Blood Pressure Screening
Key Facts
- Having hypertension puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States.2
- In 2021, hypertension was a primary or contributing cause of 691,095 deaths in the United States.2
- Nearly half of adults have hypertension (48.1%, 119.9 million), defined as a systolic blood pressure greater than 130 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 80 mmHg or are taking medication for hypertension.3
- About 1 in 4 adults with hypertension have their hypertension under control (22.5%, 27.0 million).3
- About half of adults (45%) with uncontrolled hypertension have a blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher. This includes 37 million U.S. adults. 3
- About 34 million adults who are recommended to take medication may need it to be prescribed and to start taking it. Almost two out of three of this group (19 million) have a blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher.3
- High blood pressure costs the United States about $131 billion each year, averaged over 12 years from 2003 to 2014.4
Overview
- What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries when your heart pumps blood. Arteries are the tubes that carry blood away from your heart. Every time your heart beats, it pumps blood through your arteries to the rest of your body.
- What is hypertension?
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is when the pressure in your blood vessels is too high (140/90 mmHg or higher). It is common but can be serious if not treated.High blood pressure has no signs or symptoms. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get tested.
By taking steps to lower your blood pressure, you can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Lowering your blood pressure can help you live a longer, healthier life.
- How often do I need to get my blood pressure checked?
If you are age 40 or older, or if you are at higher risk for high blood pressure, get your blood pressure checked once a year.
If you are age 18 to 40 and you aren’t at higher risk for high blood pressure, get a Blood Pressure Screening every 3 to 5 years.
- What puts me at higher risk for high blood pressure?
Things that increase the risk of having high blood pressure include:
- older age
- genetics
- being overweight or obese
- not being physically active
- high-salt diet
- drinking too much alcohol
Lifestyle changes like eating a healthier diet, quitting tobacco and being more active can help lower blood pressure. Some people may still need to take medicines.
- What do blood pressure numbers mean?
A blood pressure test measures how hard your heart is working to pump blood through your body.
Blood pressure is measured with 2 numbers. The first number is the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. The second number is the pressure in your arteries between each beat when your heart relaxes.
Compare your blood pressure to these numbers:
- Normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80 (said “120 over 80”).
- High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.
- Blood pressure that’s between normal and high (for example, 130/85) is called prehypertension (“PREE-hy-puhr-tehn-shun”), or high normal blood pressure.
Symptoms
- What if I have very high blood pressure?
People with very high blood pressure (usually 180/120 or higher) can experience symptoms including:
- severe headaches
- chest pain
- dizziness
- difficulty breathing
- nausea
- vomiting
- blurred vision or other vision changes
- anxiety
- confusion
- buzzing in the ears
- nosebleeds
- abnormal heart rhythm
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and a high blood pressure, seek care immediately.
- How can I get my blood pressure checked?
To test your blood pressure, a nurse or doctor will put a cuff around your upper arm. The cuff will be pumped with air until it feels tight, then the air will be slowly let out. This won’t take more than a few minutes. The nurse or doctor can tell you what your blood pressure numbers are right after the test is over. If the test shows that your blood pressure is high, ask the doctor what to do next. Blood pressure can go up and down, so you may need to get it checked it more than once.
- Can I check my pressure myself?
Yes – you can check your own blood pressure with a blood pressure machine. You can find blood pressure machines in shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores. If the test shows that your blood pressure is high, talk to a doctor.
- How can high blood pressure affect pregnancy?
High blood pressure can be dangerous for a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. If you have high blood pressure and you want to get pregnant, it’s important to take steps to lower your blood pressure first. Sometimes, women get high blood pressure for the first time during pregnancy. This is called gestational (“jes-TAY-shon-al”) hypertension. Usually, this type of high blood pressure goes away after the baby is born. If you have high blood pressure while you are pregnant, be sure to visit your doctor regularly.
Treatment
- Is there anything I can do to change high blood pressure?
There are certain risk factors that can be changed which can include unhealthy diets (excessive salt consumption, a diet high in saturated fat and trans fats, low intake of fruits and vegetables), physical inactivity, consumption of tobacco and alcohol, and being overweight or obese.
However other risk factors can’t be modified including a family history of hypertension, age over 65 years and co-existing diseases such as diabetes or kidney disease.
- What if I have high blood pressure?
If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may recommend one or more medicines. Your recommended blood pressure goal may depend on what other health conditions you have.
