Go Red for Women® High Blood Pressure and Women
A common misconception is that high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) rarely affects women. However, nearly half of all adults with high blood pressure are women. In fact, women that are just 20 pounds or more overweight, have a family history of HBP or have reached menopause are known to increase a woman’s risk.
While high blood pressure isn't directly related to gender, throughout a woman’s life, health issues like pregnancy, pregnancy prevention (birth control) and menopause can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure.
High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease in Women
Pregnancy Can Elevate the Risk of HBP in Women
Some women who have never had high blood pressure develop it while they are pregnant.
Preeclampsia is usually characterized by the onset of high blood pressure that is lasting and can lead to various complications.
Learn how it affects pregnancies in the U.S and what you can do.
Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure and Menopause
While you may have had normal blood pressure most of your life, your chances of developing high blood pressure increase considerably after menopause.
Heart disease risk rises for everyone as they age, but for women symptoms can become more evident after the onset of menopause.
How to Measure Blood Pressure at Home
The American Heart Association recommends home monitoring for all people with high blood pressure to help the healthcare provider determine whether treatments are working.
Home monitoring (self-measured blood pressure) is not a substitute for regular visits to your health care professional but can be very useful in managing high blood pressure.
ACE inhibitors or ARBs and Pregnancy
High Blood Pressure
Stroke
Your blood pressure shouldn’t feel like a puzzle.
