How can I keep my blood pressure under control?

Q: I am a 47 years old male suffering from hypertension for over the last 10 years. I weigh 100 kg and am 5’8’’ tall. I have been prescribed Salomax 50/5 one tablet in morning; Cardace 5 one tablet at night; Clopitab A 150 one tablet with lunch and CAAT 10 one tablet at night. My blood pressure is has been fluctuating a lot for the last one month and it has been on the lower side - systolic between 90 to 100 mm Hg and diastolic between 140 to 160 mm Hg. What should I do to keep my BP under control?

A:It is likely that your central problem is obesity which is either causing or worsening the high blood pressure. For a 47-year old male of 5' 8" height your weight should be more like 75kg. Hence unless you reduce your weight it is unlikely that medicines, irrespective of numbers and doses, alone would solve your problem. As it is you are on too many drugs with potentially serious side effects.

Selomax is not just one medicine but a combination of two drugs: metoprolol (which is known to precipitate diabetes, more so in patients at risk i.e. those who are over-weight with both parents being diabetic; moreover it should be avoided in young, sexually active males due to possibility of erectile dysfunction) and amlodipine. Cardace contains ramipril. Clopitab A contains two medicines: clopidogrel and aspirin.

These are blood thinning agents and have little role in uncomplicated high blood pressure such as yours. CAAT contains atorvastatin which is used to bring down cholesterol if it is high provided diet and exercise are also simultaneously taken care of. This drug has also little role in bringing down high blood pressure. Thus you are actually on 6 medicines. Normally a person of your age requires at the most two medicines to control high blood pressure. We have no knowledge about the safety and efficacy of non-allopathic drugs. Please have your case reviewed by a competent physician.