Will I have to take this treatment for the rest of my life ?

If the diagnosis of hypertension (high blood pressure) is correct, and if no temporary or hormonal cause is found for the blood pressure increase, you will probably have to take medicine daily to correct your blood pressure figures for the rest of your life. This will certainly sound complicated, but you will see that most hypertensive patients cope well with this obligation – it’s a bit like having to brush your teeth every day.

Though this treatment usually has to be taken for life, its nature can often change over time, as your doctor will take into account not only your blood pressure figures but also any other conditions you may have which might have an effect on your treatment. In this case your treatment dose might be increased or decreased depending on other factors, which is why it is very important to be followed up regularly by a doctor who knows you well.

In fact, the idea of lifelong treatment can be scary when you haven’t understood why you need to take the treatment – in other words, what the benefits of the treatment are. Treatment for hypertension guarantees an increased life expectancy and slows down the aging of arteries. If you understand this, it will be easier to accept that you need to take your medicine, and lifelong treatment becomes life-giving treatment.