High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a condition of elevated or raised blood pressure, also known as hypertension. Abnormally high blood pressure can increase the risk of serious health conditions, such as stroke, heart attack, and kidney disease. High blood pressure can be controlled. Your doctor may recommend a combination of lifestyle, diet changes along with medications to control it.

For additional information on high blood pressure, please go to Learning Resources. It is a new online searchable database of classes, info sheets and handouts, educational consultations and more, created by California Pacific Medical Center staff and physicians for patients and their families. All information is peer reviewed to ensure accuracy. Below is additional information on how blood pressure is measured and recorded, along with ways you can use to control it:

Blood pressure is measured by using a cuff and a sphygmomanometer to read 2 values:

systolic, which is the pressure it takes your heart to contract and push the blood through your blood vessels, and
diastolic, which is the pressure in your vessels at rest, between heartbeats.

Blood pressure is recorded as these two numbers, with a slash between them, such as 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). The systolic reading is the top number (for example: 120) and the diastolic reading is the bottom number (for example: 80). If your systolic blood pressure is consistently at or above 140 mm Hg or higher, and/or your diastolic blood pressure is 90 mm Hg or higher, you have what is defined as high blood pressure, or hypertension.

If you have high blood pressure, you can seek the following resources that are available to you at California Pacific Medical Center:

Attend a free lecture on high blood pressure.
Go to a free blood pressure screening at the Community Health Resource Center at California Pacific Medical Center.
Schedule an appointment with a nutrition education consultant.
Consult with a doctor or registered nurse health educator about the best options for your high blood pressure medication.
Discover ways to reduce stress.