What is blood pressure?
As the blood circulates around the body, it is under pressure. The blood pressure
is a result of the pumping action of the heart and the resistance of
the vessels, through which the blood flows.
When blood pressure is high it puts an unnecessary strain on the heart
and blood vessels.
Blood pressure may rise temporarily due to exercise,
excitement, anger or anxiety making your heart beat faster.
What is normal blood pressure?
Your blood pressure levels will vary during the
day and will normally be highest around lunchtime or after exercise
and lowest when you are resting or sleeping. Blood pressure is quoted
as 2 numbers, the first number known as systolic pressure, is the blood
pressure during each heartbeat. The second, known as diastolic, is the
blood pressure between beats.
The latest guideline from the British Hypertension
Sociey (2004) defines blood pressure of 130/85 or below as normal but
say that 120/80 is the optimal. 140/90 is the level used to diagnose
high blood pressure. If your blood pressure reading is consistently
140/90 or above this is considered high blood pressure and treatment
may be required. The high blood pressure reading can be either a systolic
reading of 140 or above, a diastolic reading of 90 or above, or both.
What causes blood pressure to be high?
Anyone can develop high blood pressure and it doesn’t
always have an obvious cause. If you have persistent high blood pressure,
the condition is called hypertension.
High blood pressure tends to run in families. Blood
pressure will also increase, as you get older. This may be why heart
attacks are more common in older people. In
a few cases high blood pressure can be related to another medical condition.
There are many other elements that contribute to
high blood pressure that can be avoided, such as being overweight, drinking
too much alcohol,
smoking, lack of exercise and a poor diet.
How can I tell if I have high blood pressure?
You may feel perfectly well, as high blood pressure
usually causes no symptoms and generally will go undiscovered until
a doctor happens to take your blood pressure. If you have very high
blood pressure you may experience dizziness, headaches, blurred vision
and possible breathlessness. The only way you can tell for sure if you
have high blood pressure is to have it measured by your doctor, or purchase
one of the many blood pressure monitors that are available from most
pharmacies.
What are the dangers of having high blood pressure?
High blood pressure in itself is not a disease,
but it can cause serious health problems such as, heart
disease and strokes.
You are also more likely to suffer from kidney damage or failure.
How can I reduce the risk of high blood pressure?
A healthy lifestyle can help prevent high blood
pressure. For a healthy lifestyle you should cut down on salt intake
and watch your weight, find a weight that is right for you and try to
stick to it. You should also give up smoking, drink less alcohol, eat
a balanced healthy diet and get regular exercise.
If these measures are not successful in lowering
blood pressure, then there is a wide range of drugs available to treat
high blood pressure. Your doctor will help you decide what treatment
is right for you. Some women experience high blood pressure because
of the contraceptive pill, your doctor will monitor your blood pressure
if you are on the pill. High blood pressure can also occur during pregnancy
and usually returns to normal after the birth, always consult your doctor
if you are worried.
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