Treatment:

The goal of treatment is to reduce blood pressure so that you have a lower risk of complications. You and your health care provider should set a blood pressure goal for you.

Your health care provider may also recommend that you exercise, lose weight, and follow a healthier diet. If you have pre-hypertension, your health care provider will recommend the same lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down to a normal range.

You can do many things to help control your blood pressure, including:

• Eat a heart-healthy diet, including potassium and fiber, and drink plenty of water. See: High blood pressure and diet
• Exercise regularly -- at least 30 minutes a day.
• If you smoke, quit -- find a program that will help you stop.
• Limit how much alcohol you drink -- one drink a day for women, two a day for men.
• Limit the amount of sodium (salt) you eat -- aim for less than 1,500 mg per day.
• Reduce stress -- try to avoid things that cause you stress. You can also try meditation or yoga.
• Stay at a healthy body weight -- find a weight-loss program to help you, if you need it.

Your health care provider can help you find programs for losing weight, stopping smoking, and exercising. You can also get a referral from your doctor to a dietitian, who can help you plan a diet that is healthy for you.

Many different medicines can be used to treat high blood pressure. See: High blood pressure medicines.

Often, a single blood pressure drug may not be enough to control your blood pressure. You may need to take two or more drugs. It is very important that you take the medications you were prescribed. If you have side effects, your health care provider can substitute a different medication.

Expectations (prognosis):

Most of the time, high blood pressure can be controlled with medicine and lifestyle changes.

Complications:

If your blood pressure is not well controlled, you are at risk for:

• Bleeding from the aorta, the large blood vessel that supplies blood to the abdomen, pelvis, and legs
• Chronic kidney disease
• Heart attack or heart failure
• Poor blood supply to the legs
• Problems with your vision
• Stroke

Calling your health care provider:

If you have essential hypertension, you will have regular appointments with your doctor.

Even if you have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it is important to have your blood pressure checked during your yearly check-up, especially if someone in your family has or had high blood pressure.

Call your health care provider right away if home monitoring shows that your blood pressure is still high.