For the most part, excellent advice. My BP was originally diagnosed 15 years ago with a 220/170.   That was scary. You may be in a situation where lifestyle be all you need.....maybe not. The first priority is to get it down NOW and modify things later, especially if it is quite high.

I have had a series of problems since then as most of you know but my BPhas always been pretty good thanks to meds and lifestyle change. Sometimesit takes a combination of both. Don't fight that. DO find the proper med or combination of meds at the ptoper dosage.

After my valve surgery, the Docs changed the meds I was on. Over time my BP began to rise again and as these were new "designer" meds, the dosage was difficukt to figure out. Eventually I was running at 180/110 and getting very worried. My GP and I started thinking and I tried to isolate when and why this had happened. I am on Vasotech and Coreg which are really fine meds, but they weren't doing it. They are newer and better versions of what I had before and the Coreg is a far superior beta blocker. And here is where it pays to know your meds.......We had eliminated ProCardiaXL for a number of reasons but it's primary function is as a calcium channel blocker. Tis function should have been compensated by the Vasotech, but my personal need for the calcium blocker was greater and simply by going back on the ProCardia, my BP went IMMEDIATELY back down to 110-120/70-80.

I have also spent time in the hospital with several people who were there simply because their Docs could not get the proper combination to work. That takes some close monitoring, but again, if that's the case, you do what you have to do. Do whatever you can to change your lifestyle into a better position but use the meds if needed and be sure you as well as the docs understand the function and dosages of each one and the possible side effects as well.

One more note on side effects....there are a lot and they differ from one to another. I do not do well on classic beta blockers but Docs love them as they DO offer protection to the heart. In my case, I discovered through trial and error that I couldn't do large doses as I couldn't BREATHE!!! When Coreg came out, it was heralded for a lot of things as each new "designer" med often is (designer med=an older med now updated and presumably more effective which becomes the drug of choice even if it isn't the right one). Well, for a change, this one worked as it has a beta blocker that does not affect the respiratory system nearly as much, virtually not at all.   So for me it's a good choice.

Also learn to take your own BP or get a reliable electronic unit that uses fuzzy logic. They are surprisingly accurate BTW.....even the less expensive wrist models.

Spaw