What Is Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is called diastolic pressure.
Your blood pressure reading uses these two numbers. Usually the systolic number comes before or above the diastolic number. For example, 120/80 means a systolic of 120 and a diastolic of 80.
Prevalence Of Hypertension Control In The Population
- In 2019, the age-standardized prevalence of hypertension control was 36.4% for people with hypertension, 40.9% for women and 32.3% for men.
- The rates of hypertension control in the population increased 145.9% relative to its level in 1990, 137.8% for women, and 158.4% for men. However, there is a huge gap with respect to some healthcare systems that are able to reach more than 60% of control.
The Two Measurements Of Blood Pressure Determine
Blood pressure measurements measure the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats and in between beats. These measurements can tell if your blood pressure is normal, high, or low. Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers, the systolic blood pressure , which measures the pressure in the blood vessels when your heart beats. The diastolic blood pressure , measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is at rest between beats. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg or lower. High blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or more. Levels between 120/80 and 140/90 are considered prehypertension and mean a person is at high risk for developing high blood pressure.
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What Is A Normal Blood Pressure Reading
As discussed in Question 4, normal blood pressure is defined as 120/80 mmHg or less. Other important blood pressure ranges to know are: – Prehypertension: 121-139/80-89- Stage 1 hypertension: 140-159/90-99- Stage 2 hypertension: > 160/> 100Exercise, sleep, posture, and stress can all affect blood pressure readings, so if your blood pressure reading is high your doctor may take several readings over time to help confirm a diagnosis.
When Should I Call My Doctor
Contact your healthcare provider if your blood pressure reading at home is lower or higher than normal. Call 911 if your reading is 180/120 millimeters of mercury or even if only one of those numbers is that high.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Even though you may not feel any symptoms, your blood pressure could be high. Its important to check your blood pressure regularly so you know if youre in the normal range. If you have high blood pressure, keep taking the medications your provider prescribed. Dont stop or start taking them without talking to your provider. Blood pressure medication doesnt keep working after you stop taking it. Keep all follow-up appointments so your provider can monitor your blood pressure, make any needed changes to your medications and help control your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/01/2022.
References
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How Blood Pressure Is Measured
Hypertension can be mild, moderate or severe. Your blood pressure is naturally higher when you are exerting yourself, such as during physical exercise. It is only a concern if your blood pressure is high when you are at rest, because this means your heart is overworked and your arteries have extra stress in their walls.Blood pressure readings are a combination of two measurements. These are:
- Systolic is the highest pressure against the arteries as the heart pumps. The normal systolic pressure is usually between 110 and 130mmHg.
- Diastolic is the pressure against the arteries as the heart relaxes and fills with blood. The normal diastolic pressure is usually between 70 and 80mmHg.
What Should I Expect After The Blood Pressure Test
If youre nervous when you go to your appointment, you could have a false high blood pressure reading. This is called white coat syndrome. If this happens, your healthcare provider may ask you to use a blood pressure monitor to check your blood pressure throughout the day. You can bring a record of your blood pressure readings to your appointments.
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What Are The Complications Of Uncontrolled Hypertension
- Chest pain, also called angina.
- Heart attack, which occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked and heart muscle cells die from lack of oxygen. The longer the blood flow is blocked, the greater the damage to the heart.
- Heart failure, which occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to other vital body organs.
- Irregular heart beat which can lead to a sudden death.
When My Blood Pressure Responds To Medication I Can Stop Taking It
People who take medication to treat hypertension may find that their blood pressure returns to normal. However, for many people, hypertension is a lifelong condition.
It is important to follow the doctors recommendations and only reduce or stop taking the medication when they have confirmed that this is the best course of action. According to the American Heart Association :
Expect to treat high blood pressure for life. Doctors will sometimes reduce a drug dosages after achieving normal blood pressure and maintaining it for a year or more, although it is rare for the treatment to be stopped entirely. Some form of treatment must be continued over a lifetime for good results.
There is currently no cure for hypertension. However, there are ways to manage the condition and reduce its impact on health.
