High Blood Pressure

“While you may have had normal blood pressure most of your life, your chances of developing high blood pressure increase considerably after menopause”.1

Umbrella
What may the High Blood Pressure Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Essential Hypertension
  • High Blood Pressure (HBP)
  • Hypertension
  • Idiopathic Hypertension
  • Primary Hypertension

Blood Pressure

What is blood pressure (BP)?

DotS the definition of BP may vary. The (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) definition is:

“Blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body.

Your blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day”.2

High Blood Pressure

What is high blood pressure (HBP)?

DotS the definition of HBP may vary. The British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) definition is:

“High blood pressure is medically known as hypertension. It means your blood pressure is consistently too high and means that your heart has to work harder to pump blood around your body”.3

Blood Pressure Numbers

What do BP numbers mean?

In High Blood Pressure: High Blood Pressure Symptoms and Causes – What Do Blood Pressure Numbers Mean? the CDC explain:

“Blood pressure is measured using two numbers:

The first number, called systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.

The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats.

If the measurement reads 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, you would say, “120 over 80,” or write, “120/80 mmHg””.4

Healthy Blood Pressure

What is a healthy BP?

In High Blood Pressure the (United States) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) explain:

“For most adults, a healthy blood pressure is usually less than 120 over 80 millimeters of mercury, which is written as your systolic pressure reading over your diastolic pressure reading—120/80 mm Hg”.5

Hypertension

What is hypertension?

The World Heart Federation note:

“Generally hypertension is defined a systolic blood pressure level of 140 and above. This is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and the single most important risk factor for stroke”.6

Signs and Symptoms

What are signs and symptoms of HBP?

In High Blood Pressure: Signs, Symptoms, and Complications the NHLBI elaborate on:

“It is important to have regular blood pressure readings taken and to know your numbers, because high blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms until it has caused serious problems”.7

Silent Killer

Why can HBP be called a “silent killer”?

In High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) the (United States) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explain:

“High blood pressure is often called a “silent killer” because many people have it but don’t know it. Over time, people who do not get treated for high blood pressure can get very sick or even die”.8

Cause

What causes HBP?

In High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): What Causes High Blood Pressure? the BHF note:

“There isn’t always an explanation for the cause of high blood pressure, but most people develop high blood pressure because of their diet, lifestyle or medical condition.

Sometimes high blood pressure runs in families and can also worsen with age. People living in deprived areas are at higher risk of having high blood pressure, and it is also more common if you are of black African or black Caribbean descent. Even in these cases, you may still be able to improve your blood pressure by changing your diet and being active”.9

Red Wine

Is there an association between red wine and HBP?

In Common High Blood Pressure Myths: 6. Myth: I Read That Wine Is Good for the Heart, Which Means I Can Drink As Much As I Want the American Heart Association (AHA) explain:

“If you drink alcohol, including red wine, do so in moderation. Heavy and regular use of alcohol can increase blood pressure dramatically. It can also cause heart failure, lead to stroke and produce irregular heartbeats. Too much alcohol can contribute to high triglycerides, cancer, obesity, alcoholism, suicide and accidents. If you drink, limit consumption to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Generally, one drink equals a 12-ounce beer, a four-ounce glass of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor, or one ounce of hard liquor (100 proof)”.10

Menopause

Is there an association between menopause and HBP?

In High Blood Pressure and Women: High Blood Pressure After Menopause the AHA note:

High Blood Pressure“While you may have had normal blood pressure most of your life, your chances of developing high blood pressure increase considerably after menopause. See your doctor regularly to have your blood pressure monitored”.11

In Menopause and High Blood Pressure: What’s the Connection? Is There A Connection Between Menopause and High Blood Pressure? the (United States) Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

“Blood pressure generally increases after menopause. Some doctors think this increase suggests that shifting hormones related to menopause are to blame. Others think an increase in body mass index (BMI) in menopausal women may be the more likely culprit.

Changes in hormones during menopause can lead to weight gain and make your blood pressure more sensitive to salt in your diet — which, in turn, can lead to higher blood pressure. Some types of hormone therapy (HT) for menopause also may lead to higher blood pressure”.12

Common or Not

How common is HBP?

In the United States in The Facts About High Blood Pressure: If You Have High Blood Pressure, You Are Not Alone according to the AHA:

  • “Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure. (Many don’t even know they have it)”.13

In the United Kingdom (UK), according to the BHF:

“As many as 5 million adults in the UK have undiagnosed high blood pressure, so will not know that they are at risk”.14

Health Care Provider

What if I think I have HBP?

