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"Lao Zhang, you've been under too much pressure lately, haven't you? Are you taking blood pressure medication again?"
"Yes, Master Li. My high blood pressure is really a headache, and I have been taking blood pressure medication for almost ten years, but I feel that the effect has become less and less obvious recently. "
"Ten years! That's long enough. Are you showing drug resistance?" Master Li said with a frown.
This conversation leads to a topic worth exploring: will long-term use of the same antihypertensive drug lead to drug resistance, which will make the drug ineffective? If drug resistance develops, is it necessary to change the type of antihypertensive drug?
In fact, drug resistance is indeed an issue that needs to be paid close attention to in the process of taking drugs. But the specifics vary from person to person, so let's find out.
First of all, we need to understand that with long-term use of any drug in large doses, the body's metabolic system has the potential to gradually reduce its sensitivity to the drug through certain mechanisms, which can lead to the development of drug resistance.
For antihypertensive drugs, long-term use for more than 1 year is generally considered to have the potential to lead to drug resistance.
The mechanism of its occurrence is likely to be caused by the disruption of the balance of regulatory factors such as adrenal glands and angiotensin in the human body.
For example, if you take diuretic antihypertensive drugs for a long time, your body will gradually adapt to the excretion of salt and water, making the effect of the drug resistant; Long-term use of calcium channel blockers will induce an increase in the release of calcium ions and renin in the body, which hinders the effect of the drug.
Generally speaking, if the medication is taken correctly according to the doctor's instructions, it is necessary to have a follow-up evaluation after about 6 months to 1 year.
Once the evaluation results show that the original type and dose of antihypertensive drugs are no longer sufficient to control blood pressure at a reasonable level, it is time to consider changing the type of medication or adding another type of drug.
However, the emergence of drug resistance does not necessarily mean that the type of antihypertensive drug must be changed.
On the contrary, doctors prefer to adopt the "combination drug" approach: keep the original antihypertensive drug and add another drug with a different mechanism of action, so as to have a complementary and synergistic effect.
In addition to medication modifications, lifestyle changes, weight control, alcohol intake, and increased exercise can help reduce the risk of drug resistance.
"That's the truth! It's no wonder that I feel that the more I take blood pressure medication, the more useless I have become. Lao Zhang suddenly realized.
"Don't worry, Lao Zhang, as long as you regularly review and adjust the plan in time, the problem of drug resistance can still be solved very well." Master Li comforted, "Of course, good lifestyle habits can also help control blood pressure. "
"Well, I'm going to the doctor right now to see if I need to change the dressing or add another medication. In the future, I will also exercise more, drink less alcohol, and maintain a good lifestyle. Lao Zhang said with a smile.
Many people are understandably skeptical and worried about taking medication for a long time, but the key is to learn to deal with it properly. As long as you follow the doctor's advice, adjust the plan in time, and have good lifestyle habits, even if drug resistance occurs, it can be effectively controlled.
To cherish life is to start from insisting on a healthy life every day. If you or your relatives and friends have encountered similar situations, please continue to communicate and discuss in the comment area.
Disclaimer: The content of the article is for reference only, no special medical use, if necessary, please follow the doctor's advice to seek medical attention.