If you have one of the following aim to reduce your blood pressure to less than 130/80:
- cardiovascular disease (heart disease or stroke)
- diabetes (high blood sugar)
- chronic kidney disease
- high risk for cardiovascular disease.
For most people, the goal is to have a blood pressure less than 140/90.
If you have high blood pressure, you may need medicine to control your blood pressure.
Take these steps to lower your blood pressure:
- Eat healthy foods that are low in saturated fat and sodium (salt).
- Get active. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity.
- Watch your weight by eating healthy and getting active.
- Remember to take medicines as prescribed (ordered) by your doctor.
Small changes can add up. For example, losing just 10 pounds can help lower your blood pressure.
- What medication is available for high blood pressure?
There are several common blood pressure medicines:
- ACE inhibitors including enalapril and lisinopril relax blood vessels and prevent kidney damage.
- Angiotensin-2 receptor blockers (ARBs) including losartan and telmisartan relax blood vessels and prevent kidney damage.
- Calcium channel blockers including amlodipine and felodipine relax blood vessels.
- Diuretics including hydrochlorothiazide and chlorthalidone eliminate extra water from the body, lowering blood pressure.
Ask a doctor or nurse to check your blood pressure at your next visit. You can also find blood pressure machines at many shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores. Most of these machines are free to use.
- What about the cost of testing?
Blood pressure screening is covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance, you may be able to get your blood pressure checked by a doctor or nurse at no cost to you.
Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan. Visit HealthCare.gov for information about other services covered under the Affordable Care Act.
Click here for more information on hypertension. We will uncover high blood pressure’s complexities, its underlying risks, and lifestyle’s role in prevention.
Prevention
- Are there things I should avoid to reduce the risk of high blood pressure?
Avoid the following:
- eating too much salty food (try to stay under 2 grams per day)
- eating foods high in saturated or trans fats
- smoking or using tobacco
- drinking an excessive amount of alcohol (1 drink daily max for women, 2 for men)
- missing or sharing medication.
- What can I do to reduce the risk of high blood pressure?
Lifestyle changes can help lower high blood pressure and can help anyone with hypertension. Many who make these changes will still need to take medicine.
These lifestyle changes can help prevent and lower high blood pressure.
- Eat more vegetables and fruits.
- Sit less.
- Be more physically active, which can include walking, running, swimming, dancing or activities that build strength, like lifting weights.
- Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity.
- Do strength building exercises 2 or more days each week.
- Lose weight if you’re overweight or obese.
- Take medicines as prescribed by your health care professional.
- Keep appointments with your health care professional.
- I’m doing just fine. How bad can hypertension really be?
Among other complications, hypertension can cause serious damage to the heart. Excessive pressure can harden arteries, decreasing the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. This elevated pressure and reduced blood flow can cause:
- chest pain, also called angina;
- heart attack, which occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked and heart muscle cells die from lack of oxygen. The longer the blood flow is blocked, the greater the damage to the heart;
- heart failure, which occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to other vital body organs; and
- irregular heart beat which can lead to a sudden death.
Hypertension can also burst or block arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain, causing a stroke.
In addition, hypertension can cause kidney damage, leading to kidney failure.
References
- National Center for Health Statistics. Multiple Cause of Death 2018–2021 on CDC WONDER Database. Accessed February 2, 2023.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hypertension Cascade: Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment and Control Estimates Among U.S. Adults Aged 18 Years and Older Applying the Criteria from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association’s 2017 Hypertension Guideline—NHANES 2017–2020. Atlanta, GA: May 12, 2023. Accessed July 6, 2023.
- Kirkland EB, Heincelman M, Bishu KG, et. al. Trends in healthcare expenditures among US adults with hypertension: national estimates, 2003-2014. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018;7:e008731.
Research on the benefits of preventive care
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening
- Alcohol misuse screening and counseling
- Blood pressure screening
- Cholesterol screening
- Colorectal cancer screening
- Depression screening
- Diabetes (Type 2) screening
- Diet & nutrition counseling
- Hepatitis B screening
- Hepatitis C screening
- HIV screening
- Strep throat
- Obesity screening and counseling
Immunization vaccines for adults — doses, recommended ages, and recommended populations vary:
- Hepatitis B
- Herpes Zoster
- Influenza (flu shot)
- Pneumococcal
- Tetanus
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