If you think you have HBP, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. The BHF note:

“The only way to know whether you have high blood pressure is to have it measured. So, it’s important to get your blood pressure checked”.15

In High Blood Pressure: Prevent and Manage High Blood Pressure the CDC reassure us:

“Whatever your age, you can take steps each day to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.

You can help prevent high blood pressure—also called hypertension—by making healthy choices and managing other health conditions you may have”.16

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to High Blood Pressure?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to High Blood Pressure?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

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  1. 10 Ways To Control High Blood Pressure Without Medication
  2. AMA, National Coalition Announce Campaign With ESSENCE To Advocate for Heart Health With Black Women
  3. About High Blood Pressure
  4. African and African Caribbean Background
  5. Alcohol: Does It Affect Blood Pressure?
  6. American Diabetes Association: Conquer High Blood Pressure
  7. American Heart Month 2020: High Blood Pressure Control—We’ve Got This! You’ve Got This!
  8. Anxiety: A Cause of High Blood Pressure?
  9. Blood Pressure Action Plan
  10. Blood Pressure Management
  11. Blood Pressure Medication: Still Necessary If I Lose Weight?
  12. Blood Pressure Symptoms, Causes, Medicines and Lifestyle
  13. Blood Pressure Test
  14. Blood Pressure and Your Heart
  15. Blood Pressure vs. Heart Rate (Pulse)
  16. Blood Pressure: Can It Be Higher In One Arm?
  17. Blood Pressure: Does It Have A Daily Pattern?
  18. Bloodpressureuk.org
  19. Caffeine: How Does It Affect High Blood Pressure?
  20. Can Whole-Grain Foods Lower Blood Pressure?
  21. Changes You Can Make To Manage High Blood Pressure
  22. COVID-19 and High Blood Pressure: Am I At Risk?
  23. Commit To A Plan To Lower Your Blood Pressure
  24. Common High Blood Pressure Myths
  25. Consumer Health: Are Public blood Pressure Machines Accurate?
  26. Dash Diet: Healthy Eating To Lower Your Blood Pressure
  27. Dash Eating Plan
  28. Do You Know Your Blood Pressure?
  29. Does Eating A Few Squares of Dark Chocolate A Day Improve Blood Pressure?
  30. Exercise Could Lower High Blood Pressure Risk
  31. Exercise: A Drug-Free Approach To Lowering High Blood Pressure
  32. Five Foods To Help Lower Blood Pressure
  33. Five Simple Steps To Control Your Blood Pressure
  34. Get Your Blood Pressure Checked
  35. Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women, United States]
  36. Health Threats From High Blood Pressure
  37. Healthy Eating
  38. Healthy Lifestyle
  39. Healthy Living
  40. High Blood Pressure
  41. High Blood Pressure
  42. High Blood Pressure
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  44. High Blood Pressure & Kidney Disease
  45. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
  46. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
  47. High Blood Pressure Risk Factors
  48. High Blood Pressure [+ Video: Learn About High Blood Pressure]
  49. High Blood Pressure and African Americans
  50. High Blood Pressure and Women
  51. High Blood Pressure – Multiply Languages
  52. High Blood Pressure – Symptoms and Treatment
  53. High Blood Pressure, Afib and Your Risk of Stroke
  54. High Blood Pressure: High Blood Pressure Symptoms and Causes
  55. High Blood Pressure: Living With
  56. High Blood Pressure: Prevent High Blood Pressure
  57. High Blood Pressure: Prevent and Manage High Blood Pressure
  58. High Blood Pressure: Prevention
  59. High Blood Pressure: Risk Factors
  60. High Blood Pressure: Screening and Prevention
  61. High Blood Pressure: Facts About Hypertension
  62. High Blood Pressure: What Is High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)? [+ Video: Understanding Blood Pressure (Subtitles)]
  63. High Blood Pressure– –Medicines To Help You
  64. How High Blood Pressure Can Lead To Stroke
  65. How To Prevent High Blood Pressure
  66. Hypertension
  67. Is High Blood Pressure Inevitable? Here’s How To Keep It In Check
  68. Know Your Numbers? They Could Just Save Your Life
  69. Know Your Risk Factors for High Blood Pressure
  70. Low Blood Pressure
  71. Low Blood Pressure (Hypotension)
  72. Low Blood Pressure – When Blood Pressure Is Too Low
  73. Mayo Clinic Minute: Know Your Blood Pressure Numbers [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  74. Mayo Clinic Minute: Reduce Salt To Improve Heart Health
  75. Mayo Clinic Q and A: Resistant Hypertension — Keeping Blood Pressure At Optimal Levels Reduces Risk of Damage To Blood Vessels
  76. Medications and Supplements That Can Raise Your Blood Pressure
  77. Menopause and High Blood Pressure: What’s the Connection?
  78. Millionhearts.hhs.gov [Million Hearts]
  79. Mindyourrisks.nih.gov [Mind Your Risks]
  80. Morning Walks and Frequent Breaks ‘As Good As Drugs for Blood Pressure’
  81. My Life Check | Life’s Simple 7
  82. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
  83. National Women’s Blood Pressure Awareness Week October 11 – 17, 2020 [United States] National Women’s Blood Pressure Awareness Week
  84. Partnering With Your Doctor To Treat High Blood Pressure
  85. Q&As on Hypertension
  86. Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Blood Pressure
  87. Release the Pressure Release the Pressure
  88. South Asian Background
  89. The Blood Pressure Test
  90. The Facts About High Blood Pressure [+ Video]
  91. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Control Hypertension We've Got This
  92. Understanding Blood Pressure Readings
  93. WISEWOMAN
  94. Watch: Why Is Too Much Salt Bad for You? [+ Video]
  95. What Are the Symptoms of High Blood Pressure?
  96. What Is Blood Pressure?
  97. What Is High Blood Pressure?
  98. Why High Blood High Pressure Is A “Silent Killer”
  99. Women’s Wellness: Is There A Connection Between Menopause and High Blood Pressure?
  100. Wrist Blood Pressure Monitors: Are They Accurate?

