Blood Pressure 160/110 How Bad Is It

Lifestyle Changes With Blood Pressure Of 160/90

Medications can do a lot to reduce high blood pressure but lifestyle changes remain a frontline of defense.

The first step is to monitor your blood pressure on a consistent basis. Purchase a home blood pressure monitor that uses an arm cuff and check your blood pressure every few days. Keep a record of your blood pressure readings and share it with your doctor at your next visit.

Whether youre checking your blood pressure regularly or not, lifestyle modifications are usually recommended. Lifestyle modifications for those with a blood pressure of 160/90 include the following:

When Should You Get Help For An Abnormal Blood Pressure Reading

One high or low blood pressure reading by itself may not mean you need to call for help. If you take your blood pressure and it is out of the normal range, wait a few minutes and take it again. If it’s still high or low, use the following guidance.

911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:

• You passed out .

or seek immediate medical care if:

• Your blood pressure is much higher than normal .
• You think high blood pressure is causing symptoms such as:
• Severe headache.

What To Do If Your Blood Pressure Reading Is 160/65

A blood pressure reading of 160/65 is cause for concern. The first step is to take another reading to confirm your blood pressure.

As an aside, home blood pressure monitors are amazingly affordable and great way to stay on top of your blood pressure. So invest in your health and check out .

You may want to calm down before getting another blood pressure reading. Lie down and rest for a few minutes.

This is a potentially life-threating issue and you should call 911 immediately.

Once you have been assessed by a medical professional there are a number of ways you can address a blood pressure reading of 160/65.

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What Can I Expect If I Have This Condition

Since high blood pressure doesnt cause many symptoms at first, you probably wont feel any different with a high blood pressure diagnosis. But its important to follow your providers instructions to bring your blood pressure down so it doesnt cause serious illnesses later in life.

How long does high blood pressure last?

If you have primary high blood pressure, youll need to control it for the rest of your life.

If you have secondary high blood pressure, your blood pressure will most likely come down after you receive treatment for the medical problem that caused it. If a medication caused your high blood pressure, switching to a different medicine may lower your blood pressure.

What is the outlook for high blood pressure?

You can get seriously ill if you dont treat your high blood pressure. However, if you take the medicines your provider ordered, you can control your blood pressure. Exercising and eating healthy foods also helps lower your blood pressure.

Who Is Prone To Hypertension/high Blood Pressure

Anyone can develop hypertension or high blood pressure at any age. However, certain conditions can accelerate the risk of hypertension:

• Lifestyle: Leading a stressful and sedentary lifestyle can very often raise the risk of high blood pressure, as does eating unhealthy foods, consuming too much salt, smoking heavily, and drinking alcohol excessively.
• Age: As people age, the risk of hypertension increases since blood pressure tends to increase with age. However, it is increasingly observed that even children and teenagers are now suffering from high blood pressure. A major cause is children are now leading a less active lifestyle thanks to all the gadgets, and are becoming overweight.
• Gender: It is observed that men suffer more from hypertension than women, especially before the age of 45 years. After the age of around 45 years, women too become more prone to hypertension, i.e. during or after the menopausal period.
• Family History: You are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure if you have a family history of high blood pressure.

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You Shouldn’t Ignore White Coat Hypertension

Some people experience white coat hypertension, when blood pressure is elevated in the doctor’s office but not in other settings. These patients need to monitor their blood pressure at home or wear an ambulatory blood pressure monitor that takes your blood pressure every 30 minutes for 24 hours.

While white coat hypertension was formerly considered simple nervousness, recent research suggests otherwise.

A study published in the journal Hypertension found that people with white coat hypertension are at a significantly greater risk for developing sustained high blood pressure than people who have normal blood pressure. One possible explanation is that people with white coat hypertension have a harder time managing stress and anxiety.

Buying A Blood Pressure Instrument To Measure Your Blood Pressure At Home

Blood pressure instruments can be purchased in most pharmacies. Buy a blood pressure instrument that has been approved by the Association for the Advancement in Medical Instrumentation , the British Hypertension Society or the International Protocol . These labels will be marked clearly on the box. If you are unsure whether an instrument is approved, ask your pharmacist for help. Once you have bought the instrument, ask your doctor or pharmacist to check it to make sure the instrument measures your blood pressure accurately.

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What Hypertension Stage Three Does To Your Body

Hypertension is often called the silent killer because its sufferers so rarely experience physical symptoms in the early stages. Even the signs that do exist, such as tingling in the arms or legs due to decreased circulation, are often excused by other factors, such as long hours of work. Yet, left undetected/uncontrolled, hypertension is actually causing chaos to most every system in the human body.

Cardiovascular

Its a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease, microvascular disease, and heart attack. Increased pressure from systolic and diastolic blood pressure causes the vascular system to weaken and stiffen. As the damage continues, the cell lining in the arteries deteriorates and leaves you at risk for fatty deposits, aneurysms, and decreased blood flow to the heart muscle. As the heart works harder and harder, the workload can cause it to enlarge and ultimately fail.

