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February is Heart Month in the United States.
Nearly one in two adults in the United States has high blood pressure, but only half of those people, about one in four, have the disease under control. This means they are at higher risk for serious medical problems such as stroke and heart disease, which are the leading cause of death among women in the United States.
The good news? There are simple steps you can take to prevent and control high blood pressure. Understanding the basics of blood pressure can be helpful in keeping your blood pressure under control.
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure measures the force your blood uses to flow through your arteries. These are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to other parts of your body.
Your blood pressure is not constant; it rises and falls depending on whether you are exercising or resting, and whether you are excited or relaxed.
When a healthcare provider measures your blood pressure, they measure how hard your blood is pushing against your arteries when your heart beats and when it rests between beats. For this reason, blood pressure is displayed as two numbers on top of each other (like a fraction).
- The systolic blood pressure is the top (first) number of your blood pressure reading. This is a measurement of the blood pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.
- The diastolic blood pressure is the bottom (second) number of your blood pressure value. This is a measurement of the blood pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats.
Know your metrics
It’s one thing to know your systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings, but quite another to understand what that means.
In August 2025, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology changed their guidelines for “normal” or healthy blood pressure levels. These updated guidelines focus more on preventing high blood pressure and detecting it early for treatment.
According to these new guidelines, your blood pressure is normal if:
- The systolic pressure (the top number) is below 120 and
- Diastolic pressure (the bottom number) is below 80
Your blood pressure is considered high if:
- The systolic pressure is between 120 and 129 and
- Diastolic pressure is below 80
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, occurs when blood pressure is constant.
- Systolic pressure of 130 or more
- Diastolic pressure of 80 or more
If your systolic pressure is over 180 or your diastolic pressure is over 120 and you have no symptoms, call your doctor. If you have symptoms, call 911.
Quiz: True or False: High Blood Pressure >>
How high blood pressure affects your blood vessels (and your health).
High blood pressure means that blood is constantly pushing too hard against the walls of your arteries and your heart has to work harder than normal to pump blood throughout your body.
Over time, high blood pressure can cause your arteries and other blood vessels to become less flexible and therefore less able to carry blood and oxygen to your heart and the rest of your body.
Decreased blood flow to the heart caused by high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, chest pain (angina), heart attacks, and heart failure.
If high blood pressure damages one of your heart valves, it can lead to heart valve disease.
High blood pressure can also cause the arteries that carry blood and oxygen to your brain to become blocked or even rupture, which can lead to a cardiovascular accident.
Because high blood pressure can cause so many problems with your blood vessels and heart, this condition increases your risk of dying earlier than average from heart or blood vessel problems.
And high blood pressure is also linked to kidney disease because it can weaken, narrow, or harden the blood vessels in your kidneys to the point where they no longer receive enough blood to function properly.
Prevention and control of high blood pressure
Lifestyle changes can be very helpful in keeping blood pressure at normal levels and lowering it when it gets too high. Some things you can do to control your blood pressure include:
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Eat heart-healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and watch your salt intake
- Move your body regularly
- Try to keep stress under control
- Limit or stop alcohol consumption altogether
- Avoid smoking
If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to control your blood pressure, your doctor may recommend prescription medication.
Medications used to treat high blood pressure may include:
- Diuretics (medicines that facilitate the excretion of water), which help the body eliminate excess salt and water and thus control blood pressure
- Beta blockers, which help lower blood pressure by lowering your heart rate
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which help the body produce less angiotensin, a chemical that narrows arteries
- Angiotensin receptor antagonists (ARAs), which block the effects of angiotensin
- Calcium antagonists, useful in opening blood vessels
- α-blockers, which relax the walls of your arteries
- Centrally acting alpha-2 receptor agonists that block certain brain signals that can cause your heart rate to increase and blood vessels to narrow
- Blood vessel dilators (vasodilators), which expand blood vessels by relaxing the muscles in their walls
Preventive examinations to detect high blood pressure
If you are concerned about your blood pressure or it has not been measured for a long time, contact your doctor. Or visit your local health department or pharmacy, which may also take blood pressure measurements.
Knowing your blood pressure and how to control it with or without medication can help you keep your blood vessels and heart healthy.
This educational resource was created with support from Merck.
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