessels and the heart.
- Rich in green vegetables and fruits: Provides lots of potassium, electrolytes that help dilate blood vessels, neutralize the effects of sodium.
- Limit saturated fat: Avoid animal fat, fried foods, organs… to prevent atherosclerosis.
- Eat whole grains: Such as brown rice, oats, beans… rich in fiber, help reduce blood cholesterol.
- Avoid refined sugar and processed foods: Because they can easily cause weight gain, insulin resistance, metabolic disorders, all of which are factors that increase blood pressure.
The diet should be designed flexibly, suitable for each individual, with consultation with a doctor or nutritionist if necessary.
3. Appropriate exercise
Exercise not only helps lower blood pressure but also controls weight, improves sleep, reduces anxiety, all of which are important factors in disease control.
Regular exercise is an important part of treating high blood pressure. In the elderly, exercise not only helps improve blood circulation, reduce vascular resistance, but also increases the efficiency of oxygen use, helping the heart work more easily.
Things to note:
- Should practice gentle exercises such as: brisk walking, yoga, slow cycling, yoga, tai chi.
- The ideal duration is 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week.
- Need to warm up thoroughly before exercising and rest properly to avoid injury.
4. Control psychology
Mental health clearly affects blood pressure. The elderly often fall into a state of loneliness, insomnia, anxiety about health, children or finances. These negative emotions activate the sympathetic nervous system, causing blood pressure to rise rapidly.
To control their psychology, the elderly need to:
- Participate in social activities, senior clubs, religious activities, and arts.
- Meditate, listen to soft music, read books, play with grandchildren.
- Keep in regular contact with friends and relatives.
- Families need to care, look after, and create a warm, loving atmosphere.
Many studies show that a positive spirit can help improve the quality of treatment and significantly reduce blood pressure.
5. Adhere to medical treatment
In many cases, especially when blood pressure is frequently high or has complications, the use of medication is necessary.
However, medication is only effective when:
- Take the correct dose, on time as prescribed by your doctor.
- Do not stop taking medication on your own when blood pressure is stable.
- Have regular check-ups to monitor and adjust the regimen.
- Do not combine Eastern and Western medicine without consulting a doctor.
Many elderly people are afraid to take medicine for a long time, fearing side effects or stopping taking medicine on their own. This is extremely dangerous because high blood pressure is a chronic disease that cannot be completely cured, but can only be controlled. It is important to understand that medication is only part of the treatment process. If not accompanied by a healthy lifestyle, the effectiveness will be very limited, and the dose of medication will even have to be increased over time.
Treating hypertension in the elderly is a long-term process, requiring perseverance and close coordination between the patient, family and medical staff. The core foundation of treatment lies not only in medication, but in daily lifestyle: reasonable diet, regular exercise, peace of mind and compliance with medical treatment. Building this foundation cannot happen in a day but needs to be formed from small but consistent changes. A scientific lifestyle not only helps control blood pressure but also improves quality of life, prolongs life, helps the elderly live happily, healthily and usefully in their later years.
