How to manage hypertension in young people?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 30 years old, and my blood pressure is 180/90 mm Hg. After consulting a physician, I started taking Amlodipine 5 mg, with one tablet in the morning and half a tablet at night. Since using this medication, my blood pressure has improved to 120/80 mm Hg, though it occasionally rises to 140/80 mm Hg. I have been on this medication for the past two years. I recently had a complete routine health check-up, and my reports showed no abnormalities. My main concern is whether I need to change my medication.

Please advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

A blood pressure reading of 180/90 mm Hg, despite using Amlodipine, is not acceptable. Currently, there is no need to change the medication; instead, increase the dose of Amlodipine to 10 mg twice a day. Please recheck your blood pressure after two weeks. Amlodipine can cause swelling in the ankles for some individuals. If that occurs after increasing the dose, I would recommend switching to Nebivolol 5 mg twice a day. You are quite young to have hypertension, and in young hypertensives, the cause of hypertension should be evaluated. If you have not identified the cause, please consider getting a renal artery Doppler scan.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Your blood pressure is extremely high. Please start taking Amlodipine 20 mg per day, and your blood pressure should come under control. A kidney ultrasound is different; it is a general scan of the kidneys. A renal artery Doppler scan specifically looks for narrowing of the blood vessels in the kidneys, which can be a cause of hypertension in young people. Hypertension can be either hereditary or acquired. In young individuals, there is often an underlying issue contributing to the rise in blood pressure. If the cause is identified and corrected, it can provide a permanent cure for hypertension. In some cases, we may not be able to determine the cause, and those individuals will need to take medication for life.

Some precautions for managing hypertension include taking your medication regularly, engaging in aerobic exercises such as stretching, running on a treadmill, and cycling for about 15 to 30 minutes every day. It is important to get your eyes examined every two years, follow a low-salt diet, and you can join a gym, but focus on aerobic exercises unless your blood pressure falls between 120 and 130 mm Hg and is well controlled. Additionally, avoid lifting heavy weights.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.