Show Your Support Each and Every Day
You can help support a friend or family member with high blood pressure. If someone you care about has high blood pressure, it can be hard to know the best way to help them. Here are some hints to make it easier.
WHY YOUR SUPPORT IS SO IMPORTANT
Helping someone you care about to get their blood pressure down into the BP Success Zone, defined as blood pressure measurements of less than 140/90 to 120/80 mm Hg or below, may help them avoid serious health problems.
Some of the best ways you can help someone with high blood pressure are to:
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Continue to educate yourself about the risks of uncontrolled high blood pressure and pass along the information |
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Encourage the person to see his or her healthcare professional |
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Make sure the person sticks with his or her blood pressure medication and other treatment |
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Help the person make healthy lifestyle changes, such as reducing salt (sodium), exercising and managing stress |
Remember, you're both on the same team. You cannot make your loved one well on your own, but you can find out as much as you can about high blood pressure and have a discussion about it. Encouraging your loved one to see his or her healthcare professional is one of the best things you can do. Offering your love, understanding, support and hope will help set your loved one on the right path.
There is often a fine line between helpful reminders and nagging. For example, if your husband is on a reduced-salt (reduced-sodium) diet and grabs a bag of potato chips, your instinct may be to blurt out "You can't eat that!" But that is bound to make him feel bad and may put him on the defensive. Instead, suggest he just have a few chips, or even better, have a healthier snack, such as unsalted almonds.
Remember, your loved one may feel bad if he or she is having trouble making healthy lifestyle changes. The more constructive your suggestions are, the better.
Do more than talk the talk. Many of the changes people with high blood pressure need to make can help make your lifestyle healthier, too. So instead of telling your wife she needs some exercise, be a good partner and lace up your walking shoes, too. Exercising together can be good for your relationship, as well as your health.
If you are the primary cook in your household, learn how to cook with reduced-fat and lower-salt (sodium) recipes. You'll all be healthier for the change.
Help out with medication reminders. Sometimes making healthy lifestyle changes isn't enough to lower someone's blood pressure. Your loved one's doctor may prescribe medication to do the job. There are many different kinds of blood pressure medications, so there's a very good chance of finding a treatment regimen that will help your loved one.
It's important for your loved one to take his or her medication every day. Talk about how you can help him or her remember. This could mean leaving a note on the bathroom mirror, putting a note on a family calendar or any system that you both agree will work. Look around our site to learn more about the many other ways that the BP Success Zone Program can help you stay on your medication regimen as prescribed by your doctor.
Don't forget about yourself. One in three American adults has high blood pressure. And your risk may be higher if you have a family history of high blood pressure. Make sure you get your own blood pressure checked on a regular basis, and talk to your healthcare professional about what your BP numbers should be.
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