How To Lower Blood Pressure
If you’re over 70 and have been told that your blood pressure is too high, don’t let the condition’s lack of symptoms keep you from working to get it into a healthy range. Make it a point to:
Review all your medications with your doctor. “Many people will need medication to manage their blood pressure,” Andromalos says. But be sure to tell your doctor about all other prescriptions you may have and any over-the-counter medications that you take, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or decongestants because they can raise your blood pressure, Dr. Vaishnava says.
Move more. Regular, moderate exercise can help you lower your blood pressure, the Mayo Clinic states. Find an activity you enjoy so that you’ll stick with it â cycling, walking, swimming or dancing, for instance. Strength training and high intensity interval training also can help lower your blood pressure.
Lose weight. The higher your body mass, the harder your heart has to work to pump critical blood. Losing even a small amount of weight can help lower your blood pressure, the Mayo Clinic states.
Will High Blood Pressure Effect My Chances Of Getting Pregnant
Women who improve their heart health before pregnancy can reduce their medical risks later. This proactive approach can lower the likelihood of pregnancy complications. If youre considering becoming pregnant, talk to your health care team about healthy changes you can make to help both you and your baby be healthier.
Doctors and researchers have found a link between birth control pills and an increase in blood pressure among some women. They say that it is more likely to occur in women who are overweight, have kidney disease or have a family history of high blood pressure.
Learn more about pregnancy and maternal health, including information on being healthy before, during and after a pregnancy.
Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff.
Last Reviewed: Jun 28, 2021
American Heart Association Revises High Blood Pressure Parameters
Approximately 46% of Americans have high blood pressure, according to revised guidelines.
The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology recently revised their current guidelines for high blood pressure. The new guidelines suggest that high blood pressure should be treated earlier with lifestyle changes and medication at 130/80 mm Hg rather than 140/90 mm Hg, according to a press release.
The previous guidelines indicated that 1 in 3 Americans had high blood pressure, but the revisions suggest that nearly half of the population has the condition. However, the AHA reports that there will not be a significant uptick in patients treated with anti-hypertensive drugs under the new guidelines.
The guidelines provide a needed update to the 2003 version and help address the condition earlier to prevent adverse events, according to the release.
The AHA said that the guidelines also stress the importance of properly measuring blood pressure. Blood pressure should be the average of 2 to 3 readings on 2 or more occasions, according to the guidelines.
High blood pressure is responsible for a significant number of preventable heart disease- and stroke-related deaths. Many individuals are unaware of the condition since it may not elicit symptoms.
The authors said that the revised guidelines now account for the dangers associated with blood pressure levels between 130-139/80-89-mm HG, according to the release.
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What Does A Blood Pressure Reading Look Like
When you have your , you will be given two numbers, a top number and a bottom number.
- Systolic blood pressure. This is the first, or top, number. This is the highest level your blood pressure reaches when your heart beats, forcing blood around your body.
- Diastolic blood pressure. The second number, or bottom number, is the lowest level your blood pressure reaches as your heart relaxes between beats.
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury . If the first number is 120 and the second number is 80, this would be written as 120/80mmHg, and youd call it 120 over 80.
This video explains more about systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Do I Have High Blood Pressure
Anyone can have high blood pressure. Some medical conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, kidney disease, and thyroid problems, can cause high blood pressure. Some people have a greater chance of having it because of things they can’t change. These include:
- Age. The chance of having high blood pressure increases as you get older, especially isolated systolic hypertension.
- Gender. Before age 55, men have a greater chance of having high blood pressure. Women are more likely to have high blood pressure after menopause.
- Family history. High blood pressure runs in some families.
- Race. African Americans are at increased risk for high blood pressure.
High blood pressure often has no signs or symptoms, but routine checks of your blood pressure will help detect increasing levels. If your blood pressure reading is high at two or more check-ups, the doctor may also ask you to measure your blood pressure at home.
There are important considerations for older adults in deciding whether to start treatment for high blood pressure, including other health conditions and overall fitness. Your doctor will work with you to find a blood pressure target that is best for your well-being and may suggest exercise, changes in your diet, and medications.
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Monitoring Blood Pressure In Women
Taking regular blood pressure readings can help you keep blood pressure down. Those readings act as reminders to keep up with your healthy lifestyle and any medications. They also let you learn patterns, so you can easily know if something is wrong and it is time to contact your healthcare provider.
If you have hypertension, taking blood pressure twice a day can be burdensome because it is hard to remember, but you can get help. Your Lark health coach can remind you and automatically store your measurements so you can see trends and share them with your doctor.
