High blood pressure harms blood vessels, your heart and kidneys. This can lead
to heart attack, stroke, and other problems. High blood pressure is called a
"silent killer." It does damage with few signs. More than half of all seniors
have high blood pressure. You may also hear it called hypertension.
| Blood pressure reading |
Type |
| Less than 120/80 |
Normal blood pressure |
| 120/80 to 139/89 |
Prehypertension |
| 140/90 and above |
High blood pressure or hypertension |
If your readings are above the normal range, ask your doctor what you can do to
lower it. Treating high blood pressure is important for keeping you healthy.
The good news is that there are many things you can do to control your blood pressure.
- If your doctor orders blood pressure pills
- Take them every day exactly as directed.
- If you have questions or problems, talk to your doctor before you make changes or stop taking the medicine.
- Aim for a healthy weight. Talk to your doctor about your weight and how to manage it.
- Increase your physical activity. Doing 30 minutes or more of moderate activity on most days of the week will help your blood pressure improve. Walking, dancing, gardening, yoga or whatever gets your body moving can benefit. Small bits of activity throughout the day can be as good as one workout. You can do your activities for 10 minutes 3 times a day.
- Choose foods low in salt or sodium. Limiting your salt intake is an important part of treating high blood pressure. Talk to your doctor how much you should get. One way is to use a method called “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension" (or DASH). Click here for more information.
- Get a home blood pressure machine to use daily. Record your numbers in a notebook. Show your records to your doctor at each appointment. This will help both of you see your progress. Even small improvements can help reduce your risk for stroke and other damage to your body. (For more information about monitoring your blood pressure at home, including a tracking form, click here.)
For more information on living with high blood pressure,
click here.