What is Blood Pressure?

You are encouraged to go to www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/index.html to view the NHLBI primary site for this information. This article is from that site, with some adaptation. Please recognize the NHLBI for this presentation.

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers - the systolic pressure (as the heart beats) over the diastolic pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats). The measurement is written one above or before the other, with the systolic number on top and the diastolic number on the bottom. For example, a blood pressure measurement of 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) is expressed verbally as "120 over 80."

Normal blood pressure is less than 130 mm Hg systolic and less than 85 mm Hg diastolic. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic.

Categories for Blood Pressure Levels in Adults* (Ages 18 Years and Older)

* For those not taking medicine for high blood pressure and not having a short-term serious illness. These categories are from the National High Blood Pressure Education Program.

** Optimal blood pressure with respect to heart disease risk is below 120/80 mm Hg. However, unusually low readings should be evaluated for clinical significance.

When systolic and diastolic blood pressures fall into different categories, the higher category should be used to classify blood pressure level. For example, 160/80 mm Hg would be stage 2 hypertension (high blood pressure).

Understanding High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure increases your chance (or risk) for getting heart disease and/or kidney disease, and for having a stroke. It is especially dangerous because it often has no warning signs or symptoms. Regardless of race, age, or gender, anyone can develop high blood pressure. It is estimated that one in every four American adults has high blood pressure. Once high blood pressure develops, it usually lasts a lifetime. You can prevent and control high blood pressure by taking action.

In this section you will learn more about what high blood pressure is and what it does inside the body.

What is High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. Blood pressure rises and falls during the day. When blood pressure stays elevated over time, it is called high blood pressure or hypertension.

Blood pressure is typically recorded as two numbers - the systolic pressure (as the heart beats) over the diastolic pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats). A consistent blood pressure reading of 140/90 mm Hg or higher is considered high blood pressure, another term for hypertension.

What is systolic blood pressure?

Systolic pressure is the force of blood in the arteries as the heart beats. It is shown as the top number in a blood pressure reading. High blood pressure is 140 and higher for systolic pressure. Diastolic pressure does not need to be high for you to have high blood pressure. When that happens, the condition is called "isolated systolic hypertension," or ISH.

Is isolated systolic high blood pressure common?

Yes. It is the most common form of high blood pressure for older Americans. For most Americans, systolic blood pressure increases with age, while diastolic increases until about age 55 and then declines. About 65 percent of hypertensives over age 60 have ISH. You may have ISH and feel fine. As with other types of high blood pressure, ISH often causes no symptoms. To find out if you have ISH - or any type of high blood pressure - see your doctor and have a blood pressure test. The test is quick and painless.

Is isolated systolic high blood pressure dangerous?

Any form of high blood pressure is dangerous if not properly treated. Both numbers in a blood pressure test are important, but, for some, the systolic is especially meaningful. That's because, for those persons middle aged and older, systolic pressure gives a better diagnosis of high blood pressure.

If left uncontrolled, high systolic pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, kidney damage, blindness, or other conditions. While it cannot be cured once it has developed, ISH can be controlled.

Clinical studies have proven that treating a high systolic pressure saves lives, greatly reduces illness, and improves the quality of life. Yet, most Americans do not have their high systolic pressure under control.

Does it require special treatment?

Treatment options for ISH are the same as for other types of high blood pressure, in which both systolic and diastolic pressures are high. ISH is treated with lifestyle changes and/or medications. The key for any high blood pressure treatment is to bring the condition under proper control. Blood pressure should be controlled to less than 140/90 mm Hg. If yours is not, then ask your doctor why. You may just need a lifestyle or drug change, such as reducing salt in your diet or adding a second medication.

What is diastolic blood pressure?

Diastolic pressure is the force of blood in the arteries as the heart relaxes between beats. It's shown as the bottom number in a blood pressure reading.

The diastolic blood pressure has been and remains, especially for younger people, an important hypertension number. The higher the diastolic blood pressure the greater the risk for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. As people become older, the diastolic pressure will begin to decrease and the systolic blood pressure begins to rise and becomes more important. A rise in systolic blood pressure will also increase the chance for heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure. Your physician will use both the systolic and the diastolic blood pressure to determine your blood pressure category and appropriate prevention and treatment activities.

