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Your doctor may diagnose you with high blood pressure based on your medical history and if your blood pressure readings are consistently at high levels. Diagnoses for children younger than 13 are based on typical readings for their sex, height, and age.

It is important to have regular blood pressure readings taken and to know your numbers, because high blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms until serious complications occur. Undiagnosed or uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause complications such as chronic kidney disease, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and possibly vascular dementia.

Everyone age 3 or older should have their blood pressure checked by a healthcare provider at least once a year. Healthy lifestyle changes can help prevent high blood pressure from developing.

Factors that increase your risk for high blood pressure include unhealthy lifestyle habits such as eating too much sodium, drinking too much alcohol, and being physically inactive. Other risk factors include age, family history and genetics, race and ethnicity, and sex.

High blood pressure can cause problems for a mother and her baby. High blood pressure can harm a mother’s kidneys and other organs and can cause early birth (called preterm birth) and low birth weight.

Learn the 5 steps women can take to help their recovery after a stroke and prevent another stroke.

Call 911 right away if you think you’re having a stroke. Stroke treatments work best when given quickly.

Learn about the imaging or blood tests you can expect to get at the hospital after a stroke.

Learn about the signs of stroke and what to do if it happens to you.

Learn steps you can take to manage health problems and lower your risk for stroke.