What is high blood pressure?

This is a condition that puts you at risk for heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease. It does not usually cause symptoms. But it can be serious.

When your doctor or nurse tells you your blood pressure, they say 2 numbers. For instance, they might say your blood pressure is "130 over 80." The top number is the pressure inside your arteries when your heart is contracting. The bottom number is the pressure inside your arteries when your heart is relaxed.

"Elevated blood pressure" is when your blood pressure is not as low as it should be for good health, but is not yet high blood pressure.

Many experts define high, elevated, and normal blood pressure as (table 1):

• High – Top number of 130 or above and/or bottom number of 80 or above.

• Elevated – Top number between 120 and 129 and bottom number of 79 or below.

• Normal – Top number of 119 or below and bottom number of 79 or below.

What affects my risk of having high blood pressure?

Many things can affect your risk of having high blood pressure. These are called "risk factors." Some can be controlled, and some cannot.

Some risk factors you cannot control include:

• Age – Getting older raises your chance of having high blood pressure.

• Your family health history – If 1 or both of your parents have or had high blood pressure, you are more likely to have it.

• Race – Black individuals are at higher risk of having high blood pressure. This increased risk is most likely related to non-medical issues, including access to regular health care and affordable, healthy food choices.

• Certain health problems – Some conditions, such as chronic kidney disease, increase the risk of high blood pressure.

• Certain medicines – Some medicines might make you more likely to have high blood pressure. Your doctor might be able to give you a different medicine. But this is not always possible.

Some risk factors you can control include:

• Your weight – Keeping a healthy body weight can lower your chance of having high blood pressure. If you want to lose weight, your doctor or nurse can help you do this in a healthy way.

• Your diet – Eat a diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Limit meats, sweets, and refined grains like white bread or white rice. If you don't have fresh fruits and vegetables available, you can eat frozen or canned ones instead.

• How much sodium (salt) you eat or drink – Limiting sodium in your diet can lower your risk of having high blood pressure.

• How much potassium you eat – Getting enough potassium in your diet lowers your chance of having high blood pressure.

• How much physical activity you get – Try to do something active for at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week. This includes walking, gardening, dancing, or any activity where you move your body.

• Alcohol – If you drink a moderate to large amount of alcohol each week, cutting back might lower your chances of having high blood pressure. A "moderate to large amount" means 14 or more standard drinks per week for males, and 7 or more standard drinks per week for females. A "standard drink" is:

  • Can or bottle of 12 ounces of beer

  • Glass of 5 ounces of wine

  • Shot of 1.5 ounces of liquor

How is high blood pressure treated?

If you do have high blood pressure, it's important to try to lower it. The most important thing you can do is make lifestyle changes. Eating healthy foods, keeping a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, and being active can all lower your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor or nurse about specific things you can do.

Your doctor might also prescribe medicines to help control your blood pressure. This depends on:

• What your blood pressure is

• Your other health problems, if you have any

What else should I know?

It's very important to quit smoking, if you smoke. Quitting smoking might not bring your blood pressure down. But it will lower your chances of having a heart attack or stroke, and it will help you feel better and live longer. If you smoke, your doctor or nurse can help you quit.

In some cases, your doctor might suggest checking your blood pressure at home. You can buy a home blood pressure monitor from a pharmacy or online.

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