Is there a good way to cure hypertension?

[amandon]

My stepfather suffered a lot from hypertension, he had to take medications everyday. Moreover, I've heard that long-term medication is harmful for kidney, now what he pees is yellow. We're puzzled and the doctors don't give us any suggestions for therapy. Anyone else out there with the same symptoms? Any ideas for therapy?

 

[AyazM]

It looks like he is taking ACE inhibitors. They are likely to precipitate renal failure. You can consult with the physician for a replacement and Atenolol can be a very good option. Hypertension of the "essential" type cannot be cured but only managed, but hypertension due to specific reasons such as phaechromocytoma can be cured surgically or otherwise.

 

[hypatia]

He should only talk to a qualified doctor, do not take any recommendations from people who are not medical doctors.

Please stay away from crack pot web sites.

 

[adrenaline]

hypatia is right, he needs to talk with his doc. FOr the record, betablockers are losing its appeal for treatment for primary hypertension.

http://cardiology.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/2005/1125/1

Compared to ace inhibitiors and calcium channel blockers it does not prevent strokes as well, ( this only applies to first generation beta blockers like atenol)

ace inhibitors have a role in preventing renal disease if someone is diabetic with microalbuminuria

it is a very complicated subject and even though i am a doctor, you can't verify I am. Also, I would never treat or tell another doc how to manage another patient without examining him or knowing his creatinine, or does he have prediabetes ( in which case aces are the best) , african american, or possible development of renal artery stenosis, in which case aces are relatively contraindicated, does he have diastolic dysfunction, ( in which case a role for beta blockers is indicated again) , systolic heart failure, in which case aces and third generation beta blockers are the best etc. etc. etc.

it is not a black and white area

his urine may be more yellow because he is developing hyperbilirubinemia and in which case his liver is the problem

 

[AyazM]

Thankyou Adrenaline for your extremely valuable opinion but I guess even you lose your ground on whether Atenolol should be an alternative or not. Please take some of your own advice and leave the thread creator at mercy of his physician.

Most of the time what patients are looking for is neither a diagnosis, nor a prescription, but plain reassurance and explanation.

 

[adrenaline]

no, all I am saying is that we no longer consider beta blockers first line for primary hypertension because you mentioned beta blockers were a good option. Before JNC7 you would have been right, but not now. I also followed up with a slew of hypertensive diseases that warranted beta blockers, that is something only his doc knows.