High blood pressure
On this page
- About high blood pressure
- Symptoms of high blood pressure
- Diagnosing high blood pressure
- Treating high blood pressure
- Preventing high blood pressure
- Risk factors for high blood pressure
About high blood pressure
When your heart beats, it pumps blood through your arteries to bring oxygen and energy to body tissues. The force of the blood against the walls of your arteries is blood pressure. Everyone needs some blood pressure to be healthy.
High blood pressure means that the pressure in your blood vessels is too high. This is also called hypertension. Constant high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels and eventually lead to various health problems.
Symptoms of high blood pressure
Signs and symptoms of high blood pressure may include:
- dizziness
- headaches
- vision problems
- shortness of breath
However, most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms. For this reason, it’s important to know your blood pressure numbers.
Diagnosing high blood pressure
To figure out your blood pressure values, your health care provider takes blood pressure readings at different times. You need more than 1 reading because blood pressure changes depending on what you’re doing and varies during the day.
If your blood pressure is high during a medical appointment but normal otherwise, you may just be nervous. This effect is common. Even people already being treated for high blood pressure go through this.
What matters is what happens to your blood pressure outside your health care provider’s office. If you have high blood pressure, you should use a home blood pressure monitor. Ask your health care provider how to use the monitor correctly.
Treating high blood pressure
Your health care provider may prescribe medication to treat high blood pressure. They may also recommend that you:
- get your blood pressure checked by a health care provider at least once a year
- cut down on the salt in your food
- make lifestyle changes, including adding physical activity to your regular routine
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Using an at-home blood pressure monitor
Follow these steps to monitor blood pressure correctly at home.
- Ask your health care provider or pharmacist to get the right monitor and cuff size for you, as well as how to use it correctly.
- Rest for 5 minutes before taking your blood pressure.
- Wait at least 30 minutes after drinking coffee or smoking to take your blood pressure.
- Do not wear tight clothing, as pushing up your sleeve to take a measurement will affect your blood pressure.
- Sit with your feet flat on the floor, your back supported and your arm resting at heart-level on a table.
- Take 3 separate readings at least 1 minute apart.
- Take your blood pressure twice a day for 1 week to get an average blood pressure.
- Then talk to your health care provider about the readings so you can get feedback on what to do next.
To get an accurate reading while taking your blood pressure, do not:
- talk
- eat
- watch television
- play with your phone
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Measuring your blood pressure
Normal blood pressure should be:
- 140/90 mmHg or lower for most people
- 130/80 mmHg or lower if you measure your blood pressure at home
- the result should be lower because you’re not usually under stress or nervous at home
The top number is blood pressure when the heart beats. This is also called systolic blood pressure and is displayed on the results from public blood pressure machines in pharmacies.
The bottom number is blood pressure when the heart relaxes. This is called diastolic blood pressure, and is also displayed on the results from a public machine.
The top number, bottom number or both numbers could indicate that you have high blood pressure.
Blood pressure levels lower than 120/80 mmHg are considered normal. Low blood pressure (hypotension) means that the pressure in your blood vessels is too low and can be as dangerous as high blood pressure. Some people tend to have low blood pressure all the time and have no signs and symptoms. However, blood pressure levels lower than 90/60 mmHg are considered too low if accompanied by certain signs and symptoms, such as:
- feeling light-headed or dizzy
- nausea
- fainting
- lack of concentration
- dehydration or unusual thirst
If you experience these symptoms on a regular basis, talk to your health care provider.
Preventing high blood pressure
There are many different ways to reduce your risk of high blood pressure and other heart-related conditions. These include:
- regularly monitoring your blood pressure
- eating a variety of healthy foods and limiting salt intake
- being physically active regularly
- maintaining a healthy weight
- quitting (or not starting) smoking
- managing stress
- limiting alcohol use
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Risk factors for high blood pressure
High blood pressure is more common as people age and for those with a family history. There are several other factors that contribute to a person's chance of developing high blood pressure. These include:
- physical inactivity
- a diet low in fruits and vegetables and high in salt
- unhealthy weights
- smoking
- excessive alcohol use
These factors can also affect a person's risk of complications and how they manage their condition.
Females over the age of 65 are more likely than males to get high blood pressure. Additionally, factors like pregnancy, birth control and menopause can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure.
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Effects of having high blood pressure
Physical effects of high blood pressure can include:
- faster hardening of the arteries
- an enlarged heart and heart failure
- damage to the walls of your arteries, possibly causing tears or bulges in the arteries of the:
- legs
- eyes
- brain
- heart
- kidneys
- abdomen
Constant high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels and eventually lead to various health problems. Increased risk effects of high blood pressure can include:
- stroke
- dementia
- kidney failure
- loss of eyesight
- less blood flowing to the brain
- heart disease and heart attack
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