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Blood Pressure
Living with High Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure, it is important that you:
Keep track of your blood pressure. Learn to take your own blood pressure at home or have it regularly checked by a health care professional. Write it down each time (with date).
Talk to your health care provider about the names and dosages of your blood pressure medicines and how to take them.
If you think you're having other problems (side effects) from taking your medicine, talk to your doctor. Another medicine may be better for you, or the problem may not be related to the medicine.
Refill your blood pressure medicines before they run out.
Take your blood pressure medicines exactly as directed.
Keep your followup appointments with your health care provider.
Choose healthier habits--for example, eat a heart healthy diet, exercise regularly, and don't smoke.
Ask your doctor or health care provider questions about your treatment and what you need to do to take care of yourself and lower your high blood pressure.
Remember, high blood pressure has no symptoms. If you have it, you cannot tell by the way you feel when your blood pressure level is high.
Women and High Blood Pressure
In some women, blood pressure can increase if they use birth control pills, become pregnant, or take hormone therapy during menopause.
Pregnancy
Many pregnant women with high blood pressure have healthy babies. However, high blood pressure can be dangerous for both the mother and the baby. High blood pressure can harm the mother's kidneys and other organs, and it can cause low birth weight and early delivery.
If you are thinking about having a baby and you have high blood pressure, talk first to your doctor or nurse. You can take steps to control your blood pressure before and during pregnancy. Regular prenatal care (health care during pregnancy) is very important for your and your baby's health.
Before becoming pregnant:
Be sure your blood pressure is under control. Making changes such as limiting the salt and sodium in your diet, exercising regularly, and losing weight if you are overweight can be helpful.
Discuss with your doctor how high blood pressure might affect you and your baby during pregnancy, and what you can do to prevent or lessen problems.
If you take medicines for your blood pressure, ask your doctor what you should do about taking them during pregnancy. Women who take ACE inhibitors should talk to their doctor before they become pregnant.
While you are pregnant:
Be sure to get regular prenatal health care. Don't miss any appointments.
Don't drink alcohol or smoke.
Talk to your doctor about any over-the-counter or prescribed medicines you are taking or are thinking about taking.
Some women develop high blood pressure for the first time in the middle of their pregnancy. In the most serious cases, the mother develops a condition called preeclampsia or "toxemia of pregnancy." This condition can threaten the lives of both the mother and the unborn child. More information about high blood pressure and pregnancy is available at the NHLBI Web site, "Your Guide to Lowering Your High Blood Pressure."
Even though high blood pressure during pregnancy can be serious, most women with high blood pressure and those who develop preeclampsia have successful pregnancies. Getting early and regular prenatal care is the most important thing you can do for you and your baby.
Oral Contraceptives (Birth Control Pills)
Women taking birth control pills usually have a small increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure and are using birth control pills, get your blood pressure checked regularly and talk to your doctor about a possible rise in blood pressure and what you can do about it.
If you have high blood pressure, are age 35 or older, and also smoke, you should not take birth control pills unless you quit smoking. Women age 35 and older who smoke and use birth control pills are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. High blood pressure also raises your chances of stroke and heart disease.
If you are age 35 or older, are healthy, do not smoke, and your high blood pressure is controlled, it may be safe for you to use birth control pills. Ask your doctor if birth control pills are safe for you.
Hormone Therapy (HT) for Menopause
A recent study indicated that blood pressure does not increase significantly with HT in most women with and without high blood pressure. However, a few women may have a rise in blood pressure due to estrogen therapy.
If you start taking HT, you should have your blood pressure checked regularly. Your doctor can help answer your questions.
Older Adults and High Blood Pressure
A common form of high blood pressure in older adults is isolated systolic hypertension (ISH).
ISH is high blood pressure, but only the top (systolic) number is high (140 or higher). ISH can be as harmful as high blood pressure in which both numbers are high.
ISH is the most common form of high blood pressure for older Americans. About 2 out of 3 people over age 60 with high blood pressure have ISH.
You may have ISH and feel fine. As with other types of high blood pressure, ISH often causes no symptoms. To find out if you have ISH--or any type of high blood pressure--get your blood pressure checked.
If not treated, ISH can cause damage to your arteries and to body organs. ISH is treated the same way as high blood pressure in which both systolic and diastolic pressures are high: by making changes in your health habits and with blood pressure medicines, if needed.
What is normal blood pressure?
What Causes High Blood Pressure and what are the symptoms?
How Can you Prevent High Blood Pressure?
How is High Blood Pressure Treated?
