Your blood pressure medication should begin to work within days. Most people take more than one medication in order to bring their blood pressure down to their treatment goal. There are several types of medications that treat high blood pressure with each type of medication having benefits and risks that should be carefully weighed by you and your health care provider. In addition to lifestyle changes, medications are often used to lower blood pressure. Treatment of high blood pressure often starts with lifestyle changes, including decreasing salt in your diet, losing weight if necessary, stopping smoking, cutting down on alcohol use, and regular exercise. How can you manage your high blood pressure?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2013, more than 360,000 deaths in the United States included high blood pressure as a primary or contributing cause. Often referred to as the “silent killer” because it may show no symptoms, high blood pressure puts you at an increased risk for heart disease, heart failure, and stroke, among other things. Why is it important to know if you have high blood pressure?Įarly detection of high blood pressure is very important. People with pre-hypertension do not have blood pressure as low as it should be but are not yet considered to have high blood pressure. Readings between 120/80 and 129/89 are considered pre-hypertension. A reading this high is considered “hypertensive crisis.” If you get a blood pressure reading of 180/110 or higher more than once, seek medical treatment right away. Stage 2 high blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. Your blood pressure is considered high (stage 1) if it reads 130/80.
The bottom number is the lower of the two and is called the diastolic pressure. The second, or bottom number, measures the force of blood in your arteries while your heart is relaxed between beats. Systolic pressure is the higher of the two numbers. The first, or top number, is the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats, called the systolic pressure. High blood pressure – also known as hypertension – is a disease in which blood flows through blood vessels (arteries) at a higher than normal pressure.īlood pressure is measured with two numbers. What is high blood pressure?īlood pressure is defined as the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood.
However, because of the obesity epidemic, more and more children are also developing high blood pressure. Many people develop high blood pressure when they are in their late 30’s or early 40’s, and it occurs more frequently as people age. But only half of those people have their condition under control. Approximately 1 in 3, more than 100 million, American adults have high blood pressure.
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