When Blood Pressure Refuses to Budge, What’s Next?

If your blood pressure doesn’t respond to normal efforts to lower it, your physician will want to rule out other causes before trying new medications.

Published: July 20, 2021

When common antihypertension drugs don’t lower high blood pressure, the combination of specific medications and lifestyle changes may do the job after events that cause blood pressure to rise have been ruled out.
© laflor | Getty Images

High blood pressure (hypertension) is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 130 milligrams of mercury (mmHg) or higher and a diastolic pressure of 80 mmHg or higher, or taking antihypertensive medications. It’s a common problem affecting an estimated 121.5 million U.S. adults, and a serious one: High blood pressure plays a major role in increasing the risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure. That’s why it’s important to lower blood pressure to normal levels—120/80 mmHg.