Hypertension in the major important to have your blood pressure checked at least once a year. You want your systolic pressure to be less than 140. You want your diastolic pressure to be less than 90. In addition, for patients who have other important existing diseases such as coronary artery disease, kidney disease, or diabetes, blood pressure needs to be even lower. For these patients, systolic pressure should be less than 130, and diastolic pressure should be less than 85.
Lifestyle modification is the first line of defense for patients with hypertension.
If you're overweight, consider consulting your physician about a weight-loss program. For some of us, reaching ideal body weight for our height may seem an unreachable goal. However, weight loss of just 8-10 pounds may well decrease blood pressure significantly. Limit dietary sodium intake to less than 2,400 milligrams per day. Cook without adding salt and don't add salt at the table.