HYPERTENSION (HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE) CARE

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is one of the most important health issues worldwide.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is the most common non-communicable disease (NCD) because it affects billions of people and significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, and premature death.

What Should Your Blood Pressure Goal Be?

The American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) updated their blood pressure guidelines in 2025.

Here’s what’s important for you to know:

What Is New in 2025?

Doctors now use the PREVENT-CVD tool to see your 10-year risk of heart disease & stroke.

Stage 1 High Blood Pressure + Risk ≥7.5% OR heart disease, previous stroke, diabetes, chronic kidney disease → Start medicine + lifestyle changes

Stage 1 High Blood Pressure + Risk <7.5% → Try lifestyle changes first (3–6 months)

Stage 2 High Blood Pressure → Usually start medicine right away

Even “borderline” blood pressure can raise your risk. Knowing your risk helps your doctor decide when to add medicine — so you can protect your heart, brain, and kidneys.

How Do We Diagnose Hypertension?

To confirm the diagnosis, blood pressure must be measured on at least two separate occasions, with at least two readings each time. A diagnosis is never based on just one measurement. Home blood pressure monitoring is essential.

Key points:

Use a validated blood pressure monitor:

Avoid relying on drugstore devices that claim "FDA approval" - many are not validated for accuracy.

Check your Blood Pressure at home. Do not rely solely on office blood pressure checks.

You and your doctor work as a team to diagnose and manage high blood pressure.

VALIDATED BLOOD PRESSURE DEVICE LIST

How Do We Check Blood Pressure At Home?

Your blood pressure needs to stay well-controlled all day, every day.

Check morning (before meds) and evening

Do this for 3–5 days in a row

Write your numbers down and bring them to your doctor

Use a good-quality cuff and follow the correct steps - accurate readings are the only way your doctor can safely adjust your medicines

Check out the proper technique of measuring blood pressure at home

What Tests Are Done for Hypertension?

At the minimum, an evaluation includes:

Basic blood work: kidney function, electrolytes, cholesterol, blood sugar, and certain hormone levels (like those from the thyroid or adrenal glands) to see if they are contributing to high blood pressure.

Urine test: to check for protein (a marker of kidney damage).

Electrocardiogram (ECG): to assess heart strain.

Doctors also consider:

Primary vs. secondary hypertension – Is it due to lifestyle/age (primary) or another condition (secondary, such as kidney disease or hormonal causes)?

Other cardiovascular risk factors – Diabetes, smoking, obesity, high cholesterol.

Existing target organ damage – Heart disease, kidney disease, eye changes, or vascular disease.

Lifestyle Measures to Reduce Blood Pressure

One of the most effective lifestyle changes, is adopting the DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) but other lifestyle changes are important too and are listed below:

What Are the Goals of Treating Hypertension?

When we treat elevated blood pressure, our goals are to:

Achieve target blood pressure (<130/80 mmHg).

Prevent new or worsening target organ damage, including heart disease, kidney failure, stroke, and vision loss.

What Is the Best Medication for High Blood Pressure?

There is no single “best” drug for everyone.

The best blood pressure medication is:

The one that works effectively for you.

The one with the least side effects.

Common first-line options include:

Thiazide diuretics

ACE inhibitors or ARBs

Calcium channel blockers

For adults with Stage 2 high blood pressure, combination pills (one pill with two medicines) are usually recommended and may even be started at low doses in some people with Stage 1 high blood pressure)

Take Control of Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is preventable and treatable. With the right lifestyle changes, monitoring, and medical care, you can protect your heart, kidneys, and overall health.

Ready to take the next step? Schedule a consultation today with our hypertension specialist. Contact Hypertension and Kidney Health today at (610) 510-7152.

We are serving patients across the Main Line and surrounding areas, including King of Prussia, Devon, Wayne, Paoli, Malvern, and West Chester, PA.