Department of Internal Medicine

• Patient Services
  • Find a Provider
  • General Patient Information
    • Internal Medicine Clinics
    • Inpatient Hospital Care
    • General Health Information
      • A-H
        • Alcohol
        • Blood Pressure
        • Cervical Cancer Screening
        • Cholesterol Screening
        • Colon Cancer Screening
        • Dental Health
        • Depression
        • Exercise
        • Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
        • Guidelines for Proper Nutrition
        • Hearing Screening
      • I-Z
        • Immunizations
        • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
        • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
        • Liver Disease
        • Peptic Ulcer Disease
        • Preventable Injuries
        • Prostate Cancer Screening
        • Sexual Behavior
        • Smoking
        • Taking Medicine Safely
        • Vision Screening
        • Weight Control
        • Women's Health Care Issues
  • Special Services
    • Comprehensive Weight Management
    • Geriatric Medicine
    • International Travel Clinic
    • Mohs Micrographic Surgery Clinic
    • Procedures
      • Colonoscopy
      • Upper Endoscopy
      • Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
    • Services for Persons with HIV/AIDS
    • STD Clinic
  • Billing Information
  • View Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Referring a Patient
• Educational Programs
  • Internal Medicine Clerkship
  • Internal Medicine Residency
  • Medicine Psychiatry Residency
  • Dermatology Residency
  • Dermatology Student Electives
    • 3rd Year Elective
    • 4th Year Elective
    • Visiting Students
  • Fellowship Programs
    • Endocrinology
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Pulmonary & Critical Care
  • Continuing Medical Education
    • Grand Rounds
    • Other SIU CME
• Research Programs
  • Geriatrics Laboratory
  • Other Research
• Divisions & Faculty
  • Internal Medicine Faculty
  • Cardiology
  • Dermatology
  • Endocrinology
  • Gastroenterology
  • General Internal Medicine
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Medicine Psychiatry
  • Nephrology
  • Pulmonary & Critical Care
  • Rheumatology
• Other SIU Links
  • Employment Opportunities
  • Infection Control
  • Internal Medicine Intranet (password required)
• Links for Faculty
  • Centricity (on campus)
  • Centricity (off campus)
  • EMDAT
  • MHS PowerChart
  • SaintsNet
• Internal Medicine Home

High Blood Pressure

• High Blood Pressure, otherwise known as hypertension is the force of blood against the walls of the blood vessel.
• Hypertension is a leading risk factor for heart disease, stroke, aneurysm and kidney disease.
• Hypertension is diagnosed if the systolic (top number) blood pressure is 140mm or higher and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure is 90mm or higher.
• Hypertension usually has no symptoms; therefore, it is called the "Silent Killer". The only sure way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked annually.

Self help tips to control Blood Pressure

• Reduce salt intake, alcohol intake and quit smoking.
• Take medications as prescribed.
• Do not stop taking your medication because you feel better.

Comments? Click here to send us an e-mail.
Please note that specific medical questions can not be answered via this website.
Copyright © 2006, Board of Trustees, Southern Illinois University - Privacy Policy
Page Last Updated September 12, 2008