WHAT TO DO AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED
WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
stress, which the AHA notes
is another step people with hypertension
should take to lower their
blood pressure.
• Shed extra weight. Each of the
aforementioned strategies can help
people shed extra weight, which is
another step the AHA recommends
for people with high blood pressure.
The AHA notes that losing as
few as 10 pounds can help to manage
high blood pressure. Maintaining
a healthy weight also reduces
strain on the heart, thus lowering
the risk for high blood pressure
and the conditions that can arise
from it.
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More than 1.2 billion people across the globe
are currently living with high blood pressure.
Taking steps to reduce hypertension is a great
way to promote long-term health and overcome
this often silent killer.
Hypertension, a condition
marked by abnormally high
blood pressure, is more common
than many people may recognize.
A 2021 report from the U.S. Department
of Health and Human
Services indicated that nearly half
of adults in the United States, or
roughly 116 million people, have
hypertension. And hypertension
isn’t exclusive to Americans, as
the World Health Organization
notes that the number of people
living with the condition has doubled
to 1.28 billion since 1990.
Despite its prevalence, hypertension
is not normal, nor is it
something to take lightly. In fact,
the American Heart
Association notes
that, if left undetected
or
uncontrolled,
hypertension
can lead to
an assortment
of serious, and
potentially deadly,
conditions, including
heart attack, stroke, heart failure,
and kidney disease.
Since the threat posed by high
blood pressure is so signifi cant,
it’s imperative that individuals
know what to do upon being diagnosed
with hypertension. The
AHA notes that individuals diagnosed
with hypertension can
try various strategies to get their
number down to a normal, healthy
range.
• Eat a healthy, low-salt diet. A
diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, low-fat dairy
products, skinless poultry and fi sh,
nuts and legumes, and non-tropical
vegetable oils ensures people
are getting ample nutrition from
healthy sources. The DASH (Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension)
eating plan is designed
specifi cally to help people manage
their blood pressure and emphasizes
limiting salt, red meat and
foods with added sugars, including
sweets and sugary beverages.
It’s important that all people, and
especially those with high blood
pressure, limit their salt intake,
as sodium is known to increase
blood pressure.
• Avoid excessive
alcohol
consumption.
The AHA
notes that excessive
alcohol
consumption can
raise blood pressure. In addition,
despite what popular misconceptions
may suggest, there
is no evidence to suggest that
red wine consumption is good
for heart health. Like other alcoholic
beverages, red wine should
be consumed in moderation, if at
all. The AHA urges individuals
to limit their alcohol intake to no
more than two drinks per day for
men and no one more than one
drink per day for women.
• Exercise regularly. Routine exercise
benefi ts the heart in myriad
ways, including helping people
control high blood pressure. Individuals
recently diagnosed with
high blood pressure who are unaccustomed
to physical activity
should work with their physicians
and a personal trainer to design
an exercise regimen that’s within
their abilities. As their bodies get
used to increased physical activity,
people can then work with the
same individuals to tweak their
routines so they can keep making
progress toward their fi tness goals.
Routine exercise also helps to reduce
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