Learn how to explain high blood pressure and have hypertension conversations in Spanish: Presión alta e hipertensión.
Here is the High Blood Pressure and Hypertension conversations in Spanish that I taught to the Facebook group:
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see all of our lessons and get the latest videos right away!
In this Medical Spanish lesson we cover vocabulary and phrasing around:
- Describing high blood pressure and ideal blood pressure ranges
- Talking through the relationship between diet and blood pressure
- Discussing the benefits of physical activity for lowering blood pressure
- Common medications for controlling blood pressure
- Complications of not controlling blood pressure
Vocabulario Relevante – Relevant Vocabulary
To talk about blood pressure, there is a handful of words you can use:
| Spanish | English |
| Presión sanguínea | Blood Pressure |
| La presión | Blood pressure |
| La presión arterial | Arterial pressure |
| La presión sanguínea | Blood pressure |
| El esfigmomanómetro | Sphygmomanometer |
| El manguito de presión | Blood Pressure cuff |
| Una presión saludable | A Healthy blood pressure |
| Entre __ y __ | Between __ and __ |
| Más de | More than |
Menos de  | Less than |
| Hipertenso(a) | Hypertensive |
| Pre-hipertenso(a) | Pre-hypertensive |
| Chequear (checar) la presión | Check blood pressure |
| Tomar la presión | Take blood pressure |
| Padecer de la presión | Suffer from pressure |
| Voy a tomarle la presión: | I’m going to take the blood pressure on you: |
| • Siéntese por favor | • Take a sit please |
| • Quítese el suéter por favor | • Take off your sweater please |
| • Ponga sus dos pies en el piso | • Please put both feet on the floor |
| • Relájese | • Relax |
| • No cruce las piernas | • Do not cross your legs |
Resultados – Results
Once you take your patient’s blood pressure, it’s time to talk about the results.
| Spanish | English |
| Su presión está en… | Your blood pressure is at… |
| Cien (100) | One hundred |
| Ciento diez (110) | One hundred ten |
| Ciento veinte (120) | One hundred twenty (120) |
| Ciento treinta (130) | One hundred thirty (130) |
| Ciento cuarenta (140) | One hundred forty (140) |
| Ciento cincuenta (150) | One hundred fifty (150) |
| Ciento sesenta (160) | One hundred sixty (160) |
| Ciento setenta (170) | One hundred seventy (170) |
| Ciento ochenta (180) | One hundred eighty (180) |
| Ciento noventa (190) | One hundred ninety (190) |
| Dos cientos (200) | Two hundred (200) |
| Sobre = / | Over = / |
| Setenta y seis (76) | Seventy-six (76) |
| Ochenta y ocho (88) | Eighty-eight (88) |
| Noventa y dos (92) | Ninety-two (92) |
| Es normal | It is normal |
| Es baja | It is low |
| Es alta | Is high |
You can say:
- Su presión es de 120 sobre 76 – Your blood pressure is 120 over 76
Explicando la presión – Explaining Blood Pressure
La presión arterial nos dice cuánta fuerza o presión los vasos sanguíneos (las arterias) sienten en 2 momentos:
Blood pressure tells us how much force or pressure the blood vessels (arteries) feel at two different moments:
- Con cada latido del corazón (número alto – presión sistólica) – With each heartbeat (high number – systolic pressure)
- Entre latidos, cuando el corazón descansa (número bajo – presión diastólica) – Between beats, when the heart relaxes (low – diastolic pressure)
Una presión saludable es una presión sistólica menos de 120 y una presión diastólica menos de 80.
Healthy blood pressure is systolic pressure less than 120 and diastolic pressure less than 80.
Es decir, una presión menos de 120/80. Una presión alta puede causarle problemas a lo largo si es más de 140/90. Es importante chequear la presión frecuentemente porque no puede sentir la presión alta – no causa síntomas.
That is a blood pressure less than 120/80. High pressure can cause problems in the long run if it is more than 140/90. It is important to check the pressure frequently because you cannot feel high blood pressure – it does not cause symptoms.
La dieta y la presión – Diet and Blood Pressure
If you want to get to know your patient’s dietary habits, here you can find some open-ended questions:
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Cómo es su dieta? | How is your diet? |
| ¿Qué le gusta comer? | What do you like to eat? |
| Una dieta saludable / balanceada | A healthy / balanced diet |
| La sal o “sal de mesa” | Salt or “table salt” |
| El sodio | Sodium |
| Comidas procesadas | Processed meals |
| Comidas enlatadas | Canned foods |
| Comidas rápidas | fast foods |
| Carne roja | Red meat |
| Carne de res | Beef |
| Fumar | Smoking |
| Tomar alcohol | Drinking alcohol |
| Comidas altas en potasio: | High potassium foods: |
| banana, aguacate, melon, tomate, frijoles | Banana, avocado, melon, tomato, beans |
| Avena | Oatmeal |
| Hojas verdes | Green leaves |
| Comidas bajas en sal (sodio) | Low salt foods (sodium) |
| Cafeína | Caffeine |
| Alcohol | Alcohol |
| Comidas altas en grasa | High fat foods |
Recomendaciones sencillas – Simple Recommendations
Here is a list of simple recommendations for your patient to improve their dietary habits:
| Spanish | English |
| No agregue (eche) sal a las comidas en la mesa | Do not add salt to meals on the table |
| Limite el consumo de alcohol | Restrict alcohol consumption |
| Prepare sus comidas en la casa en vez de comer en la calle (en restaurantes, afuera) | Prepare your meals at home instead of eating out (in restaurants, etc.) |
Actividad física y la presión – Physical Activity and Blood Pressure
“Actividad física” (physical activity) might be the preferred way to talk about exercise because sometimes when talking about “ejercitarse” (exercising) people could think they need to pay a gym membership, so if you work with people from under-resourced communities it might seem impossible or inaccessible.
