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High blood pressure or hypertension is a common disease affecting about one in four people. It is also called the silent killer disease because sometimes there are no symptoms till complications like stroke, kidney failure, and heart disease set in.
What is blood pressure?
The top number is known as the systolic pressure. This is the pressure of the arteries when the heart beats or contracts. The bottom number is the diastolic pressure. This is the pressure of the arteries when the heart is resting in between beats.
A sample blood pressure reading will be 120/80 mm mercury.
According to the American heart association, blood pressure recommendations are as follows:
Normal Blood Pressure systolic less than 120
diastolic less than 80
What do your blood pressure numbers mean?
According to the American heart association, blood pressure recommendations are as follows:
Normal Blood Pressure systolic less than 120
diastolic less than 80
Elevated Blood Pressure systolic 120 - 129
diastolic less than 80
Hypertension Stage1 systolic 130 - 139
diastolic 80 - 89
Hypertension Stage2 systolic 140 and above
diastolic 90 and above
diastolic 80 - 89
Hypertension Stage2 systolic 140 and above
diastolic 90 and above
Hypertensive Crisis systolic 180 and above
diastolic 120 and above
Blood pressure changes from minute to minute depending on your posture, exercise, stress, or sleep. So if your doctor gets a single high reading, he will likely take several readings over time before a diagnosis of high blood pressure is given.
diastolic 120 and above
Blood pressure changes from minute to minute depending on your posture, exercise, stress, or sleep. So if your doctor gets a single high reading, he will likely take several readings over time before a diagnosis of high blood pressure is given.
If you monitor your blood pressure at home and your blood pressure numbers are high, rest for a few minutes and then repeat the blood pressure reading to get accurate readings.
It is recommended that persons aged 20 and above, take their blood pressure at every healthcare visit or at least once in two years. You can also ask your doctor to recommend an automatic blood pressure monitor to take your blood pressure at home.
It is recommended that persons aged 20 and above, take their blood pressure at every healthcare visit or at least once in two years. You can also ask your doctor to recommend an automatic blood pressure monitor to take your blood pressure at home.
Please read and obey the instructions of the monitor before use.
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/understanding-blood-pressure-readings
