Introduction
Chapter 1: Blood Pressure
Your Circulation
Your Blood Pressure What the Upper Number Means: Systolic Blood Pressure
Diastolic Blood Pressure – What the Lower Number Means
What Is “Normal”?
Blood Pressure at Different Ages
Summing Up
Chapter 2: Blood Pressure Tests
How Is Blood Pressure Measured?
Blood Pressure Machines
Measuring Blood Pressure at Home
Twenty-Four Hour Blood Pressure
Monitoring Explained
Summing Up
Chapter 3: Understanding Hypertension
High Blood Pressure
Treatment Isn’t Always Necessary
(The Grey Areas)
When Does High Blood Pressure
Require Treatment
Calculating Cardiovascular Risk
Moderate to Severe Hypertension
Isolated Systolic Hypertension
Higher Diastolic Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure during Pregnancy
Hypertension during Pregnancy
Some Definitions
Summing Up
Chapter 4: Why Do I Have High Blood Pressure?
Primary Hypertension
The Interaction between Hypertension
Cholesterol, Obesity and Diabetes
Inessential Hypertension
Which Medications Can Cause Hypertension?
Hormone Diseases and High Blood Pressure
Hypertension and Kidney Disease
Hypertension and Obesity
Coarctation of the Aorta and High
Blood Pressure
Summing Up
Chapter 5: How Hypertension Affects You
Symptoms
The Effects of Hypertension on the
Blood Vessels
Hypertension and the Heart
The Brain and High Blood Pressure
The Eyes and High Blood Pressure
Hypertension and the Kidneys
Can Other Parts of My Body Be Damaged
by High Blood Pressure?
My Doctor Talks about Cardiovascular
Disease, What Is This?
Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Summing Up
Chapter 6: Low Blood Pressure: Causes and Treatment
How Low Is Too Low?
Hypotension Symptoms
Hypotension Causes
Do I Need to Go to the Doctor for Hypotension?
Treating Hypotension
Summing Up
Chapter 7: Lifestyle Changes to Treat Hypertension
Will High Blood Pressure Stop Me Living an Active Life?
Exercise to Reduce Blood Pressure
Smoking and Blood Pressure
What to Eat to Lower Your Blood Pressure
Hypertension and Alcohol
Stress and Blood Pressure
Summing Up
Chapter 8: Treatments for Hypertension
Chapter 9: Dealing with the Treatment Pros and Cons
Chapter 10: Treating High Blood Pressure without Tablets
Chapter 11: Planning Your Blood Pressure Treatment
Help List