La actividad física regular es importante para mantener una presión saludable – Regular physical activity is important for maintaining a healthy blood pressure.
You might talk about:
- # veces por semana – # times per week.
- Por # minutos cada vez – for # minutes each time
- Cinco veces por semana, por 30 minutos cada vez – Five times a week, for 30 minutes each time
- Hacer ejercicio is the verb to exercise
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Qué le gusta hacer para actividad física? | What do you like to do for physical activity? |
| Andar en bicicleta | Ride a bicycle |
| Bailar | Dance |
| Caminar | Walk |
| Correr | Run |
| Ir al gimnasio | Go to the gym |
| Jugar al fútbol “soccer” | Play soccer |
| Jugar con los niños en vez de mirarlos | Play with children instead of watching them |
| Nadar | Swim |
| Usar las escaleras en vez del ascensor | Use the stairs instead of the elevator |
Los medicamentos para la presión – Medications for Blood Pressure
When you want to talk about managing your patient’s blood pressure the verb you are looking for is “controlar”.
| Spanish | English |
| Controlar la presión | To manage blood pressure |
| Llevar buen control de la presión | To have a good pressure regimen / management |
| Pastillas | Pills |
| Medicamentos / medicina / medicación | Medications |
| Diuréticos: (hidroclorotiazida) | Diuretics: (hydrochlorothiazide) |
| Para eliminar el agua – bajan el volumen de sangre en el sistema | To get rid of water – they reduce the volumen of blood in your system |
| Inhibidores ACE: (lisinopril) | ACE inhibitors: (lisinopril) |
| Para dilatar (abrir) los vasos sanguíneos – resulta en una presión más baja | To open blood vessels which results in lower pressure |
| Bloqueadores de calcio: (Amlodipina) | Calcium blockers: (Amlodipine) |
| Ayudan al corazón latir con menos fuerza | They help the heart beats with less strength |
Unas instrucciones sencillas – Some Simple Instructions
These easy instructions will keep your verb conjugation at the minimum so it helps you to keep it simple when talking to your patients in Spanish:
| Instrucción | Cantidad | Frecuencia |
| Hay que tomar (You have to take) | Una pastilla (one pill) | Todos los días (every day) Una vez al día (Once a day) |
| Necesita tomar (You need to take) | Dos pastillas (two pills) | Cada # horas (each # hours) En la mañana (in the mornings) |
| Tiene que tomar (You have to take) | # miligramos (milligrams) | Antes de comer (before eating) Con comidas (with meals) |
| Debe tomar (You should take) | Al acostarse (At bedtime) |
Notice any time you talk about occurrences in Spanish, we use “vez” or “veces” (do not use tiempos). So you can say:
- Una vez: Once
- Dos veces: Twice
- Tres (o más) veces: Three (or more) times
Posibles efectos secundarios de los medicamentos – Possible Side Effects of Medications
Depending on the medications you’ll end up prescribing to your patients, you might want them to know about their possible side effects. Here you can find a list of some common ones:
| Spanish | English |
| Diarrea | Diarrhea |
| Dolor de cabeza | Headache |
| Dolor de estómago | Stomachache |
| Estreñimiento | Constipation |
| Hinchazón en: | Swelling in: |
| Los pies | Feet |
| Los tobillos | Ankles |
| Las piernas | The legs |
| Mareo | Dizziness |
| Náuseas | Nausea |
| Pérdida de apetito | Loss of appetite |
| Falta de apetito | Lack of appetite |
| Sueño | Sleepiness |
| Tos | Cough |
| Vómito | Vomit |
Related Lesson: Top Ten Prescription Medications Described in Spanish
Complicaciones de no controlar la presión – Complications of Not Controlling Blood Pressure
Si no controla la presión:
If you do not manage your blood pressure:
- Puede llegar a tener problemas graves a lo largo – You can develop serious problems in the long run.
- Puede desarrollar otras condiciones – You can develop other conditions.
- Aunque no siente los síntomas de la presión, causa problemas – Even though you do not feel the symptoms of blood pressure, it causes problems.
Por eso es importante un buen control de la presión – That’s why it’s important to really manage your blood pressure
Complicaciones específicas – Specific Complications
| Spanish | English |
| Ataque de corazón | Heart attack |
| Derrame cerebral | Stroke |
| Disfunción sexual | Sexual dysfunction |
| Enfermedad renal | Kidney disease |
| Insuficiencia: | — Failure: |
| Cardíaca | Heart — |
| Renal | Renal |
| Pérdida de visión | Loss of vision |
¡Gracias por aprender español conmigo!
Su tarea – Your Homework
- Review the notes & vocabulary
- Identify additional points and topics to discuss with patients
- Let me know if you need help 🙂
- Remember to keep it simple if you need to
- Ask for help in the comments below
- Give it a try with your patients!
Now it’s your turn! I packaged all of this vocabulary in Spanish into some flashcards for you to study.
Free Medical Spanish Terminology Test
If you want to do a free Medical Spanish terminology test head over to certified Spanish, we are currently building a certification platform where you can practice this test for free. You just have to create a free user account here and start practicing your Español Médico 🙂
I packaged all of this into easily downloadable .pdf notes–Get your copy for free today!
Keep up the good work speaking responsible Spanish to your patients! Check out our other books, classes & products to help you learn medical Spanish!
*If the link isn’t working for you, you may need to unblock pop-ups in your browser settings
