High Blood Pressure

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Order Blood Pressure Medication Online

High blood pressure tablets such as amlodipine and ramipril are available from our online doctor service. These are prescription-only medicines that our doctors can prescribe online to be dispensed and dispatched from our pharmacy. When you order, simply complete an online medical questionnaire for our doctors to assess. They will review this to make sure that any treatment prescribed is safe and suitable for you to take. 

Please note that this service is only available to patients who are currently prescribed blood pressure treatment from their own GP.
We are a UK registered online doctor and pharmacy service and are authorised by the MHRA to sell medicines online.

High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure treatment options

    Overview

    What is high blood pressure?

    High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. Having high blood pressure means that your blood pressure is consistently higher than it should be. It is important to reduce high blood pressure because it puts a strain on your blood vessels and heart.  

    Over time, this can lead to serious problems such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, heart disease, vascular dementia, and heart failure. It is thought that globally, around 25% of adults have hypertension.

    When you have a blood pressure check it records two figures. The higher number is the systolic pressure and the lower number is the diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure measures when your heart beats and contracts to pump blood around the body. The diastolic pressure measures the resistance to blood flow in the vessels when your heart relaxes.

    High and healthy blood pressure might be slightly different for different people. As a general guide, healthy blood pressure is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg. A blood pressure reading above 120/80mmHg and below 140/90mmHg could indicate you are at risk of hypertension. A consistent blood pressure reading above 140/90mmHg is usually considered to be high blood pressure/hypertension.
    Unless someone has very high blood pressure (hypertensive crisis), there are usually no high blood pressure symptoms. The only way to find out whether you have hypertension is to have a blood pressure test. This can be done at your GP surgery or at some local pharmacies. BP monitors are also available to buy to use at home.

    Causes

    Often, there is no obvious cause of hypertension but there are a number of risk factors that are known to increase your risk. Some of these factors are things you cannot change. For example, a family history of hypertension, age, living in a deprived area, and being of black African or black Caribbean descent. 

    There are some lifestyle factors that increase the risk of hypertension. These factors include:

    • Being overweight or obese
    • Not exercising regularly
    • Smoking
    • Drinking too much alcohol
    • Eating too much salt

    Lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of high blood pressure or lower your blood pressure if it is already high.

    Treatments

    Lifestyle Advice

    Making lifestyle changes can help to prevent hypertension, or lower your blood pressure if it is already high. Healthy lifestyle changes include:

    • Increasing physical activity - NHS guidelines suggest adults should do some physical activity every day. The NHS has lots of information on how to start increasing your activity.
    • Reducing the amount of salt you eat - eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure.
    • Eating a healthy, balanced diet - try to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and limit how much saturated fat you eat.
    • Drinking less alcohol - guidelines on alcohol units advise people not to drink more than 14 units a week.
    • Stop smoking - you can find stop smoking services via the NHS. We offer nicotine patches from our shop, or our online doctors can prescribe a treatment called Champix to help you quit.
    • Lose weight if you are overweight - getting to a healthy BMI can be very effective at lowering your blood pressure. Visit the NHS website for weight-loss tips or visit our online weight-loss clinic to see the weight-loss medicines our doctors can prescribe.

    Medication

    There are many different types of high blood pressure treatments. These often need to be taken for life. The type of medicine prescribed for hypertension depends on a number of factors. These include your age, ethnicity, and other medication you take.

    Most blood pressure medicines are started at a low dose and then gradually increased until they are effective at reducing blood pressure. Many people take more than one blood pressure medicine to control their blood pressure.

    ACE inhibitors

    ACE inhibitors are the first-line treatment in people under 55 years old who are not of African or Afro-Caribbean descent. ACE inhibitors include ramipril, perindopril, lisinopril, and enalapril. A persistent cough is a common side effect of ACE inhibitors.

    Angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs)

    ARBs can also be used as first-line treatment in people under 55 years old not of African or Afro-Caribbean descent. Generally, they are used if an ACE inhibitor is not suitable to take (for example because of side effects). Candesartan, losartan, and valsartan are examples of ARBs. Cough is a less common side effect with ARBs than with ACE inhibitors.

    Calcium channel blockers (CCBs)

    CCBs are the first-line hypertension treatment in people over 55 years old and people of African or Afro-Caribbean descent. This is because CCBs are generally more effective in this group of people. Examples of CCBs are amlodipine, felodipine, and lercanidipine.

    Diuretics

    Diuretics are medicines that lower your blood pressure by reducing the amount of fluid in your blood. They do this by making you urinate more and are often called ‘water tablets’ because of this. There are various types of diuretics including loop diuretics and thiazide diuretics. Examples of diuretics are bendroflumethiazide, indapamide, and chlortalidone.

    Beta-blockers

    Beta-blockers are another medicine used as a treatment for high blood pressure. These are not used as first or second-line treatments. However, they can be used in combination for people who still have high blood pressure after taking other medicines. Atenolol and bisoprolol are examples of beta-blockers.

    FAQ

    What is the first drug of choice for hypertension?

    Guidelines on blood pressure tablets in the UK advise different first-line treatments depending on a person’s age and ethnicity. For people under 55 years old and not of black African or Afro-Caribbean descent, ACE inhibitors are usually first-line treatment. For people over 55 or of black African or Afro-Caribbean descent, CCBs are usually the first drug of choice.

    What is the normal blood pressure range?

    A healthy blood pressure reading is usually between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg. If someone has a blood pressure of 140/90mmHg or higher, this usually indicates a high blood pressure. 

    GPs will often use something called an ambulatory blood pressure monitor (ABPM) to confirm a diagnosis of hypertension. This is a monitor that measures your blood pressure over a 24 hour period. If your ABPM blood pressure is over 135/85mmHg, this usually confirms a diagnosis of hypertension.

    How do you feel when you have high blood pressure?

    Hypertension does not usually cause any obvious symptoms and can only be diagnosed by checking your blood pressure. If someone has very high blood pressure it may cause symptoms such as blurred vision, nosebleeds, and headaches. If you think you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor immediately.

    What will happen if your blood pressure is too high?

    If you have high blood pressure over a long period of time it can increase your risk of suffering from serious illnesses. This includes heart attacks, vascular dementia, kidney disease, aneurysms, and strokes.

    What is the most popular medication for high blood pressure?

    A number of blood pressure medications are used to treat hypertension. Commonly used examples include ramipril, amlodipine, bendroflumethiazide, and lisinopril.

    Can I order high blood pressure tablets online?

    Yes, you can order blood pressure tablets online from Simple Online Pharmacy. Our UK registered doctors are able to prescribe a number of different blood pressure medicines. Before issuing a prescription, they check it is safe for you by asking you to complete a medical questionnaire online. Our online pharmacy team will then dispense the medicine to be delivered to your address.

    Please note that this service is only available to patients who are currently prescribed blood pressure treatment from their own GP.

    Content Reviewed: 29/10/2020

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      High Blood Pressure Treatment Comparison