Hypertension/High Blood Pressure Health Center

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Treatment depends on how high your blood pressure is, whether you have other health problems such as diabetes, and whether any organs have already been damaged. Your doctor will also consider how likely you are to develop other diseases, especially heart disease.

You can help lower your blood pressure by making healthy changes in your lifestyle. If those lifestyle changes don't work, you may also need to take pills. Either way, you will need to control your high blood pressure throughout your life.

Most people take more than one pill for high blood pressure. Work with your doctor to find the right pill or combination of pills that will cause the fewest side effects.

What can you do to prevent high blood pressure?

Making lifestyle changes can help you to prevent high blood pressure. You can:

• Stay at a healthy weight or lose extra weight.
• Eat less salt and salty foods.
• Exercise regularly.
• Cut back on drinking. Limit alcohol to 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women.