5 Easy Ways to Take Your Blood Pressure

1 / 7   Get Your Blood Pressure Under Control

High blood pressure can kill you if you don't get it under control. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 67 million adults have high blood pressure, but only 47 percent are getting treatment to lower their pressure — before it leads to killer cardiovascular diseases like atrial fibrillation or stroke. Fortunately, new technology has given us more ways than ever to measure blood pressure accurately and at home, which can help you get your pressure down and maintain it at a healthy level. Your treatment for getting high blood pressure down will vary depending on your age and whether you have other health conditions, but for those with hypertension, maintaining a healthy blood pressure is a daily challenge.
For anyone over the age of 20, normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury), according to the American Heart Association. Hypertension is defined as 140/90 mm Hg and higher. Any reading higher than 180/110 is considered a hypertensive crisis and emergency care is necessary right away. Tools that track blood pressure have become easier to use — at home or on the go. Here are five easy ways to check your numbers.

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