For , making the following changes may help:
- reducing alcohol intake
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Blood Pressure Cuff Placement
Most blood pressure reading errors are the result of improper sizing of the blood pressure cuff or placing the cuff over clothing. Improper placement of the cuff over clothing can cause your blood pressure measurement to increase by 10 to 50 points. If the cuff is too small, it can add 2 to 10 points to your bp measurement. Be sure to roll up your sleeve for a blood pressure test and also let your doctor know if the cuff feels too tight around your arm.
You Get High Blood Pressure From Stress
Your blood pressure may go up for a while when you’re under stress, but stress by itself doesn’t cause long-term high blood pressure. Of course, if you’re under a lot of stress all the time, this can still affect your health.
Smoking, drinking too much alcohol, being obese, and not being physically active do raise your chance of high blood pressure. If it runs in your family, or if you’re African-American, your risk is also higher. Blood pressure also tends to go up as we age.
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What Treatments Are Available For Patients With High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Without treatment, you can have a transient ischemic attack or stroke, heart attack, enlarged heart, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease , aneurysms, kidney disease, and broken blood vessels in your eyes. Treatment includes making changes recommended by your healthcare provider.
Diet and lifestyle changes:
- Reach and stay at your ideal body weight
- Get regular exercise
- Eat a well-balanced, heart-healthy diet that is low in salt, fat and cholesterol, and contains lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Your diet is an important part of blood pressure control. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan and limiting sodium help control blood pressure. Ask your doctor to refer you to a dietitian for a more personalized eating plan.
- Having no more than two alcoholic drinks per day and no more than one drink per day for women and lighter-weight men. One drink is considered to be 12 ounces of beer or wine cooler, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
- Control stress and anger.
- Avoid all tobacco and nicotine products.
- Other lifestyle changes, such as controlling lipid levels and managing other health conditions, such as diabetes.
Medications and follow-up care:
Your doctor may ask you to record your blood pressure at home. Follow your doctors instructions for recording your blood pressure.
The Bottom Number Is The Only One That Matters In High Blood Pressure
Both numbers in your blood pressure reading count. A reading below 120/80 is normal.
If your top number is 120 to 129 and your bottom number is 80 or less, you have prehypertension. It means you could end up with high blood pressure unless you take steps to prevent it.
If your top number is 130 or above and your bottom number is 80 or above, you have high blood pressure. The higher the number, the greater your health risks.
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Cutting Back On Table Salt Is The Best Way To Cut Sodium
Processed food is probably where you get most of your salt. Foods don’t have to taste salty to be high in sodium. Some bread and rolls, soups, frozen pizza, and cold cuts are all high.
Read labels. You may be shocked at how much sodium is in your food. Make sure you know how much one serving is. If you eat two servings, you’ll get twice as much sodium.
If your blood pressure is even a little above normal, use the American Heart Association’s guidelines for how much sodium you get each day. That is 2,300 mg should be your absolute daily maximum, but limiting yourself to no more than 1,500 mg is ideal..
High Blood Pressure Can Usually Be Cured
There is no cure for most cases high blood pressure, but it can be effectively managed by changes in diet and lifestyle, and in some cases, medications. Lifestyle changes include a healthy diet with lower salt intake, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, not smoking, limiting alcohol intake, and taking prescription medications as directed.
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Prevalence Of Hypertension Control Among Treated
- Regionwide in 2019, only 3 out of 5 people treated for hypertension achieved hypertension control, 60.4% .
- Hypertension control among treated was slightly higher in women 61.3% than in men 59.4% .
- Prevalence of hypertension control among those treated in 2019 increased significantly by 62.8% relative to 37.1%, the level in 1990.
- In 2019, the prevalence of hypertension control among treated varies across countries from 28.7% in Haiti to 82.8% in Canada, revealing a large gap in health care system effectiveness among countries.
Blood Pressure And Ageing
With advancing years, the arteries tend to become more rigid . This may change a persons blood pressure pattern, with a higher systolic pressure and a lower diastolic pressure. The higher systolic pressure is important because it can further accelerate the rigidity of the arteries. This state is referred to as isolated systolic hypertension. Although these changes are due to ageing, this is not a normal state and may need medication to control the systolic pressures.
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What Type Of Results Do You Get
Your blood pressure reading has two measurements:
- Systolic blood pressure : This is the pressure in your arteries when your heart is beating and sending blood into your arteries.
