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High Blood Pressure

Learn about high blood pressure

Blood pressure is a measure of how hard the blood pushes against the walls of your arteries as it moves through your body. Your blood pressure naturally goes up and down throughout the day. But if your blood pressure stays up, you have high blood pressure, or hypertension. When blood pressure is high, it causes damage to your blood vessel walls that gets worse over time. This increases your risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems.

Having high blood pressure is serious, but there is good news. There are many ways to manage blood pressure. Our topics cover lifestyle changes that can lower blood pressure, such as eating better, being active, and losing weight. You will also learn how to check your blood pressure at home and weigh the pros and cons of taking medicine to lower your blood pressure.

Current as of: July 31, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

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This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.