High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

111 University Centre UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA

Phone: 204-474-9323 MILE: 204-474-6493 umanitoba.ca/campus/pharmacy

HOURS Monday through Friday

8:30am - 4:30pm

How is hypertension diagnosed?

An annual physical examination will include the measuring of blood pressure. Because blood pressure changes during the day, several measurements are taken by the doctor at different times over a period of several weeks. If it is consistently higher than recommended, the doctor can suggest diet and exercise before using medicines to treat high blood pressure.

General Information

Blood pressure is the force exerted by the heart when it pumps blood through the arteries in the body. It is at its highest when the heart beats (systolic) and lowest between be ats (diastolic). These two values are recorded when blood pressure is measured.

Blood pressure changes a lot during the day with rest, physical activity, or with stress - whether physical or emotional. It is also different for every person depending on age, race, diet and lifestyle. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease.

Ideal blood pressure is less than or equal to 120/80 (systolic/diastolic). High blood pressure or hypertension is blood pressure over 140/90. While hypertension can occur at any age, it typically affects adults and older adults. It is often called a "silent killer" because for the most part, it does not cause any symptoms. Sometimes it can cause headaches. If left untreated it can damage the heart, arteries, kidneys and eyes. This can lead to angina, heart failure, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure or blindness. Therefore, it is very important to control high blood pressure.

How is hypertension controlled?

Hypertension can be controlled by: 99 Eating a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables (fiber) and

lower in fat and sugar 99 Decreasing the amount of salt to less than 2.4 grams of sodium

per day 99 Exercising three to four times a week or more for at least 30

minutes each time 99 Stopping smoking 99 Limiting alcoholic drinks (less than 14 drinks per week for men and

9 drinks per week for women) 99 Keeping a healthy body weight 99 Learning how to handle stress

Lifestyle changes are very effective in controlling blood pressure. If this is not enough, the doctor may prescribe medications in addition to diet and exercise. These medicines are tailored to each person and must be monitored by the doctor. Often a home blood pressure measuring device is suggested so that the patient can take their blood pressure regularly. Ask your pharmacist and/or doctor for more information about blood pressure, monitoring devices and medicines used to manage hypertension.

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