What Should Your Blood Pressure Be
Ideally, we should all have a blood pressure reading between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.
Most people in the UK have blood pressures higher than the ideal, but below the usual cut-off for diagnosing high blood pressure somewhere between 120/80mmHg and 140/90mmHg. If youre in this range, you could develop high blood pressure in the future. Taking steps to will keep your risk of health problems down.
Why Is It Important To Know If You Have High Blood Pressure
Early detection of high blood pressure is very important. Often referred to as the silent killer because it may show no symptoms, high blood pressure puts you at an increased risk for heart disease, heart failure, and stroke, among other things. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2013, more than 360,000 deaths in the United States included high blood pressure as a primary or contributing cause.
Who Is At Risk For Developing High Blood Pressure
Primary hypertension is the most common cause of high blood pressure in adolescents and adults, but is less common in children. Many children with high blood pressure also have adult relatives with hypertension, indicating there may be a hereditary aspect to the disease. There is a higher incidence of high blood pressure in African-American children after the age of 12 and into adulthood. Increased rates of obesity have increased the risk of developing high blood pressure in children.
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What Questions Should I Ask My Provider
- Are there supplements or non-prescription medicines that I shouldnt take?
- Can I keep taking these medicines if I get pregnant?
- What kinds of exercise should I do?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
If you dont treat high blood pressure, it can put you at risk for developing serious illnesses later in life such as heart attack, kidney failure and stroke. But if you follow your providers instructions, you can control your blood pressure. Be sure to take any medicines your provider ordered as instructed. Keep taking them even if your blood pressure numbers begin to fall into the normal range. Living a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods, watching your weight and getting regular exercise is also a great way to help control your blood pressure.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/21/2021.
References
What Is Normal Blood Pressure
A blood pressure reading is written like this: 120/80. It’s read as “120 over 80.” The top number is called the systolic, and bottom number is called the diastolic. The ranges are:
- Normal: Less than 120 over 80
- Elevated: 120-129/less than 80
- Stage 1 high blood pressure: 130-139/80-89
- Stage 2 high blood pressure: 140 and above/90 and above
- Hypertension crisis: higher than 180/higher than 120 — See a doctor right away
If your blood pressure is above the normal range, talk to your doctor about how to lower it.
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What Causes High Blood Pressure In Women
1 How does the blood pressure come about? The heart cycle goes through two phases: the pumping phase and the filling phase . Correspondingly, systolic and diastolic pressures build up in the vessels.
2 The systolic pressure arises when the heart contracts and pumps the blood into the ship. The diastolic pressure results when the heart expands again to refill with blood.
3 In healthy people, the pressure reacts flexibly to the requirements of the body through increased cardiac output and narrow or wide positioning of the resistance vessels. Thus, sufficient circulation is always guaranteed, such as during physical activity. More on blood pressure regulation at the bottom.
4 The blood pressure is not a constant size, daily fluctuations are normal. During the night, the blood pressure drops. The differences between people with normal and increased stress, especially in the average values during the day and at night .
5 Especially with older people, but not only with them, with decreasing elasticity of the arteries or arteriosclerosis, but the systolic blood pressure can also increase more pronounced, while the diastolic slightly sink or remains low .
However, typical hypertension, in which both systolic and diastolic pressure tends to increase, develops very frequently with increasing age.
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Prognosis Of High Blood Pressure
Untreated high blood pressure increases a person’s risk of developing heart disease , kidney failure, or stroke at an early age. High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for stroke. It is also one of the three most important risk factors for heart attack that a person can modify .
Treatment that lowers high blood pressure greatly decreases the risk of stroke and heart failure. Such treatment may also decrease the risk of a heart attack, although not as dramatically.
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Why Is My Bottom Blood Pressure Number High
Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries, which carry blood to other parts of your body. Your blood pressure can be measured using two numbers:
- Systolic : pressure exerted when the heart pumps blood throughout the body
- Diastolic : pressure exerted when the heart relaxes and refills with blood
When your blood pressure is consistently higher than 130/80 mm Hg, you are considered to have hypertension.
Who Is At Risk For High Blood Pressure
Anyone can develop high blood pressure, but there are certain factors that can increase your risk:
- Age – Blood pressure tends to rise with age
- Race/Ethnicity – High blood pressure is more common in African American adults
- Weight – People who are overweight or have obesity are more likely to develop high blood pressure
- Sex – Before age 55, men are more likely than women to develop high blood pressure. After age 55, women are more likely than men to develop it.
