High Blood Pressure

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What is Blood Pressure? Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels called arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is called diastolic pressure.

Learn What Your Numbers Mean! Your blood pressure reading uses these two numbers, the systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number). They are written one above or before the other. For example, a blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) is often spoken as “120 over 80.”

A consistent reading* of:

120/80 or lower is normal blood pressure for most adults

can be early-stage high blood pressure (pre-hypertension)

140/90 or higher is high blood pressure (hypertension) for adults ages 18-59

150/90 or higher is high blood pressure (hypertension) for adults age 60 and older

* These are general guidelines. Please consult with your healthcare provider about what your target blood pressure should be.

What is High Blood Pressure? Blood pressure rises and falls during the day. When blood pressure stays high over time, it is called hypertension and is commonly referred to as “high blood pressure.” This means that the heart is constantly working harder than normal.

What are the Symptoms of High Blood Pressure?It almost never has symptoms. However, if high blood pressure is uncontrolled for years, it can lead to stroke, heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure, and blindness.

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For more information call Customer Service at 1(415) 547-7800 or visit www.sfhp.orgFree 24/7 Nurse Help Line 1(877) 977-3397

120 to 139 for the top number

80 to 89 for the bottom number

or

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For more information call Customer Service at 1(415) 547-7800 or visit www.sfhp.orgFree 24/7 Nurse Help Line 1(877) 977-3397

How Do I Control High Blood Pressure? You can control high blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle and medication, if needed. Anyone can develop high blood pressure, and about one-third of American adults have high blood pressure.

Diagnosis You can find out if you have hypertension by having your blood pressure checked regularly. Once you have it, it can often last a lifetime.

If your reading is between 120/80 and 139/89 mmHg, then you have pre-hypertension. This means that you don’t have high blood pressure now, but may develop it in the future.

Some people have higher blood pressure in a provider’s office than they do the rest of the time. You can find out if this is true for you by having your blood pressure read in a pharmacy, or by using a home blood pressure cuff. You should write down the results and share them with your provider.

Prevention and Treatment Lifestyle changes can help you prevent and control high blood pressure:

• Aim for a healthy weight – if you are overweight or obese, talk to your provider about what you can do to lose weight for a healthier heart.

• Be active – moving your body for 30 minutes, 5 days a week can make a big difference. Find an activity that you love (dancing, swimming, playing with your kids, going for a brisk walk), and make it part of your life most days of the week.

• Eat fresh fruits and veggies each day, and cut back on processed foods high in salt, sugar, and bad kinds of fat such as trans-fat.

• If you smoke or drink alcohol, talk to your provider about how to quit or cut down to help improve your heart health.

• Lower your stress level – Learn ways to reduce the stress in your life. Deep breathing helps to lower stress levels. Take time for yourself and do something you enjoy, such as exercise, meditation, listening to music, spending time with friends and family.

If lifestyle changes alone are not enough, there are many blood pressure medicines that could help. Talk with your provider about what is best for you.

Adapted from: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbp www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/highbloodpressure.html