The exact cause isn’t known, but high blood pressure usually develops over time, and there are certain things that may increase your risk, including:

• Smoking
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise
• Too much salt
• Race—Black Americans often have higher and more severe blood pressure than White Americans 
• More than 1-2 alcoholic beverages per day
• Being older
• Family history
• Chronic kidney disease 
• Diabetes
• Stress
• Insufficient intake of potassium and magnesium

Since high blood pressure doesn’t present with many recognizable symptoms, you may not know you have it. The only way to get a proper diagnosis is to have it checked regularly by your doctor. 

Here are some ways to check your blood pressure:

• A healthcare provider will measure your blood pressure using a cuff and a monitor.
• You can use an automatic blood pressure cuff at home. It’s important to follow the instructions carefully and take measurements at different times of day.
• Many pharmacies offer free blood pressure machines.

A normal high blood pressure reading is 120 mm Hg or less systolic (top number) and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic (bottom number), or as it’s commonly referred to, 120/80. If your blood pressure is between 120-139 over 80-89, it’s considered pre-hypertension. 

With a reading of 140/90 or above, you are diagnosed with high blood pressure.

If you have a reading of 180/120 more than once, it’s a hypertensive crisis, and you should seek medical treatment immediately. 

Older adults’ arteries may stiffen, so while the numbers listed above are the standard, it’s not uncommon for them to have a reading under 150/90, which is still considered ideal.

While hypertension management often requires medication, there are a number of lifestyle changes you can make on your own to reduce your risk, including:

• Eating a healthy diet
• Exercising regularly
• Watching your weight
• Limiting alcohol and caffeine consumption
• Quitting smoking
• Getting enough sleep
• Reducing your stress
• Reducing your salt intake
• Controlling your blood sugar and cholesterol

In addition to the above lifestyle changes, it’s important to work with your doctor if you currently have high blood pressure to reduce your risk for heart attack, stroke, and other serious medical conditions. 

Hypertension that’s not managed properly can cause a number of health conditions, including heart attack and strokes. Some additional risks include:

• Heart disease
• Kidney disease or failure
• Vision loss
• Cognitive decline or dementia
• Aneurysm
• Pregnancy complications