@diannecochran, you were fortunate to hear from Colleen Young at the outset of your quandary. She knows a lot, and she has given you the Internet address of a good Healthline article. Another Healthline report that may interest you is at https://www.healthline.com/health/high-blood-pressure-hypertension#overview and several following pages citing "everything" about hypertension. Be aware that your kidney may also be crucial to your blood pressure status. My medical care practice refers hypertensive people like me to kidney doctors (nephrologists) as soon as Stage 2 hypertension is found. From the two Healthline articles, you'll be alerted to crucial considerations that could drive your blood pressure up. Age is a factor that gradually raises the allowable maximum from the mid-60s up. The most important guidelines from cardiology and nephrology now aim at Stage 1 hypertension (139/89), Stage 2 (140+/90+), and "hypertensive crisis" (180+/120+). A single blood pressure reading at home, however high it is, needs confirmation with another reading -- normally after 10-15 minutes (or sooner if it is in hypertensive crisis and a call to 911 might be wise). Treatment will depend on which of a dozen symptoms is caused by high blood pressure readings. If you would like to know more about my experience than the two Healthline articles provide, I'll gladly respond to questions and recruit some other Connect members to weigh in as well. Martin