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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffEffective treatments are available for primary aldosteronism, but don't count on these therapies keeping your blood pressure low on their own. A healthy lifestyle is essential for maintaining long-term heart health. Here are some healthy lifestyle suggestions:
- Follow a healthy diet. Limit the sodium in your diet by focusing on fresh foods and reduced-sodium products, avoiding condiments, and removing salt from recipes. Diets that also emphasize a healthy variety of foods — including grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products — can promote weight loss and help to lower blood pressure. Try the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet — it has proven benefits for your heart.
- Achieve a healthy weight. If your body mass index (BMI) is 25 or more, losing as few as 10 pounds may reduce your blood pressure.
- Exercise. Regular aerobic exercise seems to lower blood pressure in some people, even without weight loss. You don't have to hit the gym — taking vigorous walks most days of the week can significantly improve your health. Try walking with a friend at lunch instead of dining out.
- Don't smoke. If you smoke, stop. Nicotine in tobacco makes your heart work harder by temporarily constricting your blood vessels and increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about medications that can help you stop smoking.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine. Both substances can raise your blood pressure, and alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness of some blood pressure medications. Ask your doctor whether moderate alcohol consumption is safe for you.
References
- Funder JW, et al. Case detection, diagnosis and treatment of patients with primary aldosteronism: An Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2008;(93):3266-3281.
- Gomez-Sanchez CE, et al. Three perspectives on aldosterone's role in cardiovascular disease: Salt's not the only bad guy. The Endocrine Society. http://www.endo-society.org/endo_news/tri_point/upload/Tri-Point-Series-June-2005-EN.pdf. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Young WF, et al. Clinical features of primary aldosteronism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Hyperaldosteronism. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch153/ch153f.html. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Sechi LA. Long-term renal outcomes in patients with primary aldosteronism. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2006;295(22):2638-2645.
- Young WF, et al. Treatment of primary aldosteronism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Aldosterone and renin. Lab Tests Online. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/aldosterone/test.html. Accessed Sept. 28, 2008.
- Young WF, et al. Clinical features of primary aldosteronism. http://www.uptodate.com/online/content/topic.do?topicKey=adrenal/19130&selectedTitle=3~56&source=search_result. Accessed Nov. 28, 2008.
- Young WF, et al. Treatment of primary aldosteronism. http://www.uptodate.com/online/content/topic.do?topicKey=adrenal/19430&selectedTitle=2~56&source=search_result. Accessed Nov. 28, 2008.
