Blood Pressure See  High Blood Pressure Prevention 

Prevention 

The following strategies may help  to prevent high blood pressure  and organ damage it  may cause. For more details  on how you can achieve  these goals, see Self-Care at Home. 

• Eat a nutritious, low-fat diet. 
• Exercise regularly. 
• Decrease salt (sodium) intake: Read food labels so you know the salt content before you buy a product in the grocery store. 
• Maintain  a healthy weight: If you are overweight or obese, try to lose weight. 
• Use alcohol in moderation, if at all. 
• Stop smoking. 
• Get your blood pressure checked periodically. Consider getting an accurate  and easy-to-use home monitor. 
• Take your blood pressure medications as directed, even if you're feeling fine. 
• Reduce stress and practice relaxation: Physical activity will help with this. 

Outlook

Your prognosis  is usually good if your  blood pressure is controlled. 

• Chances are you will take  blood pressure medications the rest  of your life, unless you make dramatic changes in your lifestyle. 
• The sad fact, however, is  that high blood pressure is adequately treated  in only one-fifth  of the 60 million Americans who have it. 
• Moreover, 35%  of people with high blood pressure don't know they have it. 
• Untreated  high blood pressure is one  of the most common causes  of heart enlargement and heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. That is why  high blood pressure is called "the silent killer."