High Blood Pressure

What is high blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of blood

against your artery walls as it circulates

through your body. Blood pressure

normally rises and falls throughout the

day, but it can cause health problems if

it stays high for a long time. High blood

pressure can lead to heart disease and

stroke—leading causes of death in the

United States.1

Are you at risk?

One in three American adults has high

blood pressure—that’s an estimated

67 million people.2 Anyone, including

children, can develop it.

Several factors that are beyond your

control can increase your risk for high

blood pressure. These include your

age, sex, and race or ethnicity. But

you can work to reduce your risk by

eating a healthy diet, maintaining a

healthy weight, not smoking, and being

physically active.

What are the signs and symptoms?

High blood pressure usually has no

warning signs or symptoms, so many

people don’t realize they have it. That’s

why it’s important to visit your doctor

regularly. Be sure to talk with your

doctor about having your blood pressure

checked.

How is high blood pressure diagnosed?

Your doctor measures your blood

pressure by wrapping an inflatable cuff

with a pressure gauge around your

arm to squeeze the blood vessels. Then

he or she listens to your pulse with a

stethoscope while releasing air from the

cuff. The gauge measures the pressure in

the blood vessels when the heart beats

(systolic) and when it rests (diastolic).

How is it treated?

If you have high blood pressure, your

doctor may prescribe medication to treat

it. Lifestyle changes, such as the ones

listed above, can be just as important as

taking medicines. Talk with your doctor

about the best ways to reduce your risk

for high blood pressure.