Read this article in Spanish. High blood pressure hypertension often has no symptoms but, it can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and other life threatening….

Some groups of people are more at risk than others of developing high blood pressure. Learn what levels of blood pressure doctors consider to be…. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, does not usually cause symptoms.

However, if a headache occurs with high blood pressure, it may be a…. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Everything you need to know about hypertension high blood pressure.

Medically reviewed by Lauren Castiello, MS, AGNP-C — By Tom Rush and Adam Felman — Updated on November 21, Overview Symptoms Causes Treatment Diet FAQs Summary Hypertension, or high blood pressure, often produces no symptoms, but it can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions.

What is hypertension? Share on Pinterest. Systolic mm Hg Diastolic mm Hg Normal blood pressure less than less than 80 Elevated blood pressure — less than 80 Grade 1 hypertension — 80—89 Grade 2 hypertension and over 90 and over. Management and treatment. Frequently asked questions.

How we reviewed this article: Sources. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles.

You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Share this article. Latest news Ovarian tissue freezing may help delay, and even prevent menopause. RSV vaccine errors in babies, pregnant people: Should you be worried?

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Atlantic diet may help prevent metabolic syndrome. Related Coverage. What to know about high blood pressure. Medically reviewed by Kevin Martinez, M. What do doctors consider to be high blood pressure?

Understanding Blood Pressure Readings. Why HBP is a "Silent Killer". Health Threats from HBP. Changes You Can Make to Manage High Blood Pressure. Baja Tu Presión. Find HBP Tools and Resources.

Blood Pressure Toolkit. Heart Insight ® e-news is our trusted, award-winning monthly publication for people living with heart disease, their families and caregivers.

By clicking the sign up button you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Home Health Topics High Blood Pressure Why HBP is a "Silent Killer" Symptoms of High Blood Pressure.

Looking for a list of symptoms? AHA recommendation DO NOT attempt to diagnose yourself. Clinical diagnosis should only be made by a health care professional. Know your blood pressure numbers and make changes that matter to protect your health. If your doctor has prescribed medication for hypertension, take it as directed.

Follow these links to more information about medications for hypertension and heart disease or hypertension and stroke. Reduce the amount of salt you eat. High sources of sodium are found in highly processed foods. This includes fast foods, prepared meals, processed meats such as hot dogs and lunch meats , canned and dried soups, bottled dressing, packaged sauces, condiments and salty snacks.

Also try to limit your use of salt in cooking and at the table. If you have high blood pressure, the recommendation is to eat less than mg of sodium per day. Eat foods high in potassium such as fresh fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, beans and lentils - unless you are taking a medication that interacts with potassium.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet that is lower in salt and saturated fat. Get tips on healthy eating and learn more about the DASH eating plan , which can help lower your high blood pressure and the Mediterranean diet.

Be physically active for at least minutes per week doing moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity , in bouts of 10 minutes or more. Speak to your healthcare provider before starting a physical activity program. Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

Be smoke-free. If you smoke, speak to your doctor or healthcare provider about quitting. If you don't smoke, minimize exposure to secondhand smoke.

If you drink alcohol , drink less. Limit yourself to small amounts, pace yourself and drink plenty of water in between. Find healthy ways to manage your stress.

Too much stress may increase your blood pressure. Research suggests that the way in which you manage your stress is very important. Avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms such as smoking, alcohol use, poor food choices, not being active, and watching too much television.

Find relief instead with physical activity, socializing, laughter and healthy eating. Remember to take time out for yourself. Get tips on relaxation and mindfulness from people who are living with heart disease and stroke.

Beat heart disease with us. Join the fight to end heart disease and stroke. Measuring your blood pressure at home Home monitoring can help your doctor to diagnose your blood pressure correctly.

How to measure your own blood pressure. Follow these steps to get the most accurate reading: Do not smoke or drink caffeine coffee, tea, cola and some sports drinks for 30 minutes beforehand.

Do not measure your blood pressure when you are upset or in pain.

Other factors, such as diet, exercise and smoking can be addressed through lifestyle changes to reduce your risk for high blood pressure. After 65, women are more likely than men to get high blood pressure. Home monitoring can help your doctor to diagnose your blood pressure correctly.

It is possible for your blood pressure to rise when you visit the doctor's office because you may be anxious.

However, your blood pressure can return to normal as you go about your daily activities. On the other hand, you may experience normal blood pressure when it is measured in the doctor's office, but have high blood pressure in other situations.

if you have diabetes , it is important to find out if you have masked hypertension. If this is the case, your doctor may ask you to monitor your blood pressure at home.

