High blood pressure: How is it measured? When should it be measured? Causes and treatment.

What is the meaning of numerical values?

Blood pressure is indicated by two numbers separated by a slash, such as 120/80. You may also hear someone say their blood pressure is 120 over 80. What do these numbers mean?

The first number indicates systolic blood pressure, the pressure at the top of your heart when it pumps blood through your blood vessels. The second number indicates diastolic blood pressure, the pressure when your heart refills with blood between two heartbeats.

Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or lower, while high blood pressure is indicated if your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 and 140/90, you are diagnosed with prehypertension, which means that if you don’t take preventative steps, your blood pressure could develop into high blood pressure.

When should blood pressure be measured?

It’s recommended to start measuring your blood pressure after age 18, once every two years, and more frequently if you’ve had high blood pressure in the past.

What problems does high blood pressure cause?

Both prehypertension and high blood pressure can cause damage to blood vessels. As a result, the risk of stroke, kidney failure, heart disease, and heart attacks increases.

Lifestyle changes to prevent high blood pressure include:

• Don’t smoke cigarettes or any other tobacco product.
• Lose weight if you are overweight.
• Exercise regularly.
• Maintain a healthy, balanced diet that includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, and low-fat foods.
• Reduce your intake of salt, alcohol, and caffeine.

How does tobacco affect blood pressure?

Nicotine in cigarettes, as well as other tobacco products, causes blood vessels to constrict and heart rate to increase, which temporarily raises your blood pressure. If you decide to quit smoking or stop using other tobacco products, you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and heart attacks, as well as lower your blood pressure.

What about weight loss and exercise?

If you’re overweight, losing weight usually helps lower your blood pressure. Regular exercise is an excellent way to lose weight. Furthermore, physical activity has been shown to significantly and directly contribute to lowering blood pressure.

Sodium, is it safe?

Not everyone feels the effects of sodium, but it can significantly contribute to high blood pressure in most people. Because of this, the recommendation in the United States is that “people with normal blood pressure should not exceed 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.” The recommendation for people of African descent and older adults with high blood pressure is to limit sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day. Your doctor may also ask you to reduce your sodium intake even further.

Don’t add salt to the foods you eat. Check the ingredient list on food products to see how much sodium they contain. While many foods are clearly high in sodium—such as various snacks—we may not be aware of the amount of sodium in other products, such as bread, various canned vegetables, soups, and cheeses. It’s worth noting that some medications also contain sodium.

Alcohol and blood pressure?

For some people, alcohol significantly raises blood pressure. However, for others, this may be different. If you regularly drink alcohol, limit your intake to two alcoholic drinks per day for men and one alcoholic drink per day for women.

The term “one drink” has been defined as one can of beer, one glass of wine (150 ml), or a small glass of liquor. If your blood pressure tends to rise when you drink alcohol, it is recommended to abstain from alcohol altogether.

Does stress and psychological tension affect blood pressure?

Stress and anxiety can affect your blood pressure. To help you manage the side effects of stress and anxiety, we recommend trying relaxation techniques or biofeedback. To maximize the benefits of relaxation exercises, it’s recommended to do them at least once a day.