Monitoring Blood Pressure

One reason to have regular check-ups by your doctor is to check your blood pressure. If you have only a slightly higher reading—such as a top number between 120 and 139 or the bottom number between 80 and 89, you have pre-hypertension. You may be at risk for developing high blood pressure. Your health care provider will probably want you to make changes in your daily habits to try and lower those numbers.

Your doctor will say your blood pressure is high when it measures 140/90 or higher at two or more checkups. He or she may also ask you to check your blood pressure at home at different times of the day. If the numbers are still high after several checks, your health care provider will probably suggest medicine, changes in your diet, and exercise. (American Heart Association).