How Can High Blood Pressure Be Prevented?

You can take steps to prevent high blood pressure. These steps include:
• Keeping a healthy weight
• Being physically active
• Following a healthy eating plan, such as DASH, that emphasizes fruits,
vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods
• Choosing and preparing foods with less salt and sodium
• Quitting smoking
• Drinking alcohol in moderation if you drink

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High Blood Pressure Treatment

What is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. The arteries are the vessels that carry blood from the pumping heart to all of the tissues and organs of the body. Hypertension does not mean excessive emotional tension, although emotional tension and stress can temporarily increase the blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher. Both numbers are important.Nearly 1 in 3 American adult has high blood pressure. Once high blood pressure develops, it usually lasts a lifetime. The good news is that it can be treated and controlled.

High blood pressure is called the silent killer because it usually has no symptoms. Some people may not find out they have it until they have trouble with their heart, brain, or kidneys.

Sign and Symptom of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is called the silent killer because you can have it for years without knowing it. The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure measured. Using a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope or electronic sensor, your doctor or nurse can take your blood pressure and tell you if it is high.

A diagnosis of high blood pressure is given if repeated readings are 140/90 mmHg or higher, or 130/80 mmHg or higher if you have diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

High Blood Pressure Treatment

High Blood pressure Treatment work in different ways to lower blood pressure. Often, two or more medicines work better than one. Some medicines lower blood pressure by removing extra fluid and salt from your body. Others affect blood pressure by slowing down the heartbeat or by relaxing and widening blood vessels.

High Blood Pressure Treatment Medicine

• Diuretics (di-u-RET-iks) are sometimes called water pills. They work by helping your kidneys flush excess water and salt from your body.
• Beta blockers help your heart beat slower and with less force. Your heart pumps less blood through the blood vessels, and your blood pressure goes down.
• Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors keep your body from making a hormone called angiotensin II, which normally causes blood vessels to narrow.
• Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) keep calcium from entering the muscle cells of your heart and blood vessels.

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