Sprout by Intern Scott (with Dr. Eric edits)
The FDA Has recently asked 3 major pharmaceutical companies to recall their blood pressure medications due to an impurity that can lead to liver cancer. The three companies are; Major Pharmaceuticals, Solco Healthcare and Teva Pharmaceuticals ltd. Their products contain an ingredient called Valsartan, a generic drug used to treat High Blood pressure. This drug contains N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a human carcinogen.
The FDA had advised people taking these products to continue to do so until a suitable replacement is found or until their Doctor tells them otherwise. Not all blood pressure medication is affected by this recall.
Other side effects from blood pressure medications.
Dizziness, fatigue, fainting, nausea and in some cases even death has occurred from side effects of some BP medications. The purpose of these drugs is to artificially lower your blood pressure not to treat the underlying problem that causes hypertension. These medications are not a cure, only a temporary patch while the cause continues to get worse.
What are your options?
Perhaps the coolest study in this space, is this one done by the University of Chicago Medical School – where atlas adjustments by a chiropractor, were shown to lower blood pressure, better than diuretics and beta blockers. – Dr. E
In addition, there are other ways to control Blood pressure without medication. If you are over- weight, start by losing the extra pounds around your waist. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are keys to this. Also, Limit alcohol intake and do not smoke, for obvious reasons. Another key factor is to reduce stress in your life. Stress hormones constrict your blood vessels and can lead to temporary spikes in blood pressure. In addition, over time, stress can trigger unhealthy habits that put your cardiovascular health at risk. These might include overeating, poor sleep, and a turn to drugs and alcohol. Reducing stress should be a priority if you’re looking to lower your blood pressure.
Note: Do not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.
Or, dig in hard core for yourself and make your own decision… but don’t just jump off the cliff because we wrote this down. – Dr. E What is considered high blood pressure?
A blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high. About two-thirds of people over age 65 have high blood pressure. This might be an alarming stat, one that if you are thinking through the efficacy of these ranges, you likely are questioning if they truly are diagnosing high blood pressure correctly. – Dr. E
If your blood pressure is between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, then you have prehypertension. This means that you don’t have high blood pressure now but are likely to develop it in the future unless you adopt healthy lifestyle changes.
“Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease” ….Hippocrates