It is important to make sure that your home monitor is taking accurate measurements so your healthcare provider can get a complete picture of your blood pressure.

Your doctor or pharmacist can help you choose a monitor and select a cuff size that is right for you. If you have an irregular heart rhythm some devices may not be advised for you.

Select a device recommended by Hypertension Canada. Managing your blood pressure 20 pages. The Beat: Confronting the silent killer podcast. Home blood pressure log from Hypertension Canada. Donate now. Jump to What is blood pressure?

What is low blood pressure? How do I check my blood pressure? What should I do if I have a high blood pressure reading? What can I do to control my blood pressure? Measuring your blood pressure at home How to measure your own blood pressure How to buy a home blood pressure monitor Related information.

Keep your blood pressure in check High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease. What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure categories Category. Low risk. Medium risk. High risk. Scroll down for a video on how to measure your own blood pressure.

Here is what you can do: Have your blood pressure checked regularly as recommended by your healthcare provider. If your doctor has prescribed medication for hypertension, take it as directed.

Your blood pressure is considered high when you have consistent systolic readings of mm Hg or higher or diastolic readings of 80 mm Hg or higher. About 1 in 3 U. That is why it is important to have your blood pressure checked at least once a year.

To control or lower high blood pressure, your provider may recommend that you adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle. This includes choosing heart-healthy foods such as those in the DASH eating plan. You may also need to take medicines.

Controlling or lowering blood pressure can help prevent or delay serious health problems such as chronic kidney disease, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and possibly vascular dementia.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information.

If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices.

You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Sometimes, the cause of the elevated or high blood pressure isn't identified. Conditions and medications that can cause elevated blood pressure include: Adrenal gland disorders Heart problem affecting blood vessels present at birth congenital heart defect Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines Kidney disease Obstructive sleep apnea Some medications, including birth control pills, cold and sinus medicines, over-the-counter pain relievers containing caffeine, and some prescription drugs Thyroid disease Talk to your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including those bought without a prescription.

Anyone can have elevated blood pressure, even children. Risk factors for elevated blood pressure include: Obesity or being overweight. Obesity makes you more likely to have high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and strokes. Family history of high blood pressure.

You're more likely to develop elevated blood pressure if you have a parent or sibling with the condition. Not being physically active. Not exercising can cause weight gain. Increased weight raises the risk of elevated blood pressure.

Diet high in salt sodium or low in potassium. Sodium and potassium are two nutrients that the body needs to control blood pressure.

If you have too much sodium or too little potassium in your diet, you may develop elevated blood pressure. Tobacco use. Smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco or being around smoke secondhand smoke can increase blood pressure.

Drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol use has been linked with elevated blood pressure, particularly in men. Certain chronic conditions. Kidney disease, diabetes and sleep apnea, among others, can increase the risk of elevated blood pressure.

Simply getting older raises the risk for increased blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure is particularly common among Black people and usually develops at an earlier age than it does in white people.

By Mayo Clinic Staff. Aug 09, Show References. Ferri FF. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Elsevier; Accessed June 21, Whelton PK, et al. Flynn JT, et al. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in children and adolescents: update — A scientific statement from the American Heart Association.

Rethinking drinking: Alcohol and your health. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. What is high blood pressure?

American Heart Association. de Menezes ST, et al. Hypertension, prehypertension, and hypertension control: Association with decline in cognitive performance in the ELSA-Brasil Cohort. Lopez-Jimenez F expert opinion. Mayo Clinic.

DASH is a flexible and balanced eating plan with a firm grounding in research by the NHLBI, which says that the diet:. Physical relaxation and calming breathing exercises can help lower blood pressure during extreme stress.

Taking relevant medication and practicing healthy lifestyle habits are often the fastest way to lower blood pressure in the short to medium term.

Family history and lifestyle factors are often the cause of hypertension, while dietary and activity changes can help people maintain a healthy blood pressure level. Read this article in Spanish. High blood pressure hypertension often has no symptoms but, it can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and other life threatening….

Some groups of people are more at risk than others of developing high blood pressure. Learn what levels of blood pressure doctors consider to be…. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, does not usually cause symptoms.

However, if a headache occurs with high blood pressure, it may be a…. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut Tools General Health Drugs A-Z Health Hubs Health Tools Find a Doctor BMI Calculators and Charts Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide Sleep Calculator Quizzes RA Myths vs Facts Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction Connect About Medical News Today Who We Are Our Editorial Process Content Integrity Conscious Language Newsletters Sign Up Follow Us.

Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Everything you need to know about hypertension high blood pressure. Medically reviewed by Lauren Castiello, MS, AGNP-C — By Tom Rush and Adam Felman — Updated on November 21, Overview Symptoms Causes Treatment Diet FAQs Summary Hypertension, or high blood pressure, often produces no symptoms, but it can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions.

What is hypertension? Share on Pinterest. Systolic mm Hg Diastolic mm Hg Normal blood pressure less than less than 80 Elevated blood pressure — less than 80 Grade 1 hypertension — 80—89 Grade 2 hypertension and over 90 and over.

Management and treatment. Frequently asked questions. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Share this article. Latest news Ovarian tissue freezing may help delay, and even prevent menopause. RSV vaccine errors in babies, pregnant people: Should you be worried? Scientists discover biological mechanism of hearing loss caused by loud noise — and find a way to prevent it.

How gastric bypass surgery can help with type 2 diabetes remission. Atlantic diet may help prevent metabolic syndrome. The first number, called systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats.

No matter your age, you can take steps each day to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal.

Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure or hypertension. The higher your blood pressure levels, the more risk you have for other health problems, such as heart disease , heart attack , and stroke.

Your health care team can diagnose high blood pressure and make treatment decisions by reviewing your systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and comparing them to levels found in certain guidelines.

The guidelines used to diagnose high blood pressure may differ from health care professional to health care professional:. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, talk with your health care team about your blood pressure levels and how these levels affect your treatment plan.

High blood pressure usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it. Measuring your blood pressure is the only way to know whether you have high blood pressure. High blood pressure usually develops over time. It can happen because of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough regular physical activity.

Certain health conditions , such as diabetes and having obesity, can also increase the risk for developing high blood pressure. High blood pressure can also happen during pregnancy. You can manage your blood pressure to lower your risk for serious health problems that may affect your heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.

High blood pressure can damage your health in many ways. It can seriously hurt important organs like your heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes. The good news is that, in most cases, you can manage your blood pressure to lower your risk for serious health problems.

High blood pressure can damage your arteries by making them less elastic, which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart and leads to heart disease. In addition, decreased blood flow to the heart can cause:. High blood pressure can cause the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to burst or be blocked, causing a stroke.

Brain cells die during a stroke because they do not get enough oxygen. Stroke can cause serious disabilities in speech, movement, and other basic activities. A stroke can also kill you. You or your child might need more-frequent checks if you have elevated blood pressure or other risk factors for heart disease.

Anything that increases pressure on the artery walls can lead to elevated blood pressure. A buildup of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls atherosclerosis can cause elevated blood pressure.

But the opposite is also true. High blood pressure hypertension can cause atherosclerosis. Talk to your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including those bought without a prescription.

Although elevated blood pressure and high blood pressure are most common in adults, children can get it, too. For some children, kidney or heart problems can cause high blood pressure. Poor lifestyle habits, such as an unhealthy diet, obesity and lack of exercise, contribute to increased blood pressure in kids.

Elevated blood pressure can worsen and develop into long-term high blood pressure as a health condition hypertension. Hypertension can damage body organs.

It increases the risk of heart attacks, heart failure, strokes, aneurysms and kidney failure. The same healthy lifestyle changes recommended to treat elevated blood pressure also help prevent it.

Eat healthy foods, use less salt, don't smoke, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, avoid or limit alcohol, and manage stress. On this page. When to see a doctor. Risk factors.

Elevated blood pressure is blood pressure that is slightly higher than what is considered ideal. Normal blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure. The top number ranges from to mm Hg and the bottom number is below not above 80 mm Hg. Stage 1 hypertension. The top number ranges from to mm Hg or the bottom number is between 80 to 89 mm Hg.

Stage 2 hypertension. The top number is mm Hg or higher or the bottom number is 90 mm Hg or higher. Request an appointment. From Mayo Clinic to your inbox. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expertise on managing health.

Click here for an email preview. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you.

If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices.

You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Sometimes, the cause of the elevated or high blood pressure isn't identified. Conditions and medications that can cause elevated blood pressure include: Adrenal gland disorders Heart problem affecting blood vessels present at birth congenital heart defect Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines Kidney disease Obstructive sleep apnea Some medications, including birth control pills, cold and sinus medicines, over-the-counter pain relievers containing caffeine, and some prescription drugs Thyroid disease Talk to your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including those bought without a prescription.

Anyone can have elevated blood pressure, even children. Risk factors for elevated blood pressure include: Obesity or being overweight.

Obesity makes you more likely to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and strokes. Family history of high blood pressure. You're more likely to develop elevated blood pressure if you have a parent or sibling with the condition.

Not being physically active. Not exercising can cause weight gain. Increased weight raises the risk of elevated blood pressure.