Questions to Ask

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, there are several key questions that you should ask your health care team during your next visit. These questions will ensure that you and your care team have talked about your major risk factors so that you can become or stay as healthy as possible.

• What is my goal blood pressure?
• Should I be checking my blood pressure at home? If so, what’s the best machine to use to get an accurate reading and how often should I check it? (Also check out ValidateBP.org.)
• Are there other places I can go to get my blood pressure checked in between visits?
• What are the potential harms of not getting my blood pressure under control?
• How does my risk of heart disease factor into my blood pressure treatment?
• What medicine(s) do I need to take and for how long?
• Is there a benefit to taking a combination pill with two types of blood pressure lowering classes of medicine?
• What should I do if I miss a dose?
• What side effects can I expect? Will they go away with time?
• Will I need blood work after starting certain medicines? If so, why?
• What can I do to keep my sodium intake to under 1,500 mg? Are there some foods that help naturally lower blood pressure?
• I’ve heard carrying extra weight can raise blood pressure. What’s a good weight for me?
• What type of physical activity is best to lower my blood pressure?
• How does stress affect my blood pressure, and what can I do to lower my stress levels?
• Is renal denervation a good option for me? At what point would it be considered?