Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Know and Control Your Blood Pressure

Heart disease KILLS more NEW YORKERS than anything else. High blood pressure puts you at risk.

• • High blood pressure (hypertension) is a leading and treatable cause of heart disease and stroke.
• • 1 in 4 adult New Yorkers has been told he or she has high blood pressure.
• • Because there are usually no symptoms, the only way to know you have high blood pressure is to get checked.
• • People can often prevent or control high blood pressure by eating a heart-healthy diet low in salt (sodium) and getting more physical activity.
• • Medications to lower blood pressure are safe and effective.

• Health Bulletin #55: Taking Your Medicine
  Other languages:[Español]
• Health Bulletin #50: High Blood Pressure
  Other languages:[Español][中文][Русский][Bengali][Urdu]

High Blood Pressure Is Dangerous

• • Untreated high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, problems with blood vessels and blood flow, kidney and eye problems, and early death.
• • Blacks are more likely than other groups to have high blood pressure.
• • For more information on high blood pressure, visit the American Heart Association's website:
  http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2112.
• •  To find out about your risk of heart disease, check out the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention's interactive website, which has a risk calculator on heart disease as well as other conditions:
  http://www.yourdiseaserisk.harvard.edu/english/.
  In Spanish:
  http://www.yourdiseaserisk.harvard.edu/spanish/.

Know Your Numbers

• • Blood pressure is measured with 2 numbers. It is written with one number over the other, such as 120/80.
• • Both systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) numbers are important.
• • Have your blood pressure checked regularly. If you need to find a doctor, click here  .
• • People with pre-hypertension should take action to control their blood pressure through lifestyle changes.

Make Lifestyle Changes

Make your diet heart-healthy.

• • Limit your salt (sodium) intake.
  
  • Learn more about salt and how to limit your intake. 
    
  • Learn how to limit your salt by reading the food label in 3 easy steps.  
    
• • Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• • Eat less trans and saturated fat.
  • Learn more about trans fat.
    
  • Learn more about cholesterol. 
    
  • Learn how to spot trans fat in your food by reading the food label.  
    
• • Choose lean meat and fish.
• • Limit your alcohol intake.

For more information on a heart-healthy diet, download the National Institutes of Health's 10 Delicious Ways to DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Down High Blood Pressure. http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/mission/partner/healthy_eating.pdf.
Other languages: [ Español ]

• • Get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as a brisk walk) at least 5 days a week. Click here for a resource guide on physical fitness programs in your community.
  For more tips, including examples of moderate-level physical activities, check out this guide. If you're an adult over the age of 60, a senior center near you may offer heart healthy activities for you to join. Click here for more information.

• • If you are overweight, losing as little as 10 pounds can lower your blood pressure.

If you smoke, quit now.

• • If you have high blood pressure and smoke, you more than double your risk of a heart attack. For more information on smoking, including tips and resources for quitting, click here.

Take Prescribed Blood Pressure Medications

• • If your doctor prescribes medications, take them as directed; do not miss any doses. Click here for information on specific drugs that your physician may prescribe.

For additional tips on controlling your blood pressure , check out the American Heart Association's guide, Ten Ways to Control Your Blood Pressure: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=578.

For more information on reducing your risk for heart disease and stroke, see our publications and resources.