Nonpharmacological treatments for hypertension

Nonpharmacological treatments for hypertension

Por: Sleight, Peter.  Journal of Hypertension: August 2012 – Volume 30 – Issue 8 – p 1516–1517.

One of the dominant mechanisms in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension is sympathetic nervous system overactivity. Many forms of experimental hypertension are mediated via the sympathetic nervous system. The first successful pharmacologic denervation of sympathetic control was by the hexamethonium drugs. This rapidly led to the early therapeutic applications of ganglionic blockade in the treatment of malignant hypertension. Surgical sympathectomy was also an early treatment for hypertension. A more physiological method is to stimulate the baroreflex, which can be depressed in older people [5], probably from atheroma and/or stiffening of the carotid sinus area.