How Often Should I Have My Blood Pressure Checked?

Having your blood pressure checked is one of the best steps you can take to protect your long-term health. Why? Because high blood pressure (hypertension) doesn’t cause symptoms.

Hypertension is a progressive condition that worsens without giving you any signs of a problem. As the disease progresses, it damages your blood vessels and causes serious complications like heart and kidney disease.

At Deon D. Middlebrook MDPC, we offer comprehensive healthcare, including blood pressure checks, risk screenings, and personalized plans to promote and protect your health.

When to have your blood pressure checked

When you should have your blood pressure checked depends on your age, current blood pressure, risk factors, and overall health.

You’ll learn about risk factors in the next section, or you can schedule a risk assessment for an in-depth analysis. Meanwhile, here are the blood pressure screening recommendations:

People with a low risk:

If your risk is low or average, follow these guidelines:

18-39 years old: Have your blood pressure checked at least every 3-5 years.
40 or older: Have your blood pressure checked at least once a year.

Keep in mind that these recommendations state “at least” yearly or every 3-5 years. You may have issues, such as blood pressure that’s on the high side of normal, that should be checked more often.

People with a high risk:

Anyone with a high risk of developing hypertension (see the risk factors below) or who already has hypertension should have a blood pressure screening at least once yearly.

You may need more frequent blood pressure checks, or your healthcare provider may ask you to monitor it at home.

Risk factors for hypertension

Your risk for high blood pressure is higher if you have any of the following factors.

1. Chronic health conditions

High blood pressure isn’t the only health condition that makes routine screenings essential. Have your blood pressure checked at least once yearly if you have:

Kidney disease
Diabetes
Heart disease
Vascular disease
Stroke
Obesity
Sleep apnea

High blood pressure is one of the top two causes of kidney disease. (Diabetes is the No. 1 cause.) Hypertension also causes heart disease, vascular disease, and stroke. If you have diabetes, you're twice as likely to have hypertension and kidney disease.

Chronic diseases and hypertension share a two-way connection that magnifies your risk of health complications.

If you have any of these conditions, you should have your blood pressure checked at least once a year.

2. Risk factors you can’t change

You can’t change risk factors such as your age, family history, and race. However, knowing you have these risks helps guide how often you should get your blood pressure checked.

The more unchangeable risk factors you have, the more critical it is to have blood pressure screenings and change lifestyle factors if needed.

Three unchangeable risk factors include:

Family history

Your risk is higher if your parents or other close relatives have hypertension.

Age

Age increases your risk because your blood vessels naturally lose elasticity. Additionally, unhealthy lifestyle habits have more time to affect your blood pressure.

Race and ethnicity

African American, Hispanic, and Asian adults have a higher risk of developing hypertension. For example, Black adults have a 20% higher risk. Their risk is also much higher for diabetes and kidney disease.

3. Lifestyle risk factors

High blood pressure is most often caused by years of following unhealthy lifestyle habits that gradually but persistently damage the blood vessels and heart.

The primary risks responsible for hypertension include:

Consuming a diet high in salt and added sugar and low in potassium (from vegetables, beans, and fruit)
Not getting enough exercise
Being overweight or obese
Drinking too much alcohol
Smoking
Feeling chronic stress

Lifestyle factors have such an impact that changing them can prevent high blood pressure, and making adjustments is a standard part of hypertension treatment.

Need your blood pressure checked?

If you have questions about your blood pressure or risk factors, we’re here to help. Call Deon D. Middlebrook MDPC or use online booking to request an appointment today.