Why Is High Blood Pressure Important?

High blood pressure is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard. It also makes the walls of the arteries hard. High blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, the first- and third-leading causes of death for Americans (see below). High blood pressure can also cause other problems, such as heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness.

Risk Factors

Risk factors are behaviors or conditions that can increase your chances of developing a disease. For instance, high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

There are other risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Most can be modified, though some cannot. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chances of developing disease. So it is important to take steps to prevent or control these risk factors.

Heart disease and stroke risk factors that can be controlled are:

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High blood cholesterol
• Cigarette smoking
• Diabetes
• Overweight
• Physical inactivity

Risk factors beyond your control are:

• Age (45 years and older for men and 55 years or older for women)
• Family history of early heart disease (having a mother or sister who has been diagnosed with heart disease before age 65, or a father or brother diagnosed before age 55) or family history of stroke.

Effect of High Blood Pressure on Your Body

Find out about the effect of high blood pressure on your body. Read below about the brain, eyes, arteries, kidneys, and heart to get a better understanding at what high blood pressure does to these organs.

Stroke: High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for stroke. Very high pressure can cause a break in a weakened blood vessel, which then bleeds in the brain. This can cause a stroke. If a blood clot blocks one of the narrowed arteries, it can also cause a stroke.

Impaired Vision: High blood pressure can eventually cause blood vessels in the eye to burst or bleed. Vision may become blurred or otherwise impaired and can result in blindness.

Arteries: As people get older, arteries throughout the body "harden," especially those in the heart, brain, and kidneys. High blood pressure is associated with these "stiffer" arteries. This, in turn, causes the heart and kidneys to work harder.

Kidney Damage: The kidneys act as filters to rid the body of wastes. Over time, high blood pressure can narrow and thicken the blood vessels of the kidneys. The kidneys filter less fluid, and waste builds up in the blood. The kidneys may fail altogether. When this happens, medical treatment (dialysis) or a kidney transplant may be needed.

Heart Attack: High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack. The arteries bring oxygen-carrying blood to the heart muscle. If the heart cannot get enough oxygen, chest pain, also known as "angina," can occur. If the flow of blood is blocked, a heart attack results.

Congestive Heart Failure: High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for congestive heart failure (CHF). CHF is a serious condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to supply the body's needs.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

The causes of high blood pressure vary. Causes may include narrowing of the arteries, a greater than normal volume of blood, or the heart beating faster or more forcefully than it should. Any of these conditions will cause increased pressure against the artery walls. High blood pressure might also be caused by another medical problem. Most of the time, the cause is not known. Although high blood pressure usually cannot be cured, in most cases it can be prevented and controlled.

Who Can Develop High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure is common. More than 50 million American adults- 1 in 4 - have high blood pressure. It is very common in African Americans, who may get it earlier in life and more often than whites. Many Americans tend to develop high blood pressure as they get older, but this is not a part of healthy aging. About 60% of all Americans age 60 and older have high blood pressure. Others at risk for developing high blood pressure are the overweight, those with a family history of high blood pressure, and those with high-normal blood pressure (130-139/85-89 mm Hg).

High blood pressure occurs more often among African Americans than whites. It begins at an earlier age and is usually more severe. Further, African Americans have a higher death rate from stroke and kidney disease than whites. The good news is, treatment can control high blood pressure. In addition, lifestyle changes can prevent and control high blood pressure. These include losing weight if overweight (losing 10 lbs can help), increasing physical activity (walking 30 minutes per day can help), following a healthy eating plan, that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods, choosing and preparing foods with less salt and sodium, and if you drink alcoholic beverages, drinking in moderation. If lifestyle changes alone are not effective in keeping your blood pressure controlled, there are many blood pressure medications to help you.

High Blood Pressure Detection

You can find out if you have high blood pressure by having your blood pressure checked regularly. Most doctors will diagnose a person with high blood pressure on the basis of two or more readings, taken on several occasions. A consistent blood pressure reading of 140/90 mm Hg or higher is considered high blood pressure, another term for hypertension.

Some people experience high blood pressure only when they visit the doctor's office. This condition is called "white-coat hypertension." If your doctor suspects this, you may be asked to monitor your blood pressure at home or asked to wear a device called an ambulatory blood pressure monitor. This device is usually worn for 24 hours and can take blood pressure every 30 minutes. In this section you will learn more about diagnosing high blood pressure.

