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High blood pressure (also called "hypertension") occurs when the pressure in your blood vessels is too high and your heart must work extra hard to move blood through your body.
You may not know that you have high blood pressure, however, when the pressure gets very high, you may experience:
High blood pressure is diagnosed using a blood pressure cuff by a doctor. In your community, blood pressure cuffs may also be available in your grocery story of pharmacy. Community health fairs often have blood pressure cuffs, too.
It is important to treat high blood pressure because over time it will cause damage to the heart muscle and other organs in the body.
High blood pressure may be treated by:
If you have hypertension, or think you might, contact one of our family medicine locations to schedule an appointment.
Visit our Health Library for additional information about high blood pressure:
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The portal for all UPMC patients EXCEPT those in Central Pa.
The portal for UPMC patients in Central Pa.
The portal for UPMC Cole patients receiving inpatient care.