In addition, your healthcare provider might prescribe hypertension medications if you are unable to control your blood pressure with these lifestyle strategies.
Does High Blood Pressure Increase Heart Rate
Heart rate and blood pressure do not necessarily increase at the same rate. A rising heart rate does not cause your blood pressure to increase at the same rate. Even though your heart is beating more times a minute, healthy blood vessels dilate to allow more blood to flow through more easily. When you exercise, your heart speeds up so more blood can reach your muscles. It may be possible for your heart rate to double safely, while your blood pressure may respond by only increasing a modest amount.
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Which Number Is More Important
Typically, more attention is given to systolic blood pressure as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease for people over 50. In most people, systolic blood pressure rises steadily with age due to the increasing stiffness of large arteries, long-term buildup of plaque and an increased incidence of cardiac and vascular disease.
However, either an elevated systolic or an elevated diastolic blood pressure reading may be used to make a diagnosis of high blood pressure. According to recent studies, the risk of death from ischemic heart disease and stroke doubles with every 20 mm Hg systolic or 10 mm Hg diastolic increase among people from age 40 to 89.
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What Is Normal Blood Pressure For Kids
If a child has high blood pressure and is younger than 6-years old, the cause is usually related to a medical condition. This could be a heart defect, kidney disease, genetic condition, or hormonal disorders. If a child is over the age of 6 and develops high blood pressure, the cause is likely due to excess weight, poor nutrition, and lack of exercise.
According to this blood pressure chart, here is what is considered normal blood pressure for kids:
- New born: systolic , diastolic
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Average Blood Pressure By Age
As you get older, your blood vessels tend to become stiffer and plaque can build up in them, which can raise your blood pressure. If your blood pressure becomes too high, you’re at a greater risk for heart disease, strokes, and more.
In 2015, the average blood pressure worldwide was 127/79 mm Hg in men, and 122/77 mm Hg in women, according to a study analysis published in Lancet.
When researchers for the National Center for Health Statistics looked at average blood pressure in U.S. adults between 2001 and 2008, the average reading was 122/71 mm Hg. The breakout was 124/72 mm Hg for men, and 121/70 mm Hg in women. It rose by age and was significantly higher in Black people.
The researchers found the following breakdown by age, sex, and race or ethnicity:
| Blood Pressure by Age |
|---|
As the population ages and life expectancy increases, high blood pressure is becoming more common.
Blood Pressure Is Diagnosed By A Doctor Using A Blood Pressure Machine The Process Includes:
- Being seated in a chair with your back supported
- Putting your feet flat on the floor and supporting your arm at heart level
- Remaining quiet for five minutes and refraining from talking
It is very important to use the proper size cuff when taking a blood pressure reading. Failure to do so will lead to inaccuracies. A cuff that is too small for the arm circumference will give an artificially high reading. A cuff that is too large will give too low a reading. Initially, blood pressure should be measured in each arm to make sure both readings are the same. The arm with the higher readings should then be targeted for all future blood pressure checks.
If your blood pressure readings are high, your doctor may ask that you return for additional measurements on different days because blood pressure can vary widely from day to day.
Your doctor will most likely diagnose you with high blood pressure if you have several readings of 140/90 or higher. If you have readings of 130/80 or higher and are diabetic or have chronic kidney disease, you are likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure.
What can I do if I am diagnosed with high blood pressure?
Eat healthy food
Make sure your diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods. An easy tool for planning health meals is the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet which can help you reduce your systolic blood pressure by 8-14 mm Hg.
Achieve and Maintain a Healthy Weight
Increase Physical Activity
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New Acc/aha High Blood Pressure Guidelines Lower Definition Of Hypertension
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High blood pressure should be treated earlier with lifestyle changes and in some patients with medication at 130/80 mm Hg rather than 140/90 based on new ACC and American Heart Association guidelines for the detection, prevention, management and treatment of high blood pressure.
The new guidelines the first comprehensive set since 2003 lower the definition of high blood pressure to account for complications that can occur at lower numbers and to allow for earlier intervention. The new definition will result in nearly half of the U.S. adult population having high blood pressure, with the greatest impact expected among younger people. Additionally, the prevalence of high blood pressure is expected to triple among men under age 45, and double among women under 45, the guideline authors note. However, only a small increase is expected in the number of adults requiring antihypertensive medication.
Youve already doubled your risk of cardiovascular complications compared to those with a normal level of blood pressure, said Paul K. Whelton, MB, MD, MSc, FACC, lead author of the guidelines. We want to be straight with people if you already have a doubling of risk, you need to know about it. It doesnt mean you need medication, but its a yellow light that you need to be lowering your blood pressure, mainly with non-drug approaches.
