Introduction. Hypertension is the most common civilization disease and the most common cause of cardiovascular complications. The likelihood of developing hypertension increases with age. Lifestyle modification can significantly lower one’s blood pressure, improve well – being, extend life and improve its quality. Aim. The aim of this study was to analyze the health behaviors of patients with hypertension. Material and methods. The study group consisted of 188 respondents suffering from arterial hypertension. The majority of them (67.02 %) were women. The research instruments employed in this survey-based study were the author’s questionnaire and the Health Behavior Inventory. Results. A high level of health behaviors was observed in 32% of the respondents, while both average (sten scores of 5 and 6), and low (sten scores of 1 to 4) levels were noted in 34%. Analysis of particular health categories showed that the respondents obtained the highest scores for positive mental attitudes (M = 3.53, SD = 0.76), and the lowest scores for normal eating habits (M = 3.32, SD = 0.83). Conclusions. 1) The average level of health behaviors observed in our study indicates the necessity for further research on a larger population with diagnosed hypertension. 2) High scores for positive mental attitudes may indicate the ability to avoid stressful reactions and accompanying negative emotional states. 3) There is a need for education on health behaviors.

Key words: hypertension, health behaviors, lifestyle.