The Blood Pressure Diary is an easy way to learn if your treatment is helping or if you and your doctor need to change your treatment.
Print out the following chart and fill it in after you or your doctor measure your blood pressure. (Ask your doctor how often you should take your blood pressure if you're checking it yourself.) Keep the information in your wallet or taped to your refrigerator as a reminder of how far you've come or how far you still need to go.
Remember: You shouldn't stop taking your medication unless directed by your doctor, even if your numbers are lower.
For your reference, there are four categories of blood pressure as reported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
*Blood pressure that is too low can be dangerous.
From the National Institutes of Health. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committe on Prevention, Detention, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. NIH Publication. 2003. No.03-5233.
The NIH also finds that:
As your blood pressure numbers go above the normal range, so does stroke.
Every 20-point increase in your systolic (top) number or 10-point increase doubles your risk of heart attach or stroke.
