Calling your health care provider
If you have high blood pressure, you will have regularly scheduled appointments with your doctor.
Even if you have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it is important to have your blood pressure checked during your yearly check-up, especially if someone in your family has or had high blood pressure.
Call your health care provider right away if home monitoring shows that your blood pressure remains high or you have any of the following symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Confusion
- Excessive tiredness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Severe headache
- Shortness of breath
- Significant sweating
- Vision changes
Prevention
Lifestyle changes may help control your blood pressure:
- Lose weight if you are overweight. Excess weight adds to strain on the heart. In some cases, weight loss may be the only treatment needed.
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat a healthy diet. Eat less fat and sodium. Salt, MSG, and baking soda all contain sodium. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and fiber.
- Avoid smoking.
- If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar under control.
Follow your health care provider's recommendations to modify, treat, or control possible causes of secondary hypertension.
References
Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7). Rockville, Md. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, US Department of Health and Human Services; August 2004. National Institutes of Health Publication No. 04-5230.
Wang Y, Wang QJ. The prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension among US adults according to the new joint national committee guidelines: new challenges of the old problem. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164(19):2126-34.
Eyre H, Kahn R, Robertson RM, et al. Preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes: A common agenda for the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2004;109(25):3244-55.
Berg AO. Screening for High Blood Pressure Recommendations and Rationale U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. USPSTF Guide to Clin Preventive Services. June 1, 2003; 1.
Whelton PK, He J, Appel LJ, et al. Primary prevention of hypertension: Clinical and public health advisory from The National High Blood Pressure Education Program. JAMA. 2002;288(15):1882-8.
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