What is the first treatment tried for hypertension?

One high reading does not always establish hypertension. A clinician considers readings taken correctly on different occasions and checks factors such as kidney health, diabetes, pregnancy and other cardiovascular risks. Home readings or Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring can show whether pressure stays high outside the clinic.

Lifestyle measures can include reducing excess salt, choosing a balanced eating pattern, staying active, limiting alcohol and stopping smoking. If medicine is advised, the selected drug depends on your age, other conditions, medicines and response.

Keep a record of home readings if your clinician asks you to, including when they were taken and any symptoms. Take prescribed tablets consistently; do not stop them because you feel well, since hypertension often has no noticeable symptoms. A [Chronic Disease Review](/treatments/consultations-and-assessment/chronic-disease-review/) can check progress, while [Nutrition Counselling](/treatments/lifestyle-and-wellness/nutrition-counselling/) can make dietary changes more practical.

Learn more about [Blood Pressure Medication](/treatments/medical-management/blood-pressure-medication/) and [Hypertension](/conditions/hypertension/).

Get urgent help for very high blood pressure with chest pain, severe breathlessness, weakness on one side, confusion, fainting or sudden vision change. Contact your clinician promptly if readings remain high, medicine causes troubling dizziness, or you miss doses and are unsure what to do.

Do I need out-of-clinic monitoring? What target is appropriate for me? Should I start medicine now or focus on lifestyle changes first? How will we check kidney function and side effects?