You can also buy a home blood pressure monitor at a drug store. Yes. Many shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores have blood pressure machines you can use in the store. If the test shows that your blood pressure is high, ask the doctor what to do next.īlood pressure can go up and down, so it’s a good idea to get it checked more than once. You can find out what your blood pressure numbers are right after the test is over. The nurse or doctor will pump the cuff with air until it feels tight, then slowly let it out. To test your blood pressure, a nurse or doctor will put a cuff around your upper arm. Blood pressure that’s between normal and high (for example, 125/80) is called elevated blood pressure.High blood pressure is 130/80 or higher.Normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80 (said “120 over 80”).The second number is the pressure in your arteries when your heart relaxes between beats.Ĭompare your blood pressure to these numbers: The first number is the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so it’s sometimes called a “silent killer.” The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get tested.Ī blood pressure test measures how hard your heart’s working to pump blood through your body.īlood pressure is measured with 2 numbers. Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. Every time your heart beats, it pumps blood through your arteries to the rest of your body.

Arteries are the tubes that carry blood away from your heart. What is blood pressure?īlood pressure is how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries when your heart pumps blood. Learn more about your risk for high blood pressure.

Have kidney failure, diabetes, or some types of heart disease.

Are currently pregnant or had high blood pressure during a past pregnancy.

You’re also at increased risk for high blood pressure if you:

Your risk for high blood pressure goes up as you get older. What puts me at higher risk for high blood pressure? If you’re age 18 to 39 and you aren’t at increased risk for high blood pressure, get your blood pressure checked every 3 to 5 years.If you’re age 40 or older, or if you’re at higher risk for high blood pressure, get your blood pressure checked once a year.How often do I need to get my blood pressure checked? Get your blood pressure checked regularly starting at age 18 - and do your best to keep track of your blood pressure numbers.

High blood pressure increases your risk for serious health problems, including stroke and heart attack. Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure.

Blood pressure chart for seniors 2019