Health Risk Assessment: Evaluating Your Risk for Hypertension

High blood pressure increases your risk of death from heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. High blood pressure is also linked to diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 (one twenty over eighty) or less. The first number, 120, is the systolic blood pressure—the peak blood pressure when the blood is rushing out of the heart. The second number, 80, is the diastolic blood pressure—the pressure when blood is rushing into the heart. High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. If you are between 120/80 and 140/90 you are considered borderline or prehypertension. There aren't really symptoms to high blood pressure. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked regularly by a health care provider. Simple lifestyle changes can cure high blood pressure or help control high blood pressure such as: • Losing weight if you are overweight • Exercising regularly • Eating healthy meals (especially more fruits and vegetables) • Lowering your cholesterol • Decreasing stress • Avoiding salt, caffeine and alcohol • Avoiding tobacco products and quitting smoking