Blood pressure measures how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your veins and arteries. Sometimes, factors like aging, obesity and genetics can cause high blood pressure. While there typically aren’t noticeable symptoms of high blood pressure, it can cause severe health problems down the line.

Keeping our vascular system healthy and our blood pressure low is an important part of our overall health. Today, we’re talking to Dr. Benjamin Dummer about the causes, risks and treatments for high blood pressure. He talks to us about:

• What a blood pressure reading tells us
• The difference between diastolic and systolic blood pressure
• Causes of high blood pressure
• Health risks associated with having high blood pressure numbers
• How lifestyle changes like a heart-healthy diet can make a big impact on lowering high blood pressure
• Which medications can be used to manage high blood pressure
• Common side effects of blood pressure medications
• And so much more

We follow American Heart Association (AHA) recommendations around blood pressure management. If you’re looking for more information about how you can change your lifestyle to manage or prevent high blood pressure, we recommend visiting the AHA for additional information.