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May is High Blood Pressure Education Month.
May 17, 2025, is World Hypertension Day.
You’ve probably heard of hypertension before, just called by its more casual name — high blood pressure. But make no mistake — it’s as serious as a heart attack.
Over time, high blood pressure makes your arteries less elastic, which reduces the flow of oxygen and blood to your heart. Hypertension is known as a “silent killer” because it usually doesn’t have any symptoms but can lead to heart attack, stroke and other health problems.
Hypertension is so common, about half of all adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure. And that’s not accounting for the 1 in 5 people who don’t even know they have it.
Take our quiz to test your knowledge on hypertension and learn some surprising facts about high blood pressure.
1. A blood pressure of 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) means you have hypertension.
Correct
Incorrect
false. High blood pressure is at or above 130/80 mm Hg. Fun facts: The first number (systolic) is the amount of force on your artery walls when your heart beats. The bottom number (diastolic) is the pressure on your artery walls between contractions.
2. Hypertension affects more men than women.
Correct
Incorrect
true. High blood pressure affects more men than women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). But recent research has found that women have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke at lower blood pressure levels than men do. And hypertension rates are higher for women after age 60.
3. Mental health conditions can cause hypertension.
Correct
Incorrect
true. Research shows mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can cause increased cardiac reactivity or increased blood pressure and heart rate. Over time, this can result in high blood pressure and reduced blood flow to the heart.
4. Hypertension is diagnosed with a blood test.
Correct
Incorrect
false. Your blood pressure is measured via an arm cuff. Whoever is looking at the gauge may use a stethoscope to listen to your pulse, or a digital or automatic cuff will give your blood pressure reading.
5. Dehydration can cause high blood pressure.
Correct
Incorrect
true. Time to fill up your Stanley. Dehydration, or the process of losing more fluids than you’re taking in, can affect your blood pressure. Recent research has shown a strong link between hypertension and dehydration, although research is ongoing as to the exact reason why this happens. Bottom line: Stay hydrated, friends.
6. Everyone needs medication for hypertension.
Correct
Incorrect
false. If you have high blood pressure, there may be steps you can take to try to lower it without medication. Lifestyle changes can include incorporating 30 minutes of physical activity into your schedule five days a week, quitting smoking, limiting salt and alcohol, managing stress and maintaining a healthy body weight.
7. Hypertension can affect your sex life.
Correct
Incorrect
true. High blood pressure affects blood flow, which can mean decreased blood flow to the vagina. This can affect sexual desire and comfort during sex.
8. Hypertension can lead to dementia.
Correct
Incorrect
true. High blood pressure is associated with poor cognitive function and dementia later in life. This is especially important to note as more women and people AFAB are diagnosed with dementia compared to men.
9. White-coat hypertension is a real health condition.
Correct
Incorrect
true. White-coat hypertension is real. It refers to a spike in blood pressure levels during a visit with a healthcare provider — the one in the white coat. White-coat hypertension is temporary, but studies show that people with white-coat hypertension have an increased risk for developing chronic high blood pressure compared to people with normal blood pressure levels in a healthcare setting.
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