Pulmonary Hypertension In Babies Article

When is treatment started for high blood pressure

There are two ways in which blood pressure can be lowered.

Modifications to lifestyle (weight, exercise, diet, salt, and alcohol) if any of these can be improved upon (details below).

Medication (details below).

If you have moderate or severe high blood pressure (160/100 or above)
Treatment by altering any relevant lifestyle factors is important. In addition, medication is usually advised if your blood pressure remains at 160/100 mmHg or above despite a period of observation and tackling any lifestyle factors.

If you have mildly high blood pressure (140/90 to 160/100 mmHg)
Treatment by altering any relevant lifestyle factors is important. The advice about medication varies. If you are healthy and have an otherwise low risk of developing heart disease or stroke, medication is not usually advised. Your blood pressure should be checked every now and then as advised by your doctor or nurse. Medication is likely to be advised if you:

have other risk factors which add to your increased risk of developing heart disease or a stroke. (See separate leaflet called 'Preventing Heart Disease and Stroke' for details. This leaflet explains how your risk is assessed, and how you can be given a 'percentage' risk. Briefly, treatment of mildly high blood pressure is usually advised if you have a 20% risk or more of developing heart disease or stroke in the next 10 years), or if you...

already have heart disease, have had a stroke, or your heart tracing shows damage to your heart from the high blood pressure. Treatment helps to prevent, or delay, further problems.