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There are many different options available when looking at lowering high blood pressure. Normal high blood pressure is less than 120/80 and if you have high blood pressure then your arteries are experiencing more pressure then is good for your body.

The top number in a blood pressure reading is the systolic pressure and this relates to the force of blood in the arteries as the heart contracts and the bottom number is the diastolic pressure. The diastolic pressure is the force of blood in the arteries during the heart's resting stage between beats.

High blood pressure is an issue because it can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, hardening of the arteries, stroke, brain damage and eye damage. Organ damage is considered the end result of high blood pressure as you can go for years with high blood pressure before damaging your organs.

You can make lifestyle changes to assist in lowering high blood pressure. Many people have found much success with reducing blood pressure by implementing these changes. Following a healthy diet and exercising regularly is the best way to lower your blood pressure. You should also pay attention to the amount of salt in your diet as this a high salt level can cause high blood pressure.

Being overweight will also increase your blood pressure so maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight can help your blood pressure. Drinking too much alcohol and smoking have also been known to increase your blood pressure thus stopping smoking and reducing your alcohol consumption can decrease your high blood pressure.

There are prescription medications that can be used to reduce your high blood pressure. Diuretics work by getting rid of excess salt in your body and flushing out additional water. They work directly on your kidneys rather then on your heart or arteries. Beta blockers will work on your heart to slow down its beating, therefore reducing the pressure in the arteries. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, also called ACE, works by regulating a hormone that causes the arteries to become narrow. By stopping this action your blood pressure will be reduced as there is more room in the arteries.

Depending on your needs, your doctor may recommend a calcium channel blocker for lowering high blood pressure. This type of drug causes the heart to relax by blocking calcium from entering the heart muscle cells. Alpha blockers and alpha beta blockers can be used to ensure the blood is comfortably moving through your arteries as well as slowing down your heart beat.

Amongst the best ways to reduce your elevated blood pressure is to lose weight. Doing some of the south beach diet exercise routines may be the best way to lose those extra inches.