How Can I Prevent High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure – known as the “silent killer” – often shows no signs or
symptoms. In fact, nearly 20 percent of U.S. adults with high blood pressure do
not know they have the disease.
The cause of most cases of high blood pressure is unknown. But there are
factors that can place you at greater risk of developing the condition. That’s
why it is important to know what your risks are and to learn which factors you
can and cannot control.
The good news is that the small steps you take to be healthy now can lead to
big improvements down the road.
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Here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Focus on feeling healthier now. Feeling healthy doesn’t have to be boring or
difficult. Make small changes to reach and stay at a healthy weight by adding
activity to your day, and eating vegetables and other healthy foods to help your
body stay well. These changes can have a tremendous impact on your overall
health now and in the future so you can spend more time with your loved ones.
- Protecting your heart
should be your main goal. People who are inactive tend to have higher heart
rates. The higher your heart rate, the harder your heart must work with each
contraction. Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week to
achieve great benefits for your heart.
- Change the habits that may
cause more harm than good. Having more than two drinks a day can raise your
blood pressure. Limit alcohol to no more than one drink per day for women and
two drinks per day for men. Smoking or chewing tobacco can raise your blood
pressure right away. Quit smoking—or don't start. If you smoke, ask your doctor
about programs or medications that can help you kick the habit, or call
1-800-QUIT-NOW for specific help in your state.
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Related Resources
Our campaign partner, American Heart Association®, has a free
high blood
pressure health risk calculator to help you find out your risk.
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Risk Factors You Can’t Control
- Age [+]
As you age, your risk of high
blood pressure increases. Up to the age of 45, high blood pressure affects more
men than women. But, at age 65 and beyond, it affects more women than men. Women
are more likely to develop high blood pressure after menopause.
- Race [+]
High blood pressure can affect
anyone. But, it is more common and more severe in African American adults than
in Caucasian or Hispanic American adults. Serious complications, such as stroke
and heart attack, are also more common in African Americans.
- Family History [+]
High blood pressure tends to run
in families.
Risk Factors You Can Control
- Overweight and Obese [+]
The more you weigh, the more blood
you need to supply oxygen and nutrients to your body’s tissues. As the amount
of blood circulating through your blood vessels increases, so does the pressure
on your artery walls. This causes high blood pressure.
- Physical Inactivity [+]
People who are inactive tend to
have higher heart rates. The higher your heart rate, the harder your heart must
work each time it contracts — and the stronger the force on your arteries. Lack
of physical activity also increases the risk of being overweight. Aim for at
least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week to achieve great
benefits for your heart.
- Tobacco Use [+]
Smoking cigarettes and chewing
tobacco cause an immediate and temporary rise in blood pressure. Worse, the
chemicals in tobacco can damage the lining of artery walls, causing arteries to
narrow and increasing blood pressure. Even secondhand smoke can increase blood
pressure. If you smoke, ask your doctor about programs or medications that can
help you kick the habit, or for specific help in your state call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
- Salt and Sodium in Diet [+]
Too much salt and sodium in your
diet can cause your body to retain fluid and increase your blood pressure.
- Lack of Potassium in Diet [+]
Potassium helps balance the amount
of sodium in your cells. If you don't get enough potassium in your diet, you may
accumulate too much sodium in your blood. Bananas, avocados, dried apricots,
plain non-fat/skim yogurt, baked potatoes, raw spinach and cooked white beans
are all rich sources of potassium.
- Alcohol [+]
Over time, heavy drinking can
damage your heart. Having more than one drink per day for women and two drinks
per day for men can raise your blood pressure.
- Stress [+]
High levels of stress can lead to
temporary, but dramatic, increases in blood pressure. If you try to relax by
eating more, using tobacco or drinking alcohol, you may increase your problems
with high blood pressure.
- Certain Chronic Conditions [+]
Some chronic conditions such as
high cholesterol, diabetes, kidney disease, and sleep apnea may increase your
risk of high blood pressure.
