1 of 6 / Overview
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What Is High Blood Pressure?
Learn about the basics of blood pressure and high blood pressure: an overview of risk factors, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.
Systolic and Diastolic Pressure
Find out what the top and the bottom blood pressure numbers mean, and make sure your numbers are on target.
High Blood Pressure in Black People
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, affects Black people in unique ways. Why is hypertension so common in Black people?
Causes of High Blood Pressure
Discover what causes high blood pressure. Start today to change the risk factors you can control.
2 of 6 / Symptoms & Types
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Are There High Blood Pressure Warning Signs?
Nearly one-third of people with high blood pressure don't know it. That’s because it doesn’t have symptoms unless it’s severe.
What Is Secondary Hypertension?
In some people, high blood pressure is caused by another disease. Find out whether you may have secondary hypertension.
High Blood Pressure and Atherosclerosis
Coronary artery disease is one of the most serious health problems related to untreated high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.
Stroke and Hypertension
A stroke occurs when blood flow to an area in the brain is cut off. People with hypertension are more likely to have a stroke.
3 of 6 / Tests & Diagnosis
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Tests for High Blood Pressure
The only way to tell whether you have hypertension is to have it measured with a blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer).
High Blood Pressure: What Your Doctor Looks For
In addition to measuring your blood pressure, your doctor will ask for your medical and family disease history, and assess risks.
4 of 6 / Treatment
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Hypertension Treatment
Treatment for hypertension comes in many forms, from lifestyle changes to medication.
High Blood Pressure Drugs
Doctors have hundreds of different hypertension drugs to choose from. These drugs work in many ways to lower blood pressure.
Calcium Channel Blockers
Calcium channel blockers are drugs used to lower blood pressure.
ACE Inhibitors
ACE inhibitors are drugs that widen blood vessels to improve the amount of blood your heart pumps and lower blood pressure.
5 of 6 / Living With
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DASH Diet
Here are several handy tips on how to incorporate the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet into your daily life.
Diet for High Blood Pressure
By starting new food habits, you may be able to lower your blood pressure and reduce your meds that control high blood pressure.
Grapefruit Juice Effects on Medication
More than 50 medicines are affected by grapefruit juice -- including those for high blood pressure. Is yours on the list?
10 Questions About Hypertension
What causes hypertension? What is a normal blood pressure? How is hypertension treated? Get answers to these and other questions.
6 of 6 / Support & Resources
View AllRelated Website: American Heart Association
This American Heart Association shares what you can do about hypertension and how you can decide on treatment.
Related Website: TeensHealth: Understanding Blood Pressure
Even kids can have high blood pressure. TeensHealth aims to teach kids what hypertension is, its causes, and how to prevent it.
Suggested Reads about Hypertension
Have High Blood Pressure? Your Partner May, Too
It’s possible that doctors' offices might start sending invites to date night blood pressure screenings for couples. That’s because a new study shows that in nearly 4 in 10 heterosexual couples in the U.S., both partners have high blood pressure.
Vehicle Air Filtration May Protect Against Blood Pressure Spikes
Breathing unfiltered air while commuting during rush hour can harm your health just as much as eating a high-sodium diet, new research suggests, pointing to yet another everyday danger of exposure to air pollution.
Study Says Even Light Drinking Raises Blood Pressure
Light drinking raises a person’s systolic blood pressure—the top number in a blood pressure reading—even if that person doesn’t have hypertension in the first place.
I’m Perfectly Healthy and Still Got High Blood Pressure. Why?
You can develop primary hypertension and high blood pressure even if you exercise regularly, eat clean, and don’t smoke. We share ways to get ahead of a primary hypertension diagnosis, along with tips to keep this “silent” disease in check.
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