Get Your Blood Pressure Checked
The Basics
One in 3 Americans have high blood pressure. Get your blood pressure checked regularly starting at age 18.
How often do I need to get my blood pressure checked?
If you are age 40 or older, or if you are at higher risk for high blood pressure, get your blood pressure checked once a year.
If you are age 40 or older, or if you are at higher risk for high blood pressure, get your blood pressure checked once a year.
If you are age 18 to 40 and you aren’t at higher risk for high blood pressure, get your blood pressure checked every 3 to 5 years.
What puts me at higher risk for high blood pressure?
You are at higher risk for high blood pressure if you:
You are at higher risk for high blood pressure if you:
- Are African American
- Are overweight or obese
- Have blood pressure that’s a little higher than usual (called high normal blood pressure)
Learn more
Risk Factors for High Blood Pressure
Anyone can develop high blood pressure; however, age, race or ethnicity, being overweight, gender, lifestyle habits, and a family history of high blood pressure can increase your risk for developing high blood pressure.
Age
Blood pressure tends to rise with age. About 65 percent of Americans age 60 or older have high blood pressure. However, the risk for prehypertension and high blood pressure is increasing for children and teens, possibly due to the rise in the number of overweight children and teens.
Race/Ethnicity
High blood pressure is more common in African American adults than in Caucasian or Hispanic American adults. Compared with these ethnic groups, African Americans:
- Tend to get high blood pressure earlier in life.
- Often, on average, have higher blood pressure numbers.
- Are less likely to achieve target blood pressure goals with treatment.
Overweight
You are more likely to develop prehypertension or high blood pressure if you’re overweight or obese.
Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health and can help you prevent and control many diseases and conditions. If you are overweight or obese, you are at higher risk of developing serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers. That is why maintaining a healthy weight is so important: It helps you lower your risk for developing these problems, helps you feel good about yourself, and gives you more energy to enjoy life.
What Is Overweight and Obesity?
Overweight is having extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat, and/or water. Obesity is having a high amount of extra body fat. Body mass index (BMI) is a useful measure of overweight and obesity. The information on this Web site will provide you with information about BMI (including limitations of this measure) and how to reach and stay at a healthy weight. Talk to your health care provider if you are concerned about your BMI.
What Factors Contribute To a Healthy Weight?
Many factors can contribute to a person’s weight. These factors include environment, family history and genetics, metabolism (the way your body changes food and oxygen into energy), and behavior or habits.
Energy Balance
Energy balance is important for maintaining a healthy weight. The amount of energy or calories you get from food and drinks (energy IN) is balanced with the energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting, and being physically active (energy OUT):
The same amount of energy IN and energy OUT over time = weight stays the same (energy balance)
More energy IN than OUT over time = weight gain
More energy OUT than IN over time = weight loss
To maintain a healthy weight, your energy IN and OUT don’t have to balance exactly every day. It’s the balance over time that helps you maintain a healthy weight.
You can reach and maintain a healthy weight if you:
Follow a healthy diet, and if you are overweight or obese, reduce your daily intake by 500 calories for weight loss
Are physically active
Limit the time you spend being physically inactive
The terms “overweight” and “obese” refer to body weight that’s greater than what is considered healthy for a certain height.
Gender
Before age 55, men are more likely than women to develop high blood pressure. After age 55, women are more likely than men to develop high blood pressure.
Lifestyle Habits
Unhealthy lifestyle habits can raise your risk for high blood pressure, and they include:
- Eating too much sodium or too little potassium
- Lack of physical activity
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Stress
Family History
A family history of high blood pressure raises the risk of developing prehypertension or high blood pressure. Some people have a high sensitivity to sodium and salt, which may increase their risk for high blood pressure and may run in families. Genetic causes of this condition are why family history is a risk factor for this condition.
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries when your heart pumps blood. Arteries are the tubes that carry blood away from your heart. Every time your heart beats, it pumps blood through your arteries to the rest of your body.
What is hypertension?
Hypertension (“hy-puhr-TEHN-shun”) is the medical term for high blood pressure. High blood pressure has no signs or symptoms. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get tested.
Hypertension (“hy-puhr-TEHN-shun”) is the medical term for high blood pressure. High blood pressure has no signs or symptoms. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get tested.
By taking steps to lower your blood pressure, you can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Lowering your blood pressure can help you live a longer, healthier life.
What do blood pressure numbers mean?
A blood pressure test measures how hard your heart is working to pump blood through your body.
A blood pressure test measures how hard your heart is working to pump blood through your body.
Blood pressure is measured with 2 numbers. The first number is the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. The second number is the pressure in your arteries between each beat, when your heart relaxes.
Compare your blood pressure to these numbers:
- Normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80 (said “120 over 80”).
- High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.
- Blood pressure that’s between normal and high (for example, 130/85) is called prehypertension (“PREE-hy-puhr-tehn-shun”), or high normal blood pressure.