Brain

The brain relies upon the nourishment of the vascular system to function properly. Clogged and sluggish blood supply leaves you at risk for cognitive impairment, such as dementia and Alzheimers. It leaves you susceptible to strokes, aneurisms, and TIAs.

Kidneys

Eyes

Vascular

More Information About A Blood Pressure Reading Of 160/116

A blood pressure reading of 160/116 is pronounced “160 over 116.” You may also see it written colloquially as 160/116 bp.

In a blood pressure reading of 160/116, 160 is called the systolic number and 116 is called the diastolic number. Systolic refers to the part of the cardiac cycle in which the heart contracts and pumps blood from the chambers into the arteries, and diastolic refers to the part of the cardiac cycle in which the heart relaxes and allows the chambers to fill with blood. You may also hear the systolic and diastolic numbers referred to as the top number and the bottom number.

Systolic and diastolic readings are measured in mmHg, which is a unit of pressure equal to the pressure that can support a column of mercury 1 millimeter high. Hg is the chemical symbol for mercury. For a blood pressure reading of 160/116, you would pronounce it “160 over 116 millimeters of mercury.”

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What You Should Know About A Blood Pressure Of 160/110

What is hypertension stage three? Very specific blood pressure guidelines have been created by The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association to help the public and medical professionals define blood pressure readings by stages of severity. These stages also help refine the treatment decision-making process and identify effective measures to control hypertension over the long-term.

Blood pressure readings less than 120/80 mmHg are considered within the normal range. Readings that rise up to 129 mmHg systolic but remain less than 80 diastolic are considered elevated. Stage one hypertension begins when readings rise to 130-139/80-89 mmHg, and stage two hypertension is classified as 140-180/90-120 mmHg. Lastly, there is stage three hypertension of readings higher than 180/120 mmHg.

Stage three hypertension is considered either a hypertensive crisis or a hypertensive emergency. With other stages of blood pressure, a diagnosis is made after at least two reliable readings on two separate occasions. With stage three hypertension readings, this isnt the case.

Minus symptoms of organ distress, you should wait five minutes after the initial reading to recheck your hypertension stage three blood pressure. If the reading remains in the range of hypertension stage three and cardiac distress symptoms are absent, then you should immediately report to your physician for further guidance.

Knowing the above will be a key component in managing stage three hypertension.

What Is A Good Blood Pressure Target For Elders

Blood pressure often rises with age, but experts agree that lower numbers are better for overall health. Blood pressure is measured in two numbers: systolic and diastolic. The top number is the systolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure caused by the heart contracting and squeezing out blood. The bottom number is diastolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure when the heart relaxes and fills with blood.

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Will I Have High Blood Pressure After Pregnancy

Unless you have preexisting or chronic hypertension, your blood pressure will most likely return to a normal level within a few weeks after you have your baby.

After you give birth, your blood pressure will be closely monitored, and your caregiver will be watching you for signs of worsening hypertension and preeclampsia.

In some women, though, blood pressure remains elevated. If your blood pressure is still high three months after you give birth, you’ll be diagnosed with chronic hypertension.

Learn more:

• Pregnancy symptoms you should never ignore

BabyCenter’s editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you’re seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

ACOG 2022. Preeclampsia and high blood pressure during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

ACOG. 20201Managing high blood pressure. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Blood Pressure Is Mostly A Silent Disease

Unfortunately, high blood pressure can happen without feeling any abnormal symptoms.

Moderate or severe headaches, anxiety, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, palpitations, or feeling of pulsations in the neck are some signs of high blood pressure. Often, these are late signs that high blood pressure has existed for some time, therefore annual checks are recommended for all adults.

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What Medications Are Used To Treat High Blood Pressure

Four classes of high blood pressure medications are considered first line when starting treatment. Sometimes other medications are coupled with these first-line drugs to better control your high blood pressure. First-line, pressure-lowering medications are:

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors block the production of the angiotensin II hormone, which the body naturally uses to control blood pressure. When angiotensin II is blocked, your blood vessels dont narrow. Examples: lisinopril , enalapril or captopril.
• Angiotensin II receptor blockers block this same hormone from binding with receptors in the blood vessels. ARBs work the same way as ACE inhibitors to keep blood vessels from narrowing. Examples: metoprolol , valsartan or losartan.
• Calcium channel blockers prevent calcium from entering the muscle cells of your heart and blood vessels, allowing these vessels to relax. Examples: amlodipine , nifedipine , diltiazem .
• Diuretics flush excess sodium from your body, reducing the amount of fluid in your blood. Diuretics are often used with other high blood pressure medicines, sometimes in one combined pill. Examples: indapamide, hydrochlorothiazide or chlorothiazide.

