Our Treatment and Management Options for Hypertension
Our team is nationally recognized for our commitment to providing innovative, compassionate heart and vascular care when you need it. This starts by helping you avoid potential heart problems from happening. In many cases, we can help you prevent or easily treat high blood pressure.
Maintaining a healthy blood pressure can help you prevent many serious heart-related diseases. High blood pressure (hypertension) makes your heart work too hard and can lead to serious health problems, including heart attack or stroke.
Understanding Your Blood Pressure Numbers
Your primary care doctor or cardiologist can help you know your blood pressure numbers and teach you how to check your blood pressure at home, if necessary. Your blood pressure is measured with two numbers: systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number). Systolic blood pressure is the pressure when your heart is pumping blood into the arteries. Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in your arteries between heartbeats. Learn their blood pressure ranges and their meanings:
| Meaning | Systolic | Diastolic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Less than 120 | and | Less than 80 |
| Elevated (pre-hypertension) | 120-129 | and | Less than 80 |
| High Blood Pressure (hypertension stage 1) | 130-139 | or | 80-89 |
| High Blood Pressure (hypertension stage 2) | Higher than 140 | or | Higher than 90 |
| Hypertensive crisis (call your doctor or 911 immediately) | Higher than 180 | and/or | Higher than 120 |
Managing High Blood Pressure
If your blood pressure is elevated, your doctor will recommend lifestyle changes and potentially prescribe you medication.
Lifestyle changes can include:
- Exercising regularly, particularly aerobic exercise (e.g., walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, climbing stairs/elliptical machine, jumping rope, etc.)
- Incorporating more vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy, poultry, chicken and fish into your diet
- Limiting your alcohol consumption
- Losing weight
- Quitting smoking, vaping or the use of other tobacco products