WVDHHR > Division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease > Focus Areas > High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood against your artery walls as it circulates through your body. Blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day, but it can cause health problems if it stays high for a long time. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke—leading causes of death in West Virginia. *West Virginia Health Statistics Center, Vital Statistics System, 2011*		Resources 6 Steps to Control Your Blood Pressure Know Your Numbers Cholesterol Management Resources for Providers Resources for Community Members Additional Information Learn more about high blood pressure at the following web sites: CDC's Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention American Heart Association National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Are you at risk? More than one in three adults in West Virginia (41%) has high blood pressure—that’s an estimated 602 thousand people. Anyone, including children, can develop it. *West Virginia Health Statistics Center, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2013* Several factors that are beyond your control can increase your risk for high blood pressure. These include your age, sex, and race or ethnicity. But you can work to reduce your risk by eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and being physically active. What are the signs and symptoms? High blood pressure usually has no warning signs or symptoms, so many people don’t realize they have it. That’s why it’s important to visit your doctor regularly. Be sure to talk with your doctor about having your blood pressure checked. How is high blood pressure diagnosed? Your doctor measures your blood pressure by wrapping an inflatable cuff with a pressure gauge around your arm to squeeze the blood vessels. Then he or she listens to your pulse with a stethoscope while releasing air from the cuff. The gauge measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart beats (systolic) and when it rests (diastolic). How is it treated? If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe medication to treat it. Lifestyle changes, such as the ones listed below, can be just as important as taking medicines. Talk with your doctor about the best ways to reduce your risk for high blood pressure. Can high blood pressure be prevented? You can take several steps to maintain normal blood pressure levels: Get your blood pressure checked regularly. Eat a healthy diet Maintain a healthy weight Be physically active Limit alcohol use Don’t smoke. Contact the West Virginia Tobacco Quitline 1.877.966.8784 Prevent or manage diabetes**