Remember that how you feel does not reflect how well your blood pressure is being controlled.

Know your blood pressure numbers.

Know your medications and how to take them. Do not change the dosage or timing of your medications without first talking to your doctor.

Commit to a healthy lifestyle - weight management, a balanced diet, regular exercise, sodium control and abstinence or limited use of alcohol.

Keep your clinic appointments. They will help you and your health-care team make adjustments for optimal care.

Does your BMI put you at risk ?

What is high blood pressure? Why should you care about high blood pressure? How can high blood pressure be treated? What are the possible complications of hypertension? What are the lifestyle changes that I can make?

What is high blood pressure?

The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension. It is also called a "silent killer" and is associated with stroke and heart disease - often with no symptoms - and diseases of the kidneys, eyes and blood vessels. If it is not treated, it does not go away by itself. So you must know your numbers. If your blood pressure reading is high, you need help.

Each blood pressure reading has two numbers. Systolic is the top number and reflects the maximum pressure within your arteries during a heartbeat. Diastolic is the bottom number and reflects the minimum pressure when your heart relaxes and fills with blood.

Systolic number less than 140 is normal. If it is between 140-159 then it is called borderline hypertension. A systolic number greater than 160 is hypertension.
Diastolic less than 89 is normal. If it is between 90-104, then it is mild hypertension. 105-114 is moderate and greater than 115 is severe.

Be careful not to assume that you have high blood pressure after one reading. It can vary widely in a normal day. To confirm the diagnosis of hypertension, your doctor will take multiple readings over several clinic visits.

Why should you care about high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is a leading chronic illness and affects about 25% of all Americans. If you have untreated high blood pressure, you are five times more likely to develop heart and artery disease. Almost 90% of people who suffer a stroke have high blood pressure. This year, about 300,000 people will die of diseases linked to high blood pressure. But proper treatment can save your life.

How can high blood pressure be treated?

Lifestyle choices are important. People with mild hypertension may be able to manage the problem with a healthful program of diet, exercise and weight control. If medications are needed, a healthy lifestyle can help minimize dosage. Successful treatment depends on you. A daily commitment to a healthy lifestyle and the medications your doctor may prescribe for you are essential. Stopping treatment because you "feel fine" may be harmful.

What are the possible complications of hypertension?

Atherosclerosis - Fatty material form within damaged blood vessels.

Enlarged heart - Hypertension makes your heart work harder to pump blood. Like any muscle, the heart gets larger with exertion. But this does not make the heart healthier. It may eventually fail to pump blood effectively and fluid may back up into your lungs, causing congestive heart failure.

Stroke - This is a form of brain injury that can be fatal or lead to paralysis or loss of speech.

Kidney damage - As the arteries leading to your kidneys become narrow, the kidneys are less able to filter waste from your body.

Eye problems - Increased pressure in eye blood vessels can cause small bleeding in the retina. You may lose part of your vision.

Other conditions - If you are overweight, have diabetes, high levels of blood cholesterol or heart disease, even mild hypertension can pose a serious risk.

What are the lifestyle changes that I can make?

Weight management - Losing excess weight is the most effective way to lower your blood pressure without medications. Correcting obesity has other benefits. For many people, weight loss may reduce blood cholesterol by 10 to 25% and the risk of heart disease by 20 to 50%.

Sodium - Reducing your daily intake to 1,500 to 2,000 milligrams of sodium may be all the sodium restriction you need to control mild or moderate high blood pressure. Check food labels for milligrams of sodium per serving. Limit high-sodium foods such as chips, processed cheese, cured meats, canned soup and vegetables, and sauces such as ketchup and soy sauce.

Alcohol - Moderate to excessive alcohol intake may weaken your heart's pumping ability and raise blood pressure. Your doctor may recommend that you abstain from any alcohol. Regularly consuming more than 1 ounce of whiskey, 6 ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer a day may be harmful.

Exercise - Regular aerobic exercise helps you to lose weight and lowers blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, intense isometric exercise such as weight lifting is discouraged. A program of exercise at least 3 times a week, each lasting at least 20-30 minutes or as much as you can tolerate is recommended. Brisk walking, stair climbing, swimming or jump roping are good ways to exercise.