High blood pressure is sometimes called a "silent killer."

That's because there usually are no symptoms, said KOAT health Abinash Achrekar, M.D., better known as Dr. Ash. Yet high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and even dementia, so it's important to get it checked regularly.

"Blood pressure shows how hard your heart is working to move blood through your body," Dr. Ash said. "Measurements consist of two numbers. The top number, call systolic pressure, shows the pressure when your heart beats. The bottom number shows diastolic pressure, the pressure when your heart relaxes."

Dr. Ash said that systolic pressure above 130 or diastolic pressure above 80 is a sign that it's time to make some changes.

"Medical providers should now encourage you to adopt hea

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