patient handout

Managing Your High Blood Pressure This handout contains key information from today's consultation and general advice for managing your health. Diagnosis / Main Concern: Essential Hypertension Date: 01/11/2024 Summary of Today's Discussion: Today, we talked about your high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. This means the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries is consistently too high. We discussed how this can put a strain on your heart and other organs over time. We also went over the lifestyle changes that can help lower your blood pressure and the medication we've prescribed to help manage it. Recommended Next Steps: 1. Take your prescribed Amlodipine 5mg once daily, as discussed. 2. Monitor your blood pressure at home twice a day (morning and evening) and keep a record. 3. Schedule a follow-up appointment in 2 weeks to review your blood pressure readings and medication effectiveness. Lifestyle Advice: We reviewed the importance of a balanced diet, aiming to reduce salt intake and increase fruits and vegetables. Regular exercise, such as a brisk walk for 30 minutes most days of the week, was also discussed. Additionally, trying to reduce stress and ensuring you get adequate sleep can contribute to better blood pressure control. Follow-up: 2 weeks (15/11/2024) Emergency Advice: If you experience sudden severe headache, blurred vision, chest pain, or difficulty breathing, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Resources: We provided you with a pamphlet on "Eating Well for a Healthy Heart" and recommended the NHS website for further information on managing high blood pressure. Contact us at 020 7946 0123 or info@examplegp.co.uk if you have any questions.