Not falling asleep. I mean falling down.
Three out of four people (76.1%) over the age of 64 have hypertension.
We all agree that high blood pressure must be treated. Why take a prescription drug that increases your risk of falls?
Naturopathic Medicine offers safe and effective treatments for hypertension. Older Americans are taking approximately 12-14 prescription drugs by age 72. The gateway drug is usually for high blood pressure. This leads to another anti-hypertensive medication and a diuretic (water loss pill) and so on.
At a European Cardiology Congress in Barcelona, Spain, doctors viewed a meta-analysis presentation of 11 trials of patients over the age of 65 to compare anti-hypertensive meds against placebo. The analysis included the risk and benefits of taking the anti-hypertensives.
The upshot of this meta-analysis is that medication was more effective than placebo to lower blood pressure. Therapy was linked with a 30% lower risk of stroke, but medication was tied to a 21% increased risk of falls.
This has meaning to me because my mother suffered a medication (coumadin) induced massive stroke and was prescribed not one, but two anti-hypertensive medications. She recovered slowly from the stroke just in time to get a strong-armed flu vaccine that contains aluminum. She, like millions of other victims of modern medicine, was taking anti-hypertensive meds and was at high risk for falling due to dizziness. A possible head injury just waiting to happen. My mother and other oldsters fall prey to the medical system unless they have a Naturopathic doctor advocate or other enlightened practitioner in the room with them.
Naturopathic Medicine offers diet and lifestyle changes to address hypertension. Foods that lower blood pressure include: beets, celery and pomegranates. I test for elevated lead in the blood and tissue storage as this is a main cause of idiopathic or unexplained hypertension. Schedule your environmental consult today.
Medication should not increase your risk of falls. Don't fall for the medical hype. Naturopathic Medicine is primary care today and medicine for the future.