Is Hypertension Heart Disease?

Q: I was just diagnosed with high blood pressure. Does that mean I have heart disease?

A: One in three U.S. adults has high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is defined as 140/90 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) or higher.

A diagnosis of hypertension does not mean you have heart disease, but the higher your blood pressure, the greater your risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. The good news is you can do something about it.

Limit your sodium from all sources to less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day.

Read food labels. More than 75 percent of sodium is in processed foods.

Maintain a normal body weight for your height.

Limit your alcohol intake, as alcohol raises blood pressure when overconsumed. For women, that’s one drink a day; for men, two drinks a day. A drink is one 12-ounce beer, 4 ounces of wine, 1-1/2 ounces of 80-proof spirits, or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.

Your doctor may recommend medication. Physical activity, such as brisk walking, also can help control hypertension.

Learn more about heart disease.

Jennifer H. Mieres, M.D., is director of nuclear cardiology at New York University. She’s also co-author of Heart Smart for Black Women and Latinas (St. Martin’s Press, 2008).