Blood pressure rises in cold weather, so you need to take antihypertensive medicine

Winter is a hurdle for patients with hypertension. Studies have shown that the mortality rate of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular emergencies such as stroke in patients with hypertension is the highest in winter, accounting for 36% of the whole year. Caution: Blood vessels follow the principle of "thermal expansion and cold contraction". When the weather gets colder, the secretion of adrenal cortex hormones in the body increases, which will make blood vessels contract more obviously, leading to increased blood pressure and obvious fluctuations. In this case, the antihypertensive drugs that were originally effective may "lose their effectiveness" in winter. If patients do not seek medical treatment and adjust their medication in time, their blood pressure will continue to rise, and they may experience varying degrees of chest tightness and other discomforts, and in severe cases, they may induce emergencies such as stroke.

Who needs to adjust medications and other treatments? Normal blood pressure should be below 140/90 mmHg. If monitoring shows that blood pressure often exceeds this value and there are discomforts such as dizziness and headache, antihypertensive drugs should be adjusted under the guidance of a doctor according to the patient's blood pressure level, target organ damage, etc. In general, when adjusting medications, start with a small dose and increase slowly; if a certain antihypertensive drug has reached the maximum dose, you need to consider changing the type of drug.

At the same time, patients should also adjust their lifestyle. First of all, they should keep warm. If the temperature in the house is relatively low, they should wear more clothes when they enter the house and keep their feet warm. They can soak their feet every night. Secondly, they should pay attention to healthy diet, eat less high-cholesterol foods such as pork, and drink less strong coffee. Finally, they should also do some simple exercises in winter, such as walking, which usually takes 15 to 50 minutes, 1 to 2 times a day. The speed can be determined according to each person's physical condition. It is best to choose a place with fresh air outdoors.

In addition, for the elderly or patients with large fluctuations in blood pressure, although their blood pressure is "normal" when measured regularly, there may actually be large fluctuations, which may cause certain damage to the body. For this group of people, blood pressure should be monitored frequently in winter according to the doctor's advice. If necessary, 24-hour dynamic monitoring can be carried out under the guidance of a doctor, and treatment methods such as medication can be adjusted to better control blood pressure. It should also be noted that some people have heard from other patients that antihypertensive drugs may need to be fine-tuned in cold weather, so they increase their own dosage regardless of whether their blood pressure has increased. Once again, medication adjustment and other treatments must be carried out under the guidance of a doctor. Patients lack professional medical knowledge and are not familiar with the properties of the medicine. If the dosage is adjusted at will, not only will the ideal antihypertensive effect not be achieved, but it may also hurt the body due to excessive dosage.