If you also have diabetes, you may need additional treatment. Weight loss, changes in your diet, and exercise may be the only treatment you need. If your blood pressure is above normal (prehypertension), you may be able to bring it down to a normal level without medicine. If you have diabetes or kidney disease, the goal is less than 130/80 mm Hg. How is it treated?įor most people, the goal is to reduce the blood pressure to less than 140/90. All of this testing is done to look for a possible cause of your high blood pressure.
#Blood pressure chart by age and weight portable
You may be asked to use a portable blood-pressure measuring device, which will take your pressure at different times during day and night. Your provider may order a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram (ECG). Your healthcare provider will ask about your life situation, what you eat and drink, and if high blood pressure runs in your family. If repeated checks of your blood pressure show that it is higher than 140/90, you have hypertension. If your blood pressure is high, you will be asked to return for follow-up checks. High blood pressure is usually discovered during one of these visits. How is it diagnosed?īecause it is such a common problem, blood pressure is checked at most healthcare visits. That's why it is important for you have your blood pressure checked at least once a year.Īlthough it happens rarely, the first symptom may be a stroke. One of the sneaky things about high blood pressure is that you can have it for a long time without symptoms. Stress and drinking caffeine can make blood pressure go up for a while, but the long-term effects aren't yet clear. The older you get, the more likely you are to develop high blood pressure. If your parents had high blood pressure, you are more at risk. However, after the age of 75, women are more likely to develop high blood pressure than men. Males have a greater chance of developing high blood pressure than women until age 55. African Americans are more likely to develop high blood pressure. However, many different factors can increase blood pressure, such as: There are no clear causes of essential hypertension. The longer you have high blood pressure and the higher it is, the more likely it is you will develop problems. Your kidneys or eyes may also be damaged. This can lead to a disease called heart failure. Over time, the thickening damages the heart muscle so that it can no longer pump normally. The added workload on the heart causes thickening of the heart muscle. Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of heart attacks. The higher artery pressure may lead to atherosclerosis, in which deposits of cholesterol, fatty substances, and blood cells clog up an artery. Blood vessel damage is bad because hardened or narrowed arteries may be unable to supply the amount of blood the body's organs need. Over time, blood vessels may become hardened.
The higher pressure in your arteries may cause them to weaken and bleed, resulting in a stroke. When your blood pressure is high, your heart has to work harder just to pump a normal amount of blood through your body. High blood pressure increases your risk of cardiovascular disease (heart or blood vessel disease). Systolic high blood pressure is more common as people get older.