- Lifestyle – Certain lifestyle habits can raise your risk for high blood pressure, such as eating too much sodium or not enough potassium, lack of exercise, drinking too much alcohol, and smoking.
- Family history – A family history of high blood pressure raises the risk of developing high blood pressure
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Excessive Salt Raises Blood Pressure
Too much sodium can cause water retention that puts increased pressure on your heart and blood vessels. People with high blood pressure and those at a high risk for developing hypertension, including adults over 50 and black men and women, should have no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily of salt.
Even people with normal levels should eat salt in moderation. Stick to no more than 2,300 mg of sodium , per day.
Most dietary sodium comes from processed foods. Rules of thumb are to choose foods with 5% or less of the daily value of sodium per serving and opt for fresh poultry, fish and lean meats, rather than canned, smoked or processed. Similarly, fresh or frozen vegetables are better than canned.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that if people cut just 1/2 teaspoon of salt per day, it could help lower the number of new cases of heart disease per year by up to 120,000.
Further, potassium found in foods like sweet potatoes, spinach, bananas, oranges, low-fat milk and halibut can counterbalance the pressure-increasing effects of sodium by helping to rid the body of excess sodium.
Tips For Taking Blood Pressure Medication
Untreated high blood pressure can increase your risk of serious health problems. If your doctor prescribes medication to lower your blood pressure, remember:
- If you take blood pressure medication and your blood pressure goes down, it means medication and lifestyle changes are working. If another doctor asks if you have high blood pressure, the answer is, “Yes, but it is being treated.”
- Healthy lifestyle changes may help lower the dosage you need.
- Get up slowly from a seated or lying position and stand for a bit before walking. This lets your blood pressure adjust before walking to prevent lightheadedness and falls.
- Tell your doctor about all the drugs you take. Don’t forget to mention over-the-counter drugs, including vitamins and supplements. They may affect your blood pressure. They also can change how well your blood pressure medication works.
- Blood pressure medication should be taken at the same time each day as part of your daily routine. For example, take it in the morning with breakfast or in the evening before brushing your teeth. If you miss a dose, do not double the dose the next day.
- Remember to refill your medication before you run out and bring it with you when traveling. Its important to keep taking your medication unless your doctor tells you to stop.
- Before having surgery, ask your doctor if you should take your blood pressure medication on the day of your operation.
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How To Check Blood Pressure
1 From the middle of the thirties, one should check the blood pressure from time to time, with familial stress with cardiovascular diseases also earlier. It would be even better to regularly take advantage of the cardiovascular check-ups offered free of charge.
2 The health insurance companies currently pay them every two years, starting at the age of 35 The blood pressure measurement is an integral part. Also, pharmacies also offer blood pressure measurements.
3 In many cases, the result will be healthy. However, if too high blood pressure is measured, the next question is: Is there high blood pressure? The diagnosis is usually fast. Further investigations follow suspicion of secondary hypertension or sequelae.
What Is High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force of your blood as it flows through the arteries in your body. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. When your heart beats, it pushes blood through your arteries. As the blood flows, it puts pressure on your artery walls. This is called blood pressure.
High blood pressure happens when your blood moves through your arteries at a higher pressure than normal. Many different things can cause high blood pressure. If your blood pressure gets too high or stays high for a long time, it can cause health problems. Uncontrolled high blood pressure puts you at a higher risk for stroke, heart disease, heart attack, and kidney failure.
There are 2 types of high blood pressure.
Primary hypertension. This is also called essential hypertension. It is called this when there is no known cause for your high blood pressure. This is the most common type of hypertension. This type of blood pressure usually takes many years to develop. It probably is a result of your lifestyle, environment, and how your body changes as you age.
Secondary hypertension. This is when a health problem or medicine is causing your high blood pressure. Things that can cause secondary hypertension include:
- Kidney problems.
- Thyroid or adrenal gland problems.
- Some medicines.
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Too Much Alcohol Consumption
Do you frequently drink alcohol to excess? Research has found that alcohol stimulates the production of endothelin 1 and 2 from the vascular endothelium system. Additionally, the consumption increases the production of angiotensin II in the blood vessels. Medical practitioners will tell you that these two products are potential vasoconstrictors and can lead to increased blood volume, which translates into higher blood pressure.