How do I know if I have high blood pressure?

High blood pressure often has no signs or symptoms. The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to be tested for it. Using the familiar blood pressure cuff, your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can easily tell if your blood pressure is high.

How Is Blood Pressure Tested?

Having your blood pressure tested is quick and easy. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and recorded as two numbers systolic pressure "over" diastolic pressure. For example, the doctor or nurse might say "130 over 80" as a blood pressure reading.

Both numbers in a blood pressure reading are important. As we grow older, systolic blood pressure is especially important.

To test your blood pressure, your doctor will use a familiar device with a long name. It is called a sphygmomanometer (pronounced sfig'-mo-ma-nom-e-ter), and may look something like this:

Some blood pressure testing devices use electronic instruments or digital readouts. In these cases, the blood pressure reading appears on a small screen or is signaled in beeps, and no stethoscope is used.

Tips for Having Your Blood Pressure Taken

• Don't drink coffee or smoke cigarettes 30 minutes before having your blood pressure measured.
• Before the test, sit for five minutes with your back supported and your feet flat on the ground.
• Rest your arm on a table at the level of your heart.
• Wear short sleeves so your arm is exposed.
• Go to the bathroom prior to the reading. A full bladder can change your blood pressure reading.
• Get two readings, taken at least two minutes apart, and average the results.
• Ask the doctor or nurse to tell you the blood pressure reading in numbers.

What device can I use to take my own blood pressure?

Tests at home can be done with the familiar blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope, or with an electronic monitor, such as a digital readout monitor. Also, be sure that the person who will use the device reads the instructions before taking blood pressure readings. Your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist can help you check the device and teach you how to use it. You also may ask for their help in choosing the right one for you. Blood pressure devices can be bought at various places, such as discount chain stores and pharmacies.

Preventing High Blood Pressure

You can take steps to prevent high blood pressure by adopting a healthy lifestyle. These steps include maintaining a healthy weight; being physically active; following a healthy eating plan, that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods; choosing and preparing foods with less salt and sodium; and, if you drink alcoholic beverages, drinking in moderation. In this section you will learn more about healthy lifestyle habits for preventing and controlling high blood pressure.

Healthy Eating

Research has shown that following a healthy eating plan can both reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and lower an already elevated blood pressure.

For an overall eating plan, consider the DASH diet. "DASH" stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension," a clinical study that tested the effects of nutrients in food on blood pressure. Study results indicated that elevated blood pressures were reduced by an eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods and is low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. The DASH diet includes whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts and has reduced amounts of fats, red meats, sweets, and sugared beverages.

A second clinical study, called "DASH-Sodium," looked at the effect of a reduced dietary sodium intake on blood pressure as people followed either the DASH diet or a typical American diet. Results showed that reducing dietary sodium lowered blood pressure for both the DASH diet and the typical American diet. The biggest blood pressure-lowering benefits were for those eating the DASH diet at the lowest sodium level (1,500 milligrams per day).

The DASH-Sodium study shows the importance of lowering sodium intake whatever your diet. But for a true winning combination, follow the DASH diet and lower your intake of salt and sodium.

Facts about the DASH diet

Click here for a brochure about the facts of the DASH diet!

Healthier Eating with DASH

The DASH eating plan shown below is based on 2,000 calories a day. The number of daily servings in a food group may vary from those listed depending on your caloric needs.

Getting Started with DASH

It's easy to adopt the DASH eating diet. Here are some ways to get started:

Change gradually.

• If you now eat one or two vegetables a day, add a serving at lunch and another at dinner.
• If you don't eat fruit now or have only juice at breakfast, add a serving to your meals or have it as a snack.
• Use only half the butter, margarine, or salad dressing you do now.
• Try lowfat or fat free condiments, such as fat free salad dressings.
• Gradually increase dairy products to three servings per day. For example, drink milk with lunch or dinner, instead of soda, alcohol, or sugar-sweetened tea. Choose lowfat (1 percent) or fat free (skim) dairy products to reduce total fat intake.

Treat meat as one part of the whole meal, instead of the focus.

