Maintaining a healthy blood pressure is important for heart health and overall wellbeing. High blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for heart disease and having another heart event, like a heart attack.
It’s important to regularly monitor your blood pressure.
In this video, cardiologist A/Prof Sarah Zaman talks about blood pressure and gives her top tips for managing it.
To keep your blood pressure within a healthy range, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week, follow a heart-healthy eating pattern, if you smoke, quit, find healthy ways to manage stress, monitor your blood pressure and remember to take your medicines as prescribed.
Doing regular physical activity, such as brisk walking, swimming or cycling, helps maintain a healthy weight and keeps your heart strong. Choose activities that you enjoy so that you’re more likely to do them regularly.
Enjoy a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, and lean proteins. Experiment with herbs and spices, instead of salt, to add flavour to your food. Reducing your salt intake helps support healthy blood pressure.
Did you know that quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your heart health? It's possible to quit with support from your GP, Quitline (13 78 48) and medicines like nicotine replacement therapy.
Choose healthy ways to manage your stress such as deep breathing or yoga. They can help to lower your blood pressure and improve your overall wellbeing.
Knowing your ideal blood pressure and monitoring your blood pressure regularly can help you work towards keeping it within your healthy range.
You can visit your GP for regular checks, use local pharmacies that offer blood pressure measurements or consider purchasing a validated home monitor for convenience.
If you live in a rural or remote area, you can use community health services, your local healthcare worker, telehealth services and mobile clinics for blood pressure checks.
Your doctor might also prescribe medicines to manage your blood pressure, especially after a heart event or diagnosis. It is important to take these as instructed. Don’t stop taking your medicines or change the dose without speaking to your doctor first.
Last updated19 July 2024