Understanding High Blood Pressure

Posted on September 22nd, 2007 by admin

I am sure you have measured your blood pressure before or seen how a person’s blood pressure is measured by a doctor or health professional. For example, a doctor wrapped and inflated a rubber cuff around your upper arm. Next, air in the cuff is released, and your blood pressure is measured while the doctor listened to your pulse with a stethoscope and recorded two numbers (something like 120/80).

Blood pressure is the force of your blood travelling thru your body and pushing against the walls of the arteries. Each time when your heart beats, your blood pressure is highest because the heart pumps blood into the arteries. The higher number in the reading is called Systolic pressure. The lower number is called Diastolic pressure, which is the pressure between heartbeats (the pressure when the last sound is heard).

Normal blood pressure reading is 120/80. If your Systolic pressure rises to 140 or above, or if your Diastolic pressure rises to 90 or above, this is considered high blood pressure.

According to the American Heart Association, an estimated one in three U.S. adults have high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) and an alarming one-third of those don’t even know they have it. That’s why high blood pressure has long been called “the silent killer”.

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. And if the person has high cholesterol or diabetes or are obese, the risk of heart attack or stroke increases multiple times.

High blood pressure can occur in both children and adults, although it is most common in people who are over age 35, and is most prevalent in middle-aged and elderly people, obese people, smokers and heavy drinkers. The best remedy to counter high blood pressure is thru proper diet, regular exercise and healthy lifestyle.

You must know your blood pressure numbers like you know your age, height and weight. Ironically, many people can remember their phone or bank account numbers but they don’t know their blood pressure numbers.