• Buy less meat. If it's not there, you won't eat it.
• Limit meat to 6 ounces a day (two servings)--all that's needed. Three to four ounces is about the size of a deck of cards.
• If you now eat large portions of meat, cut them back gradually--by a half or a third at each meal.
• Include two or more vegetarian-style (meatless) meals each week.
• Increase servings of vegetables, rice, pasta, and dry beans in meals. Try casseroles and pasta, and stir-fry dishes, having less meat and more vegetables, grains, and dry beans.

Use fruits or lowfat foods as desserts and snacks.

• Fruits and lowfat foods offer great taste and variety. Use fruits canned in their own juice. Fresh fruits require little or no preparation. Dried fruits are easy to carry with you.
• Try these snack ideas: unsalted pretzels or nuts mixed with raisins; graham crackers; lowfat and fat free yogurt and frozen yogurt; plain popcorn with no salt or butter added; and raw vegetables.

How to Lower Calories on the DASH Eating Plan

The DASH eating plan was not designed to promote weight loss. But it is rich in lower calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables. You can make it lower in calories by replacing higher-calorie foods with more fruits and vegetables--and that also will make it easier for you to reach your DASH diet goals. Here are some examples:

To increase fruits

• Eat a medium apple instead of four shortbread cookies. You'll save 80 calories.
• Eat 1/4 cup of dried apricots instead of a 2-ounce bag of pork rinds. You'll save 230 calories.

To increase vegetables

• Have a hamburger that's 3 ounces instead of 6 ounces. Add a 1/2 cup serving of carrots and a 1/2 cup serving of spinach. You'll save more than 200 calories.
• Instead of 5 ounces of chicken, have a stir fry with 2 ounces of chicken and 1 & 1/2 cups of raw vegetables. Use a small amount of vegetable oil. You'll save 50 calories.

To increase lowfat or fat free dairy products

• Have a 1/2 cup serving of lowfat frozen yogurt instead of a 1 & 1/2 - ounce milk chocolate bar. You'll save about 110 calories.

And don't forget these calorie-saving tips:

• Use lowfat or fat free condiments, such as fat free salad dressings.
• Eat smaller portions-cut back gradually.
• Choose lowfat or fat free dairy products to reduce total fat intake.
• Use food labels to compare fat content in packaged foods. Items marked lowfat or fat free are not always lower in calories than their regular versions.
• Limit foods with lots of added sugar, such as pies, flavored yogurts, candy bars, ice cream, sherbet, regular soft drinks, and fruit drinks.
• Eat fruits canned in their own juice.
• Add fruit to plain yogurt.
• Snack on fruit, vegetable sticks, unbuttered and unsalted popcorn, or bread sticks. Drink water or club soda.

Heart Healthy Recipes

By making a few changes in your eating habits, you can help lower your high blood pressure. Follow these links to some great recipes that show you how eating less fat, cholesterol, salt, and sodium can make a difference and taste great too.

Recipe links

Tips On How To Make Healthier Meals

Begin by choosing foods low in saturated fat, low in sodium and low in calories:

• Try fat free (skim) milk or lowfat (1%) milk
• Only buy cheeses marked "lowfat" or "fat free" on the package
• Choose to eat fruits and vegetables without butter or sauce
• Serve rice, beans, cereals, pasta, whole grains (e.g., couscous, barley, bulgar, etc.)
• Choose lean cuts of meat, fish, and skinless turkey and chicken
• When available, buy low- or reduced-sodium or no-salt-added versions of foods

Use these recipe substitutions:

• Use two egg whites for each whole egg and margarine or oil instead of butter
• Use light mayonnaise instead of the regular variety
• Use nonfat yogurt instead of sour cream
• Use lowfat cheese instead of regular cheese
• Use 1 percent or skim milk instead of whole milk
• Use fresh poultry, fish and lean meat rather than canned or processed types

Try these meal tips:

• Make a meatloaf with lean ground turkey
• Make tacos with skinless chicken breast
• Cool soups and gravies and skim off fat before reheating them
• Try adding salsa on a baked potato instead of butter
• Make a spicy baked fish - season with green pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, lemon, or cilantro
• Eat fruit for dessert, instead of pie or cake

A Word About Fats

Fats - especially saturated fat - affect the health of your heart and blood vessels. There are various types of fat. Saturated fat is often found in foods from animals. This includes fatty meats, the skin of poultry, and whole-milk dairy products, such as butter, cheese, cream, and ice cream. It also is in coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils. These oils are found mostly in processed foods, such as baked goods, snack foods, and crackers. If you use saturated fat, keep the amount small. Instead of saturated fat, try soft or liquid margarine and such oils as canola, safflower, and olive. However, all kinds of fats have the same amount of calories and need to be limited to help you lose weight.

