Should You Continue Taking Your Blood Pressure Medications at 126/68 mmHg?
Yes, you should absolutely continue taking your antihypertensive medications even though your blood pressure is currently 126/68 mmHg.
Why Continuing Medication Is Essential
Stopping medications when blood pressure normalizes is the most common cause of treatment failure. Your current blood pressure of 126/68 mmHg represents successful control because of your medications, not a reason to discontinue them. 1
Hypertension is largely asymptomatic, and patients often misunderstand that achieving blood pressure control requires ongoing treatment. The lack of symptoms does not mean the underlying condition has resolved—it means your medications are working effectively. 1
Discontinuing therapy when blood pressure reaches target leads to rapid loss of control. Patients who stop medications after achieving good control typically see their blood pressure rise back to pre-treatment levels within days to weeks, increasing cardiovascular risk. 1
Understanding Your Current Blood Pressure
Your systolic pressure of 126 mmHg is at or near the optimal target recommended by current guidelines, which aim for <130/80 mmHg for most patients (minimum acceptable <140/90 mmHg). 1
Your diastolic pressure of 68 mmHg is well-controlled and safe—it is not excessively low unless you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness or lightheadedness. 2
The Consequences of Stopping Medications
Physicians often assume lack of blood pressure control is due to medication ineffectiveness rather than non-adherence. If you stop your medications and your blood pressure rises, your doctor may inappropriately add more medications instead of recognizing that you simply need to continue your current regimen. 1
Non-persistence with therapy (stopping medications entirely) occurs early in treatment and dramatically increases your risk of cardiovascular complications including stroke, heart attack, and kidney disease. 1
What You Should Do
Continue all prescribed antihypertensive medications at their current doses without modification. 1
Monitor your blood pressure regularly at home to confirm sustained control; home readings ≥135/85 mmHg would indicate loss of control and need for medical attention. 1, 3
Never adjust or stop medications without consulting your physician first. Even if your blood pressure remains well-controlled for months, hypertension typically requires lifelong treatment. 1
Critical Pitfall to Avoid
- Do not assume that achieving target blood pressure means you can stop treatment. For the vast majority of patients, lifestyle changes alone (weight loss, sodium restriction, exercise) do not eliminate the need for pharmacological therapy, though they can reduce the number or doses of medications required. 1