High blood pressure (aka hypertension), is when the forces of blood flowing through your blood vessels continues to be too high over time. Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure. Most of the time, there are no obvious symptoms.
The only way to know you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked. A diagnosis of high blood pressure will need to be made by a health care professional.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS A “SILENT KILLER.”
High blood pressure can damage your arteries by making them less elastic. This decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart and leads to heart disease. In addition, decreased blood flow to the heart can lead to chest pain (also called angina), heart attack, stroke and brain problems, or kidney disease.
PREVENTION
Many people with high blood pressure can lower their blood pressure into a healthy range or keep their numbers in a healthy range by making lifestyle changes. Talk to your health care team about:
- Physical activity each week (about 20 minutes daily @ 5 days a week)
- Not smoking
- Eating a healthy diet, including limiting sodium (salt) and alcohol
- Keeping a healthy weight
- Managing stress
Learn more about ways to manage and prevent high blood pressure. In addition to making positive lifestyle changes, some people with high blood pressure need to take medicine to manage their blood pressure.
If you think that you have high blood pressure, talk with your health care team right away.