Reduce Salt and Sodium in Your Diet

A key to healthy eating is choosing foods lower in salt and sodium. Most Americans consume more salt than they need. The current recommendation is to consume less than 2.4 grams (2,400 milligrams[mg] ) of sodium a day. That equals 6 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of table salt a day. The 6 grams include ALL salt and sodium consumed, including that used in cooking and at the table. For someone with high blood pressure, the doctor may advise eating less salt and sodium, as recent research has shown that people consuming diets of 1,500 mg of sodium had even better blood pressure lowering benefits. These lower-sodium diets also can keep blood pressure from rising and help blood pressure medicines work better.

Click here for much more on reducing salt and sodium in your diet

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Being overweight increases your risk of developing high blood pressure. In fact, blood pressure rises as body weight increases. Losing even 10 pounds can lower blood pressure - and it has the greatest effect for those who are overweight and already have hypertension.

Being overweight is also a risk factor for heart disease. It increases your chance for developing high blood cholesterol and diabetes - two more major risk factors for heart disease.

Click here for much more on maintaining a healthy weight

Physical Activity

Being physically active is one of the most important steps you can take to prevent or control high blood pressure. It also helps reduce your risk of heart disease. It doesn't take a lot of effort to become physically active.

Click here for much more on physical activity

Limit Alcohol Intake

Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure. It also can harm the liver, brain, and heart. Alcoholic drinks also contain calories, which matter if you are trying to lose weight. If you drink alcoholic beverages, have only a moderate amount - one drink a day for women; two drinks a day for men.

What counts as a drink?

• 12 ounces of beer (regular or light, 150 calories), or
• 5 ounces of wine (100 calories), or
• 1 ounces of 80-proof whiskey (100 calories).

Check out this quiz on drinking alcohol

Quitting Smoking

Smoking injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. This applies even to filtered cigarettes. So even though it does not cause high blood pressure, smoking is bad for anyone, especially those with high blood pressure. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Once you quit, your risk of having a heart attack is reduced after the first year. So you have a lot to gain by quitting.

Click here for more information about quitting smoking

Other Factors Affecting Blood Pressure

Check out this information about other factors effecting blood pressure.

Click here for more information

Treatment of High Blood Pressure

It is important to take steps to keep your blood pressure under control. The treatment goal is blood pressure below 140/90 and lower for people with other conditions, such as diabetes and kidney disease. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits is an effective first step in both preventing and controlling high blood pressure. If lifestyle changes alone are not effective in keeping your pressure controlled, it may be necessary to add blood pressure medications. In this section you will learn about blood pressure-lowering lifestyle habits and blood pressure medications. Please note the preventive measures as presented on pages 7 through 12. You can also access this information through these Lifestyle links.

Medications Used to Treat High Blood Pressure

Diuretics
Diuretics are sometimes called "water pills" because they work in the kidney and flush excess water and sodium from the body. This reduces the amount of fluid in the blood. There are different types of diuretics. They are often used with other high blood pressure drugs.

Beta blockers
Beta blockers reduce nerve impulses to the heart and blood vessels. This makes the heart beat slower and with less force. Blood pressure drops and the heart works less hard.

ACE inhibitors
Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors prevent the formation of a hormone called angiotensin II, which normally causes blood vessels to narrow. The ACE inhibitors cause the vessels to relax and blood pressure goes down.

Angiotensin antagonists
Angiotensin antagonists are a new type of high blood pressure drug. They shield blood vessels from angiotensin II. As a result, the vessels become wider and blood pressure goes down.

Calcium channel blockers (CCBs)
CCBs keep calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels. This causes the blood vessels to relax and pressure goes down.

Alpha blockers
Alpha blockers reduce nerve impulses to blood vessels, which allows blood to pass more easily, causing the blood pressure to go down.

