High blood pressure in combination with other risk factors can speed up the progression of atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in your arteries over time. Also known as hardening of the arteries, atherosclerosis is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke and leads to more American deaths each year than all cancers combined.
Blood pressure measures the force of blood against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood to circulate it through your body. Of course, it’s natural for it to have its ups and downs throughout the day, but if it stays up over time, it’s called high blood pressure (HBP), or hypertension. It’s important to control because it can put you in the “red zone” (high risk) for coronary heart disease.
The ongoing force of high blood pressure can speed up the development of atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries. It’s a serious medical concern because it can increase the risk for heart disease and other serious health conditions, including the risk for a stroke.
According to the American Heart Association (2007), one in three American adults has HBP. However, it affects certain groups more than others. African Americans are more likely to have HBP. The chance of developing HBP can go up if you are overweight, have a family history of HBP, or are suffering from “prehypertension” — blood pressure ranges slightly below levels considered to be hypertension.
What Causes HBP?
Why Blood Pressure Checks Are So Important?
What Do My Blood Pressure Numbers Mean?
The Keys to Treating High Blood Pressure?
What Causes HBP?
For many people with HBP, doctors can’t pinpoint a single, specific cause. This condition is called primary, or essential, HBP. In other cases, when a known medical problem or medication is identified as the cause, it is called secondary HBP.
While it’s not often easy to spot a cause, there are many known factors that can make your blood pressure go up. If you can control these factors, you can help manage your blood pressure.
These factors include:
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Eating too much salt
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Being overweight or obese
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Eating too few fruits and vegetables
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Not getting enough potassium
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Lack of physical activity
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Drinking too much alcohol
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Taking certain medications
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Smoking
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Ongoing stress
Why Blood Pressure Checks Are So Important
There are usually no signs or symptoms of high blood pressure, making it even more important to have your blood pressure checked regularly. You can have HBP for years without knowing it. There’s only one way to find out if you have HBP — getting your blood pressure checked.
Regular “pressure checks” let your doctor and you keep tabs on your important blood pressure numbers. Usually, the numbers are written as one above the other, such as “120 over 80” (120/80). The top number is systolic pressure, which measures the pressure in your arteries when the heart beats and pumps blood. The bottom number is diastolic pressure, which measures the pressure when the heart relaxes between beats.
Systolic blood pressure has proven to be a stronger predictor of cardiovascular risk than diastolic blood pressure in middle-aged and older adults. Reducing a high systolic number can help prevent the serious complications of high blood pressure. On the other hand, people under the age of 50 usually have diastolic hypertension. This means the diastolic pressure — the bottom number — is higher than 90 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). And for each 10-point increase in diastolic blood pressure, your risk of death from heart disease and stroke double.
For some people, a doctor’s visit can be so stressful that they have higher blood pressure readings only when they visit a medical office. This condition is called “white coat” hypertension because doctors wear white lab coats.
If your doctor thinks this applies to you, you may be asked to use a home blood pressure monitor away from the doctor’s office, where you’re more relaxed.
What Do My Blood Pressure Numbers Mean?
Since blood pressure is a key part of heart health, you should know your blood pressure numbers and what they mean. National experts use three different categories to rank blood pressure, measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), shown in the chart below. Normal blood pressure in most adults is less than 120 (systolic) over 80 (diastolic) mm Hg.
Blood Pressure Levels for Adults*
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Category
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Systolic
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Diastolic
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Normal
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<120
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and <80
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Prehypertension
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120-139
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or 80-89
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Hypertension
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≥140
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≥90
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According to the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, a blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or higher is considered high, but for those with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, a reading of 130/80 signifies high blood pressure. Blood pressure in the “prehypertension” category means you don’t have HBP now, but you are at risk of developing hypertension unless you make changes in your lifestyle.
The Keys to Treating High Blood Pressure
Some people can control HBP with the types of changes in lifestyle noted below. These changes may even be able to help prevent high blood pressure from developing in the first place. Other people need medicine to keep it in line. Whether or not you need medicine is a decision only your doctor can make. However, here is a list of five steps that anyone can take to help control blood pressure.**
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Maintain a healthy weight. Losing weight can help lower your blood pressure. If you need to lose weight, talk with your doctor about eating a healthy diet and developing an exercise plan.
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Enjoy physical activity. Get 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. Examples include brisk walking, bicycling, raking leaves, and gardening. Learn more about how to stay active with these helpful exercise tips, but remember to talk with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
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Eat right. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet and focus on foods low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. Avoid foods that are high in salt, and try experimenting with other spices, garlic, and onions instead of salt. To find out how changes to your diet may help lower blood pressure, learn more about the link between diet and blood pressure.
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Limit alcohol intake. Too much alcohol raises blood pressure and adds calories. If you drink, limit yourself to one drink a day (for women) or two drinks a day (for men). A drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of liquor.
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Quit smoking. Smoking can increase your blood pressure, which increases your risk for heart disease as well as a number of other serious health problems. If you smoke, quit smoking right away. Learn more about how smoking counts.
*These categories apply to adults 18 or older who are not taking medicine for HBP, do not have a short-term serious illness, and do not have other conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease. In people with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, a reading of 130/80 mm Hg or higher is considered HBP.
**Medicine for HBP is not a substitute for these healthy living guidelines. If your doctor prescribes medicine to help lower your blood pressure, it’s important that you still follow the lifestyle changes recommended by your doctor.