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Blood pressure higher than 180/120 mm Hg is considered a hypertensive emergency or crisis. Seek emergency medical help for anyone with these blood pressure numbers. Untreated, high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious health problems.
Risk factors. Anyone can have low blood pressure. Risk factors for hypotension include: Age. Drops in blood pressure when standing up or after eating occur mainly in adults older than 65. Neurally mediated hypotension mainly affects children and younger adults. Medications. Certain medicines have the potential to cause low blood pressure.
Anyone can have elevated blood pressure, even children. Risk factors for elevated blood pressure include: Obesity or being overweight. Obesity makes you more likely to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and strokes. Family history of high blood pressure.
Here's a look at the four blood pressure categories and what they mean for you. If your top and bottom numbers fall into two different categories, your correct blood pressure category is the higher category. For example, if your blood pressure reading is 125/85 mm Hg, you have stage 1 hypertension.
10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication. By making these 10 lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease. By Mayo Clinic Staff. If you have high blood pressure, you may wonder if you need to take medicine to treat it.
High blood pressure increases your risk of heart attack, stroke and other major complications. And high blood pressure can be dangerous for your baby. If you need medication to control your blood pressure during pregnancy, your health care provider will prescribe the safest medication and dose.
High blood pressure can thicken your arteries, narrowing your blood flow. High cholesterol levels can increase the rate of plaque buildup. Diabetes is also associated with higher risk, as is being overweight.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, can quietly damage the body for years before symptoms appear. Without treatment, high blood pressure can lead to disability, a poor quality of life, or even a deadly heart attack or stroke. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
Reactions to stress can affect blood pressure. The body releases a surge of hormones when under stress. These hormones cause the heart to beat faster and the blood vessels to narrow. These actions increase blood pressure for a time. There's no proof that stress by itself causes long-term high blood pressure.
People age 18 to 39 with optimal blood pressure and no heart disease risk factors should have a blood pressure test at least once every 2 to 5 years. People age 40 and older — or younger with an increased risk of high blood pressure — should have a blood pressure test every year.