According to results from an NHLBI clinical study, an alpha blocker may not be the best choice for initial treatment for uncomplicated high blood pressure.

Alpha-beta blockers
Alpha-beta blockers work the same way as alpha blockers but also slow the heartbeat, as beta blockers do. As a result, less blood is pumped through the vessels and the blood pressure goes down.

Nervous system inhibitors
Nervous system inhibitors relax blood vessels by controlling nerve impulses. This causes the blood vessels to become wider and the blood pressure to go down.

Vasodilators
Vasodilators directly open blood vessels by relaxing the muscle in the vessel walls, causing the blood pressure to go down.

Make sure to see our article An Overview of Medications for Hypertension

Tips to Help You Remember to Take Your Medicine

• Take your medicine at the same time every day. Try to link it with something else that you do regularly, like brushing your teeth. If your doctor told you to take your pills with food, try taking them at the same time as you have your meal every day.
• Write it down. Put a reminder note on the refrigerator, by the phone, on the medicine cabinet, or even on the bathroom mirror. Try changing the message frequently, using different colors to get your attention, or moving the notes to a different spot.
• Try keeping a chart or calendar to write down when you take your medicine. Keep this calendar posted so you can quickly see if you've taken your medicine. Use colored pens to help you keep track of more than one type of medication.
• Try using a special pillbox that helps keep your pills organized. You can buy these containers at most drugstores or pharmacies.
• Ask for help. Family or friends can be a great support system. Put together a team. If you have friends who also take medication, help remind each other.
• Put a favorite picture of yourself or a loved one on the refrigerator with a note that says, "Remember to Take Your High Blood Pressure Medicine."
• Take your high blood pressure medicine right after you brush your teeth and keep it with your toothbrush as a reminder.
• Ask a friend or relative to call your telephone answering machine to remind you to take your high blood pressure medicine and DO NOT erase the message.
• If you use the telephone company's voice mail service, record a reminder for yourself and the service can automatically call you every day at the same time.
• Establish a buddy system with a friend who also is on daily medication and arrange to call each other every day with a reminder to "take your medicine."
• Ask one or more of your children or grandchildren to call you every day with a quick reminder. It's a great way to stay in touch and little ones love to help the grown-ups.
• If you have a personal computer, program a start-up reminder to take your high blood pressure medicine or sign up with one of the free services that will send you reminder email every day.
• Remember to refill your prescription. Each time you pick up a refill, make a note on your calendar one week before the medicine is due to run out, to order and pick up the next refill.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

If You Have High Blood Pressure:

• What is my blood pressure reading in numbers?
• What is my goal blood pressure?
• Is my blood pressure under adequate control?
• Is my systolic pressure too high (over 140)?
• What would be a healthy weight for me?
• Is there a diet to help me lose weight (if I need to) and lower my blood pressure?
• Is there a recommended healthy eating plan I should follow to help lower my blood pressure (if I don't need to lose weight)?
• Is it safe for me to start doing regular physical activity?
• What is the name of my blood pressure medication? Is that the brand name or the generic name?
• What are the possible side effects of my medication? (Be sure the doctor knows about any allergies you have and any other medications you are taking, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and dietary supplements.)
• What time of day should I take my blood pressure medicine?
• Should I take it with food?
• Are there any foods, beverages or dietary supplements I should avoid when taking this medicine?
• What should I do if I forget to take my blood pressure medicine at the recommended time?
• Should I take it as soon as I remember or should I wait until the next dosage is due?

Check out the medication IQ quiz

Issues For Women

Three out of four women with high blood pressure know they have it. Yet fewer than one in three are controlling their blood pressure. All women should take steps to control their blood pressure. Learn more about conditions that can increase blood pressure in women.

Click here for important information for women

Real Life Examples related to High Blood Pressure

With these links, you will meet Mary Ellen, Ron, Hal, Maria, and Carol. These 5 people have high blood pressure and are making changes to control it. Find out about lifestyle choices they are making to improve their heart health and see how they control their high blood pressure. Click on a name listed below to learn more about that person.

Click here to read about Mary Ellen and high blood pressure

Click here to read about Ron and high blood pressure

Click here to read about Hal and high blood pressure

Click here to read about Maria and high blood pressure

Click here to read about Carol and high blood pressure