Blood pressure categories in the new guideline are:
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Understanding Blood Pressure What Is It
Your blood pressure reading is a measurement of the pressure your blood applies across your artery walls. Your blood pressure changes a little throughout the day when you relax, your blood pressure lowers, and when you move around or feel stress, your blood pressure increases. But high blood pressure over a long term is associated with serious health risks, including heart, brain, and eye damage. Likewise, chronic low blood pressure sometimes comes with health risks. Fortunately, there are helpful ways to manage both high and low blood pressure.
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What Can I Do To Prevent Or Manage High Blood Pressure
Many people with high blood pressure can lower their blood pressure into a healthy range or keep their numbers in a healthy range by making lifestyle changes. Talk with your health care team about
- Getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week
- Managing stress
Learn more about ways to manage and prevent high blood pressure.
In addition to making positive lifestyle changes, some people with high blood pressure need to take medicine to manage their blood pressure. Learn more about medicines for high blood pressure.
Talk with your health care team right away if you think you have high blood pressure or if youve been told you have high blood pressure but do not have it under control.
What Did The Sprint Intervention Involve
SPRINT participants were randomly assigned to be treated to a systolic BP goal of either 140, or 120.
Participants were seen once a month for the first three months, and then every 3 months after that.
To treat blood pressure, SPRINT provided all the major classes of BP medication for free, and also allowed clinicians to use other BP medications if they saw fit. Here are the main classes of medication used Ive organized them roughly by how commonly they were used .
Blood Pressure Medications Used in SPRINT:
- Direct vasodilators, e.g. hydralazine, minoxidil
- Alpha-two agonists, e.g. clonidine
Those last three classes of BP medication were used in 10% of people or less, which makes sense as none of them are recommended as first-line medication choices for hypertension, heart conditions, or kidney disease.
What about non-drug methods to manage high blood pressure?
In the scholarly publication, the SPRINT investigators say that Lifestyle modification was encouraged as part of the management strategy, but they dont provide more specifics on what modifications were encouraged or how. So its hard to know how any non-drug methods diet, exercise, salt reduction, stress reduction might have factored into this study.
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Healthy And Unhealthy Blood Pressure Ranges
Learn whats considered normal, as recommended by the American Heart Association.
| SYSTOLIC mm Hg | and/or | DIASTOLIC mm Hg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORMAL | |||
| HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE STAGE 1 | 130 139 | ||
| HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE STAGE 2 | 140 OR HIGHER | ||
| HYPERTENSIVE CRISIS | HIGHER THAN 180 | and/or | HIGHER THAN 120 |
Note: A diagnosis of high blood pressure must be confirmed with a medical professional. A doctor should also evaluate any unusually low blood pressure readings.
The five blood pressure ranges as recognized by the American Heart Association are:
Research Shows The Benefits Of Controlling High Blood Pressure
Preventing and controlling high blood pressure is important for your heart health and may benefit your brain health as well. An NIH-funded study called the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial found that lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 120 in adults age 50 and older significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Results from a related study showed that lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 120 reduced the risk of mild cognitive impairment, and an analysis of several large, long-term studies of adults over age 55 found that treating high blood pressure was associated with a reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimers disease.
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What Is The Normal Blood Pressure Range For Women
Normal blood pressure for women is the same as for everyone else. However, women experience physiological changes that may cause the blood pressure to increase or decrease. According to highbloodpressureinfo.org, the normal range for blood pressure for everyone is 120/80 mmHg or lower.
What is normal BP range?
Blood pressure normally increases throughout life, right from infancy to older adulthood. For most adults, regardless of their age, the normal BP range is considered to be 120/80 or less.
What is a good blood pressure for a woman?
Normal Blood Pressure for Women. Under normal circumstances, blood pressure reading for women, as well as men should be 120/80 mm Hg. Abnormally high or low blood pressure can have serious repercussions on ones health, which is why blood pressure must be monitored at regular intervals.
How To Check Your Blood Pressure At Home
Its common to get your blood pressure checked at the doctors office. But did you know you can check it at home too? Better yet, its easy to do!
First, make sure you find a quiet place where you feel relaxed. WebMD, also recommends emptying your bladder first as a full bladder may affect your reading. If youre wearing a long sleeve shirt, roll it up, or if youre wearing tight-sleeved clothing, youll want to remove it. If you have a digital blood pressure monitor follow the instructions in the booklet.
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