Why Is Your Blood Pressure Important

Your blood pressure is important because if it is too high, it affects the blood flow to your organs. Over the years, this increases your chances of developing heart disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, eye disease, erectile dysfunction and other conditions.

Very occasionally, people with very high blood pressure are at serious risk of problems and need urgent treatment in hospital to reduce the risk of a stroke or heart attack.

Current Australian guidelines recommend that if you have persistent raised blood pressure over 160/100 mmHg, but are at low risk of having a stroke or heart attack, you should talk to your doctor or specialist about taking medication to lower your blood pressure.

For further information, visit the Choosing Wisely Australia website.

If youre over 18, you should have your blood pressure checked by your doctor at least every 2 years, or more often if advised.

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Facts About High Blood Pressure

There’s a good reason why every doctor’s appointment starts with a blood pressure check. While one in three American adults has high blood pressure, about 20% of people are unaware that they have it because it is largely symptomless.

In fact, most people find out they have high blood pressure during a routine office visit.

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as the heart pumps blood. High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, is when that force is too high and begins harming the body. If left untreated, it willl eventually cause damage to the heart and blood vessels.

Your blood pressure is measured in two numbers: The top systolic blood pressure measures the force pushing against artery walls when the heart is contracting. The bottom diastolic blood pressure measures pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting between beats.

Normal blood pressure levels are 120 mmHg/80 mmHg or lower. At risk levels are 120-139 mmHg/80-89 mmHg. Readings of 140 mmHg/90 mmHg or higher are defined as high blood pressure.

Here are six other things you should know about high blood pressure.

Common Causes Of High Blood Pressure Spikes

Some people with high blood pressure will experience sharp rises in their blood pressure. These spikes, which typically last only a short period of time, are also known as sudden high blood pressure. These are some possible causes:

• Certain medications or combinations of medications
• Chronic kidney disease

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Preventing High Blood Pressure

To keep your blood pressure in the normal range, your daily habits are key. These things help:

Donât smoke. Among the many health problems that smoking causes, it raises your blood pressure.

Make physical activity a habit. Most experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five or more times a week. Or you could do a harder activity for a shorter period of time per session.

Eat right. Read food labels to see how much sodium is in a serving. Check with your doctor to find out what your daily limit should be. Include a lot of vegetables and fruits, along with whatever else you choose to put on your plate.

Stick to a healthy weight. Extra pounds raise your blood pressure. If youâre not sure what a healthy weight would be for you, ask your doctor.

Get enough sleep. For most adults, thatâs 7-8 hours of sleep per night, on a regular basis.

If you drink alcohol, limit it to no more than one drink a day if youâre a woman and up to two drinks a day if youâre a man.

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Medications With Blood Pressure Of 160/90

Medications can have a big impact on your blood pressure. There are a variety of different types of blood pressure medications available. Following is a short list of each type of medication and what they do to reduce blood pressure.

• DiureticsHelps rid the body of sodium , which helps control blood pressure.
• Beta-blockersHelps reduce your heart rate, which helps lower blood pressure.
• ACE inhibitorsACE stands for Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme. Helps the body produce less angiotensin, which helps the blood vessels relax and lowers blood pressure.
• Angiotensin II receptor blockersHelps block the chemical that causes blood vessels to narrow, which helps blood vessels stay open and lowers blood pressure.
• Calcium channel blockersHelps lower blood pressure by preventing calcium from entering smooth muscle cells, which can cause stronger heart contraction and narrow blood vessels.
• Alpha blockersHelps relax certain muscles, which keeps blood vessels open and lowers blood pressure.
• Alpha-2 Receptor AgonistsHelps lower blood pressure by inhibiting sympathetic activity.
• Central agonistsUsing a different nerve path than Alpha and Beta blockers, Central agonists help relax blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure.
• VasodilatorsHelps dilate the blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure.

Talk with your doctor about changing or adjusting the dosage of medications to help bring your blood pressure readings down.

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Risk Factors For Hypertension

There are a number of factors that can put you at a greater risk for developing hypertension.

If you are aware of these risk factors and understand how they can affect you, you may be less likely to develop high blood pressure or know you can help control it.

• Family History: If you have a close blood relative with HBP, you are at a greater risk of developing it yourself.
• Age: The older you get, the more likely you are to be diagnosed with HBP.
• Gender: Males are more likely to develop HBP before the age of 65. Women tend to develop hypertension over the age of 65.
• Race: More than 4 in 10 African-Americans suffer from high blood pressure. Hypertension in these individuals usually occurs earlier in life and is much more severe.
• Diabetes: More than 3 in 4 people with Diabetes are also diagnosed with Hypertension.
• Lifestyle: The choices you make can decrease your risk of developing hypertension. These factors include diet, exercise, being overweight and the use of alcohol and tobacco. The good news is that, unlike the others, these risk factors can be changed.