What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries. Blood pressure consists of two number; a top and bottom number. The top number is the systolic pressure. The bottom number is the diastolic pressure.
Systolic blood pressure is the force of blood in your arteries as your heart beats. If your systolic number is higher than one hundred and forty you have high blood pressure. Even if your diastolic number is not high you can still have 'isolated systolic hypertension.' This means only your systolic number is high.
This is more common for older Americans. This pressure usually increases with age whereas diastolic pressure decreases after fifty-five. You might not know if you have isolated systolic hypertension so ask your doctor if you are concerned.
Diastolic blood pressure is the force of blood in your arteries when your heart relaxes between beats. For younger people this is a very important number. The higher this pressure is the more you are at risk. This blood pressure lowers as you get older and your systolic increases. Therefore diastolic is more important in younger people and systolic in older.
Normal blood pressure is less than one hundred and twenty over less than eighty. If your pressure is between the normal numbers and one hundred and thirty-nine over eighty-nine, you have what is called prehypertension. This puts you at risk to develop high blood pressure in the future but it easily preventable.
Hypertension is a name for high blood pressure. Having high blood pressure puts you at risk for heart disease or even strokes. High blood pressure makes your heart work harder than it should and can lead to blindness, kidney disease and even congestive heart failure.
According to statistics high blood pressure killed over fifty-four thousand people in 2004. Statistics also show that twenty-eight percent of people have high blood pressure and aren't even aware of it. Are you one of them?
You should be aware of the risks of high blood pressure so you can avoid them as best as you can. High blood pressure is a risk for stroke and heart disease. While some risks can be altered or fixed, some cannot. For instance if you use tobacco or are overweight you are at risk for high blood pressure.
You can easily fix this by trying to quit using tobacco and watching your diet to help lose weight. If you have trouble doing either of these on your own, consult your physician. They may be able to prescribe you something or give you useful information to help.
High blood pressure can affect certain parts of your body as well. You might suffer from a stroke. This happens because the high blood pressure can break a weak blood vessel leaving it to bleed into the brain. Also if you have a blood clot blocking a narrow artery, you can also experience a stroke.
Sometimes impaired vision or blindness can occur from high blood pressure. It might eventually cause your blood vessels in your eye to bleed or burst leaving you with blurred or impaired vision.
Your arteries harden as you age, even more so for those in your heart, brain and kidneys. These harder arteries are associated with high blood pressure. When this happens your kidneys and heart have to work harder.
If you have any questions or concerns about your blood pressure ask your doctor. They can answer any questions you might have and find a solution if you do in fact have high blood pressure or might be prone to it. It's never too late to take care of your body, including your blood pressure.
Are you concerned about your blood pressure? If so, you can easily start monitoring it in your own time in your own home. You still want to have it checked regularly by your doctor. The best way to monitor your blood pressure is by understanding the numbers first.
There is a top and bottom number for your blood pressure reading. The top number is your systolic pressure. Systolic pressure is the force of blood in your arteries as your heart is beating.
The bottom number is your diastolic pressure. Diastolic pressure is the force of blood in your arteries as your heart relaxes between each beat.
There are four different categories your blood pressure reading can fall under. The first is a normal blood pressure reading. Normal blood pressure is when your systolic pressure is below 120 and your diastolic pressure is below 80. This would read 120/80. You can keep this blood pressure number by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The second category is 'prehypertension.' This is where your systolic pressure reads 120-139. Your diastolic pressure would be between 80 and 89. This would read as 121/81 or 139/89. If you have prehypertension just maintain a healthy lifestyle to keep your blood pressure from increasing.
The third category is called Stage 1 hypertension. This is where your systolic pressure is between 140 and 159 and your diastolic pressure is between 90 and 99. If you have a reading like this try to adopt a healthier lifestyle. If you cannot lower your blood pressure on your own talk with your doctor about medication.
The fourth category is called Stage 2 hypertension. This is where your systolic pressure is 160 or higher and your diastolic pressure is 100 or higher. If you have this high of blood pressure consider adapting a healthier lifestyle and talk with your doctor about taking medication to help lower it.
While you can easily watch your diet and weight and get plenty of exercise to help maintain or lower your blood pressure, that may not be enough. Blood pressure medication might be prescribed by your doctor and you might even have to take two.
If this happens be sure you tell your doctor of any other medication you might be taking. Some medications including antidepressants, cold medicines, nasal decongestants and even oral contraceptives can raise your blood pressure.
Like usual, talk with your doctor about any concerns you might have and if you have any questions about your blood pressure. There are many available ways to treat high blood pressure and you want to be sure to find the right option best suited for you.
By taking control of your blood pressure you can take control of your health and have a longer healthier life. If you smoke, try to quit, try to limit your alcohol consumption and eat lots of fruit and vegetables.
If you have a dog, take a walk with them everyday. Get yourself at least thirty minutes of physical activity. You will be thankful you did when you realize how much better you feel.
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