High Blood Pressure

What is High Blood Pressure?

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:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Changes in your vision

How is High Blood Pressure Diagnosed?

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.

How is High Blood Pressure Treated?

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:

• Diet changes
• Exercise
• Medication

Contact Us

If you have hypertension, or think you might, contact one of our family medicine locations to schedule an appointment.

High Blood Pressure: Additional Resources

Visit our patient education website for more information about high blood pressure:

• Blood Pressure

Visit our Health Library for additional information about high blood pressure:

• Blood pressure monitors for home
• High blood cholesterol levels
• High blood pressure
• High blood pressure and diet
• High blood pressure medications