What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Every time your heart beats, it pumps blood into your arteries. Your blood pressure is higher when your heart beats, pumping blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure drops. This is called diastolic pressure.
Your blood pressure reading uses these two numbers. The systolic number is usually placed before or above the diastolic number. For example, 120/80 means a systolic pressure of 120 and a diastolic pressure of 80.
How is high blood pressure diagnosed?
High blood pressure has no symptoms. Therefore, the only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is through regular checkups when you visit your healthcare provider. Your provider will use a meter, stethoscope, or electronic sensor and blood pressure cuff and take two or more measurements at different medical appointments before making a diagnosis.
You have high blood pressure if your readings show that:
Your systolic pressure is greater than 140 or
Your diastolic pressure is 90 or greater
Some health providers consider that you can have hypertension if you have cardiovascular risk factors and
Your systolic pressure is between 130 and 139 or
His diastolic pressure is between 80 and 89
Blood pressure greater than 180/120 is dangerously high and requires immediate medical attention.
For children and teens, the doctor compares the blood pressure reading to what is normal for other children of the same age, height, and sex.
Different types of high blood pressure:
There are two main types of high blood pressure: Primary and Secondary.
Primary or essential: It is the most common type of high blood pressure. It usually develops over time as it ages
Secondary: It is caused by another medical condition or the use of certain medications. It usually improves when the cause is treated or when you stop taking the medications that cause it.
Why do I have to worry about high blood
pressure?
When your blood pressure stays high for a long time, it makes your heart pump harder and overwork, which can lead to serious health problems, such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and kidney failure.
What are the treatments for high blood pressure?
Treatments for high blood pressure include heart-healthy lifestyle changes and medications.
Your healthcare provider will work with you on a treatment plan. It may include only lifestyle changes. These changes, like heart-healthy eating and exercise, can be very effective. However, sometimes the changes do not control or lower high blood pressure. If that happens, you may need to take medicine. There are different types of medicines for blood pressure. Some people need to take more than one type.
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