Hypertension - 4 - Condition & Symptoms

Possible Action Steps

Encourage individual to maintain a healthy blood pressure: adhere to doctor prescribed medication schedule
Encourage individual to maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors such as:
- Continuing to be physically active: 10,000 steps each day or 30 minutes of brisk activity (walking) at least 5 times each week
- Continuing to not smoke or use smokeless tobacco
- COntinuing to limit salt/sodium to less than 1,500 mg per day
- Continue to limit calories to about 2,000 calories per day for women and about 2,500 calories per day for men

Supporting Resources

Possible Action Steps

Together, brainstorm the many ways and opportunities that people can deviate from their plans to live a healthy lifestyle and adhere to the doctor's prescribed medication schedule
Together, identify the ways that are most likely to ge the individual off-track with blood pressure control
Together, brainstorm ways to get back on track when they fall off. Try them out and see what works.
Discuss relapse and that everyone falls off the wagon sooner or later. It's normal and expected.

Supporting Resources

Possible Action Steps

Together, identify upcoming potential threats to effective blood pressure management: weekend, holiday, financial problems, vacation, business trip, bad weather, family emergency, stressful situations, etc.
Encourage individual to develop ongoing awareness of situations that could negatively impact healthy lifestyle and blood pressure control. Have a plan in place to proactively get back on track.
Discuss difficult or stressful situations and reacting with health promoting behaviors rather than health harming behaviors (smoking, inactivity, overeating)
Encourage individual tow rite up a plan for dealing with situations where it is difficult to retain positive lifestyle changes

Supporting Resources

Possible Action Steps

Encourage individual to further increase daily step count to optimize health and fitness
Encourage individual to further support positive lifestyle changes by making healthy changes to kitchen (i.e., healthy food within reach, reducing clutter, paying attention to lighting, etc)
Encourage individual to vary physical activity regimen by taking a dance, swimming, horseback riding, or canoeing class
Discuss limiting alcohol to one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men and note the positive effect on health including BP control
DIscuss finding a partner or buddy to renew/sustain interest in staying fit over the long haul
Discuss joining an online blood pressure control program (like Heart360)
Discuss investigating complementary and alternative treatments for managing high blood pressure. Ask the doctor what ones might be right to try.
Encourage individual tow rite up a plan for dealing with situations where it is difficult to retain positive lifestyle changes

Supporting Resources