A recent study conducted by John Hopkins shows making simple lifestyle changes can lower blood pressure and improve the effectiveness of blood pressure lowering medication. These changes can also reduce the risk of hypertension complications such as kidney disease, stroke, heart attack and heart failure.
 
The study has also shown the effects of lifestyle changes snowball, meaning the more changes you adopt, the greater the benefits. Participants in the study who made changes in their diet, exercise routine and who lost weight lowered their systolic blood pressure by 4 mm Hg.

This article originally appeared in the May 2008 issue of Kidney Beginnings: The Electronic Newsletter.