Lifestyle Treatment of Hypertension

Most of the risk factors for primary hypertension are preventable, and lifestyle modification may prevent as well as treat the condition. Secondary hypertension can be managed by treating the underlying cause. Individuals in the high normal and stage 1 hypertension categories should attempt to lower blood pressure through diet and lifestyle changes before going on a regimen of medications. Recommendations include:

• Eliminate tobacco
• Control stress
• Maintain weight at 15 percent or less of desirable weight
• Restrict alcohol intake to no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women (one drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces 80-proof whiskey)
• Restrict sodium intake to 1.5 to 2.5 grams per day (4 to 6 tsp salt)
• Exercise five to seven days a week for sixty minutes per session
• Increase intake of fruits and vegetables
• Increase intake of low-fat dairy products

Treatmentof swine flu

In swine

As swine influenza is rarely fatal to pigs, little treatment beyond rest and supportive care is required. Instead veterinary efforts are focused on preventing the spread of the virus throughout the farm, or to other farms. Vaccination and animal management techniques are most important in these efforts. Antibiotics are also used to treat this disease, which although they have no effect against the influenza virus, do help prevent bacterial pneumonia and other secondary infections in influenza-weakened herds.

In humans

If a person becomes sick with swine flu, antiviral drugs can make the illness milder and make the patient feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). Beside antivirals, palliative care, at home or in hospital, focuses on controlling fevers and maintaining fluid balance. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses, however, the majority of people infected with the virus make a full recovery without requiring medical attention or antiviral drugs. The virus isolates in the 2009 outbreak have been found resistant to amantadine and rimantadine.

In the U.S., on April 27, 2009, the FDA issued Emergency Use Authorizations to make available Relenza and Tamiflu antiviral drugs to treat the swine influenza virus in cases for which they are currently unapproved. The agency issued these EUAs to allow treatment of patients younger than the current approval allows and to allow the widespread distribution of the drugs, including by non-licensed volunteers.

How can I protect myself from this virus?

Since influenza spreads through spit and spray as well as contact with contaminated surfaces, the usual good personal hygiene habits are the best defence.

• Wash your hands repeatedly through the day with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers
• Avoid touching you mouth, nose or eyes with your hands unless they've been washed
• When coughing, cough into a tissue and throw it in the garbage
• If you cough into your hand, wash your hands immediately
• Sanitize surfaces that may have come into contact with the virus
• If you become ill with flu-like symptoms, stay home

With human flu, the virus is most contagious between the second and third days after infection -- sometimes before symptoms appear -- and the virus remains contagious for about a week in adults and up to 10 days in kids.