Treatment

The goal of any treatment plan is to lower blood pressure and prevent or slow the onset of complications, such as stroke, heart attack, heart failure, uneven heartbeats, and chronic kidney disease.

Some people can lower or keep their blood pressure in a healthy range with lifestyle changes alone. For others, blood pressure lowering medications are needed as well. In some cases, a procedure called renal denervation may be recommended if your blood pressure is still high despite taking several medications.

Lower is Better

Your health care team will talk with you about setting a "target goal." Make sure to write it down!

In general, the treatment goal is to get blood pressure to less than 130 over 80 mm Hg for most adults. Your personal blood pressure goal may be lower or higher depending on your overall health and other medical conditions. 

Research shows that lower blood pressure goals improve heart health. For individuals who are at higher risk of health problems because of a previous heart attack or stroke, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, or because of a high calculated heart risk score, lower blood pressure measures are better.