Summer is here. How can patients with hypertension spend the summer safely?

The human body's blood pressure fluctuates in a certain pattern. The human body's blood pressure changes with the seasons, usually with higher blood pressure in winter and lower blood pressure in summer.

In winter, when it is cold, blood vessels contract due to the cold, and sweating is less, while the blood volume in the blood vessels does not change, blood pressure will rise. In summer, when it is hot, blood vessels expand, and sweating is more, blood pressure will be a little lower. Therefore, when taking medication, hypertensive patients should also pay attention to the fluctuation of blood pressure according to the changes of the seasons, and increase or decrease the dosage appropriately under the guidance of a doctor, and never stop taking the medication at will.

Secondly, the fluctuation of blood pressure also has a certain rhythm in 24 hours a day. In the early morning, when people wake up from sleep, their sympathetic nerves begin to get excited, their heart rate speeds up, and their blood pressure rises. There is a peak at 8:00-10:00 a.m. and 4:00-6:00 p.m., followed by a slow decline, reaching the lowest level at night and maintaining a certain level. This is why the same person's blood pressure is measured several times a day, and the values ​​are different each time, sometimes even with a large difference.

In addition, the fluctuation of blood pressure is also affected by external environmental factors such as people's emotions, exercise, diet, etc. The fluctuation of blood pressure is more obvious in patients with hypertension. Recognizing the fluctuation of blood pressure, we cannot draw conclusions based on the results of a single blood pressure measurement. If necessary, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring can be performed to make judgments.

After the summer solstice, we officially enter the midsummer season. When faced with the blood pressure measurement results, many hypertensive patients have such a question in their minds: "Recently, my daytime blood pressure is much lower than before. Can I stop taking the medicine or reduce the dosage?"

How to control blood pressure in summer?

Studies have shown that there are differences in blood pressure in summer and winter. The average daytime blood pressure in summer is about 2 mmHg lower than that in winter, the nighttime blood pressure and pulse pressure in summer are higher than those in winter, and the proportion of patients with non-dipper hypertension and simple nighttime hypertension in summer is higher than that in winter.

In summer, the blood pressure of hypertensive patients fluctuates greatly. Unless symptomatic hypotension occurs, it is necessary to avoid reducing or stopping antihypertensive drugs. Unnecessary drug withdrawal will lead to increased blood pressure, increased blood pressure fluctuations, and increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. For this reason, summer is often a season when hypertension worsens or complications are more common.

How should patients with hypertension spend the summer safely?

1. Check your blood pressure regularly

If there is a patient with high blood pressure at home, you must pay more attention to it in your life, have a blood pressure monitor to measure your blood pressure, and pay attention to your blood pressure at any time. In this way, you can have a better understanding of your blood pressure, so that you can control yourself or go to the hospital in time when something happens.

2. Lifestyle changes

Eat a low-salt, low-fat diet, eat until you are 70% or 80% full at each meal, eat more vegetables, drink plenty of water, quit smoking and limit alcohol, exercise moderately, you can choose to exercise in the morning or evening, avoid strenuous exercise, control your weight, avoid being overweight or obese, and keep a good mood.

3. Follow the doctor’s advice and adjust medication scientifically

The weather is hot in the summer, sleep quality decreases, and blood pressure rises at night. Due to the widespread use of air conditioners in homes, the temperature around the human body changes greatly, which can easily lead to large fluctuations in blood pressure, cause complications of hypertension, and even endanger life.

At this time, if hypertensive patients stop taking medication at will, it will also induce cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and endanger their lives. Because everyone has different tolerance to high blood pressure, medication must be tailored to the individual, and you must never copy other people's experience or apply other people's prescriptions.

The first choice of treatment principle is long-acting antihypertensive drugs, which can keep blood pressure stable within 24 hours, better control nighttime blood pressure, and achieve long-term target, thereby reducing the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Of course, the principle of individualized treatment should also be followed. At the same time, hypertensive patients should scientifically adjust their medication under the guidance of doctors.

24-hour stable control of blood pressure, especially nighttime blood pressure, is the key to summer blood pressure management. Blood pressure control is easier to achieve in summer than in winter, so it is very important for hypertensive patients to take antihypertensive drugs in summer.

(Source: Chronic Disease Center of China CDC)