Treatment Of Anemia During Pregnancy
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Treatment of the anemia
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For severe symptoms or certain problems in the fetus, transfusions
Measures to correct anemia during pregnancy depend on the cause .
Whether blood transfusions are needed depends on whether the following occur:
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Symptoms, such as light-headedness, weakness, and fatigue, are severe.
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Anemia affects breathing or the heart rate.
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The heart rate pattern in the fetus is abnormal.
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Complications Of High Blood Pressure
Long-standing high blood pressure can damage the heart and blood vessels and increase the risk of
The cause may be suggested by abnormal results of a physical examination or by the symptoms. For example, a bruit in the artery to a kidney may suggest renal artery stenosis Blockage of the Renal Arteries Gradual narrowing or sudden, complete blockage may affect arteries that supply the right or the left kidney, their branches, or a combination. Kidney failure or high blood… read more . Various combinations of symptoms may suggest high levels of the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine produced by a pheochromocytoma Pheochromocytoma A pheochromocytoma is a tumor that usually originates from the adrenal glands chromaffin cells, causing overproduction of catecholamines, powerful hormones that induce high blood pressure and… read more . The presence of a pheochromocytoma is confirmed when the breakdown products of these hormones are detected in the urine. Other rare causes of high blood pressure may be detected by certain routine tests. For example, measuring the potassium level in the blood can help detect hyperaldosteronism Hyperaldosteronism In hyperaldosteronism, overproduction of aldosterone leads to fluid retention and increased blood pressure, weakness, and, rarely, periods of paralysis. Hyperaldosteronism can be caused by a… read more .
How Is Blood Pressure Measured
Blood pressure is measured using a machine called a blood pressure monitor.
A cuff is put over your arm. This cuff is attached to a machine which measures the pressure inside your arteries. When the machine is switched on the cuff tightens and then slowly loosens again. It is quick and painless. At the end, the machine will give a blood pressure reading.
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury .
A blood pressure reading contains two numbers and will be written as a figure like 120/75
The first number is the pressure when your heart beats . The second number is when your heart relaxes .
During a blood pressure test, a blood pressure cuff is wrapped around your arm so a blood pressure monitor can measure your systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
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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:
- Caffeine
- Certain medications or combinations of medications
- Chronic kidney disease
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.
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Is Systemic Hypertension Hereditary
Hypertension is a condition that can run in families, meaning that people who live a heart-healthy lifestyle are still at a higher risk for high blood pressure if their parents had hypertension.
However, a suggests that modifying certain lifestyle behaviors and other environmental factors may reduce the effects of inherited high blood pressure in some people.
What Are The Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure
Most people who have high blood pressure do not have symptoms. This is why its sometimes called the silent killer. It is very important to have your blood pressure checked regularly.
Some people experience headaches, nosebleeds, or shortness of breath with high blood pressure. However, those symptoms can mimic many other things . Usually, these symptoms occur once blood pressure has reached a dangerously high level over a period of time.
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What Is Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a significant predictor of heart attacks across the world. Atherosclerosis builds up over a long period of time and the root cause is almost always poor diet and exercise habits.
When we consume food, it is digested by our body and put into the bloodstream. Then the signaling molecules, like insulin, are responsible for moving the nutrients out of the bloodstream and into the cells.
When the body begins to not respond to insulin, it has trouble putting the sugar into the cells. As a result, the sugar stays in the bloodstream much longer, raising your blood sugar levels, leading to diabetes.
Diabetes and other forms of hyperinsulinemia can make your body very sugar-saturated and full of oxidized fats. Lymphocytes, white blood cells, consume these oxidized fats to protect the body and become foam cells.
Foam cells will consume oxidized fats until they explode. When they explode, the body recruits more white blood cells to the site and lays a layer of calcium over those fats to prevent them from reaching the rest of the body.
Monitoring how much calcium has been deposited in your body can be judged through tests like blood pressure. Calcium deposits in cardiovascular tissue, such as heart valves and major arteries, are traditionally referred to as plaque.
This calcification causes arteries and heart valves to get very stiff, and it is one of the biggest categories for the cause of chronic high blood pressure and heart disease.