April 2018

DIETITIAN’S VIEW
PREHYPERTENSION
by Nancy M. Ouhib, MBA, RD, LD/N
Prehypertension is a blood pressure condition that is
higher than normal but not high enough to classify as
high blood pressure. It is a warning that your blood
pressure is going up. Blood pressure is a measure of how hard
your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries. Blood
pressure that is too high can harm your blood vessels. This
can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure,
and other health problems. You can take steps to get your
blood pressure back within normal range.
A blood pressure reading is shown as two numbers, such
as 120/80. The top number (systolic) is the pressure reading
when the heart pumps blood. The bottom number (diastolic)
is the pressure when the heart relaxes and fills with blood.
A normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less. A high blood
pressure reading is 140/90 or higher. Prehypertension is
anywhere between 120/80 and 140/90 and this is an indicator
that you need to start paying attention to your blood pressure
readings more closely. Your blood pressure can be too high
even if only one of the two numbers is high.
The exact cause of high blood pressure is not known, but
medical professionals agree that there are factors that can
increase our blood pressure. These include smoking, lack of
exercise, excess weight, consuming foods that are too high
in sodium, and drinking too much alcohol. Most people have
no signs of prehypertension. They usually find out they have
higher than normal blood pressure during a visit with their
primary care practitioner or when using a blood pressure
machine at home or a public location. These machines
may not always be accurate due to whether they are being
calibrated or maintained regularly.
Your blood pressure may be measured at two or more
separate times to confirm that it is higher than normal. Blood
pressure can fluctuate throughout the day for different reasons.
Get several readings to get a general idea where your blood
pressure is. Graphing the readings may be helpful for you
and your doctor. Some people have higher blood pressure
when they are in the doctor’s office. This is called white-coat
hypertension.
Many people can lower their blood pressure with diet,
exercise, and other healthy lifestyle changes. Addressing your
blood pressure before it gets too high with lifestyle changes
may be all you need. If those measures do not lower your
blood pressure enough, you can be placed on medication. P
Here are some tips to help get your blood
pressure back within normal range:
Eat a healthy diet. The DASH (Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is geared
toward lowering blood pressure. It focuses on
eating foods that are high in calcium, potassium,
and magnesium. The DASH diet includes fresh
fruit and vegetables, whole grains, fish, and
poultry.
Reduce your salt intake. Do not add salt to
your food or cooking. Learn to cook foods with
salt free seasonings. Limit all processed and
canned foods, such as soups, frozen meals, and
packaged snacks.
Lose weight. Losing as little as five percent of
your body weight can help to lower your blood
pressure.
Do not smoke or use other tobacco
products. If you do smoke, talk to your doctor
about treatments that will help you quit.
Stay fit. Get 30 minutes of exercise every day.
Stop or limit alcohol intake. If you must drink,
the recommended limit is one drink a day for
women and two per day for men.
Relax. Learn to relax and put an end to the
workday.
It is important as we age to pay attention to our
blood pressure. Start watching yours today.
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APRIL 2018