Patient information from BMJ

High blood pressure: questions to ask your doctor

Last published:Dec 06, 2021

If you've been told you have high blood pressure, you may want to talk to your doctor to find out more. Here are some questions that you might want to ask.

What is my blood pressure? What do the numbers mean?
Ideally, what should my blood pressure be?
Will I have any symptoms from my high blood pressure?
Do I need any other tests?
How often should I have my blood pressure checked?
Can I make changes to my lifestyle to help get my blood pressure down? Should I change my diet? Exercise more? Get help to stop smoking?
Do I need to take medicines to treat my high blood pressure?
If I need to take medicines, what's the best treatment for me?
What are the side effects of treatment?
How long will I need to take this treatment?
What should I do if I forget to take a dose of my blood pressure medicine? Should I take two doses the next time a dose is due or skip one?
Will I still need to have treatment once my blood pressure comes down?
What will happen if I don't get my blood pressure under control?
How will having high blood pressure affect my life?
Is there anything I should avoid doing?

The patient information from BMJ Best Practice is regularly updated. The most recent version of Best Practice can be found at bestpractice.bmj.com. This information is intended for use by health professionals. It is not a substitute for medical advice. It is strongly recommended that you independently verify any interpretation of this material and, if you have a medical problem, see your doctor.

Please see BMJ's full terms of use at: bmj.com/company/legal-information. BMJ does not make any representations, conditions, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that this material is accurate, complete, up-to-date or fit for any particular purposes.

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