How can I get my blood pressure checked?
To test your blood pressure, a nurse or doctor will put a cuff around your upper arm. The cuff will be pumped with air until it feels tight, then the air will be slowly let out.
To test your blood pressure, a nurse or doctor will put a cuff around your upper arm. The cuff will be pumped with air until it feels tight, then the air will be slowly let out.
This won't take more than a few minutes. The nurse or doctor can tell you what your blood pressure numbers are right after the test is over.
If the test shows that your blood pressure is high, ask the doctor what to do next. Blood pressure can go up and down, so you may need to get it checked it more than once.
Can I check my blood pressure by myself?
Yes – you can check your own blood pressure with a blood pressure machine. You can find blood pressure machines in shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores. If the test shows that your blood pressure is high, talk to a doctor.
Yes – you can check your own blood pressure with a blood pressure machine. You can find blood pressure machines in shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores. If the test shows that your blood pressure is high, talk to a doctor.
How can high blood pressure affect pregnancy?
High blood pressure can be dangerous for a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. If you have high blood pressure and you want to get pregnant, it’s important to take steps to lower your blood pressure first.
High blood pressure can be dangerous for a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. If you have high blood pressure and you want to get pregnant, it’s important to take steps to lower your blood pressure first.
Sometimes, women get high blood pressure for the first time during pregnancy. This is called gestational (“jes-TAY-shon-al”) hypertension. Usually, this type of high blood pressure goes away after the baby is born.
If you have high blood pressure while you are pregnant, be sure to visit your doctor regularly.
What if I have high blood pressure?
If you have high blood pressure, you may need medicine to control your blood pressure.
If you have high blood pressure, you may need medicine to control your blood pressure.
Print out this list of questions to ask your doctor about blood pressure 
.
.
Take these steps to lower your blood pressure:
- Eat healthy foods that are low in saturated fat and sodium (salt).
- Get active. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity.
- Watch your weight by eating healthy and getting active.
- Remember to take medicines as prescribed (ordered) by your doctor.
Small changes can add up. For example, losing just 10 pounds can help lower your blood pressure.
Take Action!
Take steps to prevent or lower high blood pressure. To start, get your blood pressure checked as soon as possible.
Check your blood pressure regularly.
Ask a doctor or nurse to check your blood pressure at your next visit.
Ask a doctor or nurse to check your blood pressure at your next visit.
You can also find blood pressure machines at many shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores. Most of these machines are free to use.
- Get tips on checking your blood pressure at home.
- Print this tool to keep track of your blood pressure [PDF - 679 KB].
What about the cost of testing?
Blood pressure testing is covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance, you may be able to get your blood pressure checked by a doctor or nurse at no cost to you.
Blood pressure testing is covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance, you may be able to get your blood pressure checked by a doctor or nurse at no cost to you.
Check with your insurance provider to find out what's included in your plan. Visit HealthCare.gov for information about other services covered under the Affordable Care Act.
Eat less sodium.
Eating less sodium (salt) can lower your blood pressure. Look for foods that say “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
Eating less sodium (salt) can lower your blood pressure. Look for foods that say “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
When you go food shopping, check the Nutrition Facts label for the Daily Value (DV) of sodium [PDF - 410 KB]. Choose foods with 5% or less of the Daily Value of sodium. Foods with a DV of 20% or more are high in sodium.
Eating more potassium can also help lower your blood pressure. Good sources of potassium include potatoes, cantaloupe, bananas, beans, and yogurt.
Get more tips to:
- Reduce the sodium (salt) in your diet
- Shop for low sodium foods
- Make healthier meals with the DASH eating plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)
Watch your weight.
A healthy diet and physical activity can help you control your weight – and your blood pressure. If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can lower your risk for high blood pressure.
A healthy diet and physical activity can help you control your weight – and your blood pressure. If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can lower your risk for high blood pressure.
Get active.
Getting regular physical activity can lower your risk of high blood pressure. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate activity, like:
Getting regular physical activity can lower your risk of high blood pressure. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate activity, like:
- Walking fast
- Dancing
- Riding bikes
- Swimming
- Aerobics
Drink alcohol only in moderation.
If you choose to drink alcohol, limit your drinking to no more than 1 drink a day for women and no more than 2 drinks a day for men.
If you choose to drink alcohol, limit your drinking to no more than 1 drink a day for women and no more than 2 drinks a day for men.
Manage your stress.
Managing stress can help prevent and control high blood pressure. Deep breathing and meditation are good ways to relax and manage stress.
Managing stress can help prevent and control high blood pressure. Deep breathing and meditation are good ways to relax and manage stress.
Quit smoking.
Smoking damages your heart and blood vessels. Quit smoking to help lower your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
Smoking damages your heart and blood vessels. Quit smoking to help lower your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
No comments:
Post a Comment