Spotlight On: Blood Pressure

I’m concerned about my high blood pressure. What steps can I take to lower my numbers?

Our expert this month is Anne Hedelt, FNP, MSN, R.N., a nurse practitioner in UVA's Heart and Vascular Center.

First, let’s talk about what the two blood pressure (BP) numbers mean and why BP is an important indicator of one's health.

Blood pressure consists of two numbers, the systolic and the diastolic pressures.

The pressure in the arteries when the heart beats is the systolic pressure. This is the top number. The pressure when the heart is at rest is called diastolic pressure. This is the bottom number.

Maintaining a normal blood pressure is one of the most important steps in maintaining good health. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is the No. 1 modifiable risk factor for stroke.

The relationship of blood pressure levels to the risk of cardiovascular disease is continuous, consistent and independent of other risk factors. That means the higher your blood pressure, the greater your risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney disease and even blindness.

What you can do to lower your BP?

Many people can prevent and treat hypertension by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Most healthcare professionals recommend that their patients with high blood pressure follow the DASH diet. This stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

Talk with your healthcare professional to see which of these steps would be most important for you:

• Reduce fat (particularly saturated fat) in your diet, and eat more fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products (rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium.)
• Eat less then 2,300 mg per day of sodium (about one teaspoon of salt)
• Lose weight and get regular physical activity such as brisk walking at least 30 minutes per day most days of the week
• Quit smoking
• Limit alcohol to two drinks per day for men and one drink a day for women

Learn more about the DASH diet.

Recommended numbers:

• Anyone with a blood pressure reading greater than 120/80 should be encouraged to make lifestyle changes.
• Treatment with medication is recommended to lower blood pressure to less than 140/90 mmHg.
• If you have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, the recommended blood pressure is less than 130/80 mmHg.
• Dangerously high blood pressure is greater than 180/120, either number or both. If this occurs, immediate evaluation by a healthcare professional is needed, according to the AHA.

While the cause of hypertension in most people remains unclear, it appears that a variety of conditions — such as getting little or no exercise, poor diet, obesity, smoking, older age and genetics — can lead to hypertension. Although you can’t change your genetic makeup, the good news is simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference in keeping your blood pressure on target — and keeping your heart and vascular system doing their important job.

Calculate your health risk

The American Heart Association has a High Blood Pressure Health Risk Calculator. You can enter your blood pressure numbers to learn more about your health risks and get a printout to take to your next doctor visit.

Access the calculator