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. High Blood Pressure and Women: High Blood Pressure After Menopause. Last Reviewed: 31 October 2016. American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/why-high-blood-pressure-is-a-silent-killer/high-blood-pressure-and-women Accessed: 08 October 2020
  2. High Blood Pressure: High Blood Pressure Symptoms and Causes – What Is Blood Pressure? Page Last Reviewed: 19 May 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/about.htm Accessed: 08 October 2020
  3. High Blood Pressure: What Is High Blood Pressure? British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/conditions/high-blood-pressure.aspx Accessed: 08 October 2020
  4. High Blood Pressure: About High Blood Pressure? What Do Blood Pressure Numbers Mean? Page Last Reviewed: 19 May 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/about.htm Accessed: 08 October 2020
  5. High Blood Pressure: Signs, Symptoms, and Complications. Last Updated: 08 May 2020. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/high-blood-pressure Accessed: 08 October 2020
  6. Risk Factors: Cardiovascular Risk Factors – Modifiable Risk Factors: How Hypertension Impacts on Your Heart and Blood Vessels. 30 May 2017. World Heart Federation https://www.world-heart-federation.org/resources/risk-factors/ Accessed: 08 October 2020
  7. High Blood Pressure. Last Updated: 08 May 2020. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/high-blood-pressure Accessed: 08 October 2020
  8. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension). Content Current As of 29 May 2019. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/ucm118529.htm Accessed: 08 October 2020
  9. High Blood Pressure: What Causes High Blood Pressure? British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/conditions/high-blood-pressure.aspx Accessed: 08 October 2020
  10. Common High Blood Pressure Myths: 6. Myth: I Read That Wine Is Good for the Heart, Which Means I Can Drink As Much As I Want. This Content Was Last Reviewed: October 2016. American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/AboutHighBloodPressure/Common-High-Blood-Pressure-Myths_UCM_430836_Article.jsp#.XR2_tf5S-pq Accessed: 08 October 2020
  11. High Blood Pressure and Women: High Blood Pressure After Menopause. Last Reviewed: 31 October 2016. American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/why-high-blood-pressure-is-a-silent-killer/high-blood-pressure-and-women Accessed: 08 October 2020
  12. Menopause and High Blood Pressure: What’s the Connection? Is There A Connection Between Menopause and High Blood Pressure? Page Last Updated: 16 July 2019. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/expert-answers/menopause-and-high-blood-pressure/faq-20058406 Accessed: 08 October 2020
  13. The Facts About High Blood Pressure: If You Have High Blood Pressure, You Are Not Alone. Last Reviewed: 30 November 2017. American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/the-facts-about-high-blood-pressure Accessed: 08 October 2020
  14. High Blood Pressure: Where Can I Get My Blood Pressure Measured or Tested? British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure Accessed: 08 October 2020
  15. Blood Pressure Where Can I Get My Blood Pressure Measured or Tested? British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/conditions/high-blood-pressure.aspx Accessed: 08 October 2020
  16. High Blood Pressure: Prevent and Manage High Blood Pressure. Page Last Reviewed: 30 September 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/prevent_manage.htm Accessed: 08 October 2020

Topic Last Updated: 13 October 2020 – Topic Last Reviewed: 08 October 2020
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