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High blood pressure (hypertension) means the pressure in your blood vessels is too high. Approximately 70 to 80 million Americans have hypertension. However, only half of those diagnosed have their high blood pressure under control. Uncontrolled high blood pressure places you at risk for aneurysm, stroke, organ damage, heart attack, and other heart conditions.
Doctors sometimes call hypertension a “silent” disease. Even when blood pressure readings are dangerously high, there are usually no noticeable symptoms. Undiagnosed high blood pressure can go unnoticed for years, causing irreversible damage to your heart. That’s why blood pressure checks are so important — and why Dignity Health offers them to all our patients. The American Heart Association recommends regular blood pressure screening every two years starting at age 20.
Your blood pressure reading provides two measurements:
There are two types of hypertension, each with different causes:
Risk factors for developing primary hypertension include:
For primary hypertension, the main treatment includes lifestyle changes (not smoking, regular exercise, and a low-salt diet) and medications such as:
Secondary hypertension is usually treated by addressing the underlying cause which brings blood pressure back to normal.
For more information, please view our High-Risk Pregnancy page, or call us to Find a Doctor.