High blood pressure is a condition that puts you at risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. It does not usually cause symptoms. But it can be serious.
When your doctor or nurse tells you your blood pressure, they will say 2 numbers. For instance, your doctor or nurse might say that your blood pressure is "130 over 80." The top number is the pressure inside your arteries when your heart is contracting. The bottom number is the pressure inside your arteries when your heart is relaxed.
"Elevated blood pressure" is a term doctors or nurses use as a warning. People with elevated blood pressure do not yet have high blood pressure. But their blood pressure is not as low as it should be for good health.
Many experts define high, elevated, and normal blood pressure as follows:
This information is also in the table (Table 1).
If your doctor or nurse has prescribed blood pressure medicine, the most important thing you can do is to take it. If it causes side effects, do not just stop taking it. Instead, talk to your doctor or nurse about the problems it causes. They might be able to lower your dose or switch you to another medicine. If cost is a problem, mention that too. They might be able to put you on a less expensive medicine. Taking your blood pressure medicine can keep you from having a heart attack or stroke, and it can save your life!
You have a lot of control over your blood pressure. To lower it:
It's also a good idea to get a home blood pressure meter. People who check their own blood pressure at home do better at keeping it low and can sometimes even reduce the amount of medicine they take.
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Table 1: Definition of normal and high blood pressure
Level | Top Number | Bottom Number |
High | 130 or above | 80 or above |
Elevated | 120 to 129 | 79 or below |
Normal | 119 or below | 79 or below |
These definitions are from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association. Other expert groups might use slightly different definitions.
"Elevated blood pressure" is a term doctor or nurses use as a warning. It means you do not yet have high blood pressure, but your blood pressure is not as low as it should be for good health.
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© 2021 UpToDate, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.