There is good reason never to double up on a drug for high blood pressure if you miss a dose.
“Double dosing on hypertension drugs can be potentially dangerous (even fatal), but most often, there are no significant results,” says Stacy Mitchell Doyle, MD, resident physician of FoodTherapyMD and long-time advocate of plant-based nutritional protocols.
“What can happen is the combination of several factors: Your age (elderly people don’t tolerate drops in pressure as well as younger people), the dose of the medication, what your initial pressure was before you took the extra dose, and what the actual medication is,” explains Dr. Doyle. double dose
“For example, if you took too much of a beta blocker medication, your heart rate can drop to dangerously low levels which can cause syncope (passing out) or even heart block or heart attack.
“If you take too much medication and feel dizzy, weak or have pains in your chest, seek medical attention right away.” double dose
If side effects or missing doses of your high blood pressure medication worry you, consider the idea of weaning off the drug (with your prescribing physician’s approval) and controlling your blood pressure via natural means – mainly, a change in diet.
A switch from the standard American diet (appropriately abbreviated as SAD) to a plant-based diet that restricts processed foods, may very well move your blood pressure from the hypertensive range to the normal and even low-normal range.
By focusing on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, you reduce your intake of sodium and processed foods, both of which can contribute to high blood pressure.
Plant-based diets are naturally high in potassium, fiber and antioxidants, which support healthy blood vessels and better overall heart health.
Studies have shown that adopting this type of diet can lead to significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
In addition to dumping the SAD way of eating, an exercise program of aerobics and strength training will also lower baseline blood pressure.
Sure, it’s easier to just take a pill every day, but wouldn’t it be nice to have naturally low baseline blood pressure along with a stronger, fitter heart, lungs, muscles and bones?
FoodTherapyMD™ is the brainchild of Dr. Mitchell Doyle and recognizes that phytonutrients, the substances that make plant food so amazing, can be tailored to fight specific disease states.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/sirtravelalot
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