Ask the doctor: Treatment for high systolic pressure?
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If you are not currently being treated for high blood pressure (hypertension), your doctor might start with lifestyle changes. Regular exercise, weight loss, and cutting down on salty foods and added salt in your diet might fix the problem without medications. If medications are tried, because of your age, your doctor will probably aim first to gently lower your systolic pressure to below 150. If you don't have any bothersome symptoms, such as lightheadedness, your doctor will then probably push to get your systolic pressure below 140. Such treatment is also likely to lower your diastolic pressure, but the focus should be on your systolic pressure.
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