Lowering Blood Pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is dangerous because it can lead to strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, or kidney disease. The goal of hypertension treatment is to lower high blood pressure and protect important organs, like the brain, heart, and kidneys from damage. Treatment for hypertension has been associated with reductions in stroke (reduced an average of 35%-40%), heart attack (20%-25%), and heart failure (more than 50%), according to research.

Hypertension is classified as:

  • Normal blood pressure: less than 120/80 mmHg
  • Prehypertension: 120-139/80-89 mmHg
  • Hypertension: greater than 140/90 mmHg
  • Stage 1 Hypertension:140-159/90-99 mmHg
  • Stage 2 Hypertension: 160 or greater/ 100 or greater mmHg

All patients with blood pressure readings greater than 120/80 should be encouraged to make lifestyle modifications, such as eating a healthier diet, quitting smoking and getting more exercise. Treatment with medication is recommended to lower blood pressure to less than 140/90 mmHg. For patients who have diabetes or chronic kidney disease the recommended blood pressure is less than 130/80 mmHg.

Treating hypertension involves lifestyle changes and drug therapy.

Lifestyle Changes

A critical step in preventing and treating hypertension is a healthy lifestyle. You can lower your blood pressure with the following lifestyle modifications:

  • Losing weight if you are overweight or obese.
  • Quitting smoking.
  • Eating a healthy diet, including the DASH diet (eating more fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy products, less saturated and total fat).
  • Reducing the amount of sodium in your diet to 2,300 milligrams (about 1 teaspoon of salt) a day or less.
  • Getting regular aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking at least 30 minutes a day, several days a week).
  • Limiting alcohol to two drinks a day for men, one drink a day for women.

    • In addition to lowering blood pressure, these measures enhance the effectiveness of antihypertensive medications.