How to Learn About Hypertension
- 1). Go to the American Heart Association website and sign up for its monthly newsletter. Five high blood pressure topic links are in the high blood pressure home page. Click on the links to learn about high blood pressure; why high blood pressure matters; your risk for high blood pressure; symptoms, diagnosis and monitoring; and prevention and treatment. The American Heart Association also provides a high blood pressure quiz for you to assess your knowledge, and a high blood pressure risk calculator.
- 2). Visit the high blood pressure page on the Centers for Disease Control website. Click on the links below the "Learn About High Blood Pressure" tab to learn about risk factors, what the numbers in your high blood pressure results stand for, and what you can do about high blood pressure. This page also includes statistics and facts regarding hypertension, which you can access by clicking on any of the links in the section "Facts & Statistics."
- 3). Go to the "Educational Material for Patients" page on the CDC website (see Resources section). Click and download the "Know the Facts About High Blood Pressure" PDF, which is a full-color handout that describes relevant information about hypertension. Move down to the links listed under "Fact Sheets." Click and download the "High Blood Pressure Fact Sheet" and any of the other hypertension-related fact sheets on information that you want to learn more about.
- 4). Schedule an appointment to see your doctor. Before your appointment, prepare a list of questions to ask. Use your visit as an opportunity to clarify any questions you have about what you've learned about hypertension. Your doctor is a fountain of information and the best person with whom to discuss hypertension and what it means regarding your health care. Most doctors provide literature for their patients in the form of handouts or brochures; if your doctor does not provide you with one, ask for information that you can read.