- Diastolic blood pressure : This is the pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest between heartbeats.
Providers give the measurements as millimeters of mercury . They started using these measurements when instruments to measure blood pressure contained mercury.
Most People With Hypertension Feel Okay
Hypertension usually does not produce any symptoms, because the organs of the body can resist high blood pressure for a long time. Thats why its important to have regular medical examinations to make sure your blood pressure isnt creeping up as you grow older.High blood pressure over a period of time can contribute to many illnesses, including:
- heart attack
The effects of high blood pressure on the arteries are worsened by:
- cigarette smoking
- high levels of saturated fat in the diet
- high blood cholesterol
Responses to some types of stress may affect both blood pressure and changes in the arteries, but this remains scientifically uncertain.
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How Do I Prepare For A Blood Pressure Measurement
- Wait 30 minutes to measure your blood pressure if you just smoked, exercised or had a cup of coffee.
- Go to the bathroom and pee until your bladder is empty.
- Roll up your sleeve so you dont put the cuff over your shirt sleeve.
- Sit for at least five minutes without talking.
- Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor. Dont cross your legs.
- Rest your arm on a table in front of you so your arm is at heart level.
Quiz: Pulmonary Hypertension Questions With Answers
Play this quiz on pulmonary hypertension questions with answers to gauge your knowledge on the topic. The quiz contains various facts, trivia, and conceptual questions that will help you in mastering the subject. The quiz is thoroughly researched, providing easy, medium, and hard-level questions that are sure to provide you with valuable feedback and would also enhance your knowledge reservoir. If you like the quiz, share it with your friends and family. All the best!
- Which of the following regarding pulmonary hypertension is FALSE?
- A.& nbsp
PH has many underlying etiologies
- B.& nbsp
The disease affects the left side of the heart
- C.& nbsp
The hemodynamic definition of PH is a mean pulmonary arterial pressure greater than or equal to 25 mmHg
- D.& nbsp
Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a subset of PH
The disease affects men much more than women
Non-specific symptoms such as fatigue and edema present clinically
Catheterization is required when PH is suspected
Underlying causes and PCWP or LVEDP are evaluated
Vascular wall remodeling is an issue
There is a cure for PAH
The balance of vasoconstriction and vasodilation may indicate PAH
CCBs have a selective effect on vascular smooth muscle
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What Are The Different Types Of High Blood Pressure
There are two main types of high blood pressure: primary and secondary high blood pressure.:
- Primary, or essential, high blood pressure is the most common type of high blood pressure. For most people who get this kind of blood pressure, it develops over time as you get older.
- Secondary high blood pressure is caused by another medical condition or use of certain medicines. It usually gets better after you treat that condition or stop taking the medicines that are causing it.
What Are The Treatments For High Blood Pressure
Treatments for high blood pressure include heart-healthy lifestyle changes and medicines.
You will work with your provider to come up with a treatment plan. It may include only the lifestyle changes. These changes, such as heart-healthy eating and exercise, can be very effective. But sometimes the changes do not control or lower your high blood pressure. Then you may need to take medicine. There are different types of blood pressure medicines. Some people need to take more than one type.
If your high blood pressure is caused by another medical condition or medicine, treating that condition or stopping the medicine may lower your blood pressure.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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High Blood Pressure And Diet
Making changes to your diet is a proven way to help control high blood pressure. These changes can also help you lose weight and lower your chance of heart disease and stroke.
Your health care provider can refer you to a dietitian who can help you create a healthy meal plan. Ask what your blood pressure target is. Your target will be based on your risk factors and other medical problems.
DASH DIET
The low-salt Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet is proven to help lower blood pressure. Its effects on blood pressure are sometimes seen within a few weeks.
This diet is rick important nutrients and fiber. It also includes foods that are higher in potassium, calcium, and magnesium lower in sodium than the typical American diet.
The goals of the DASH diet are:
- Limit sodium to no more than 2,300 mg a day .
- Reduce saturated fat to no more than 6% of daily calories and total fat to 27% of daily calories. Low-fat dairy products appear to be especially beneficial for lowering systolic blood pressure.
- When choosing fats, select monounsaturated oils, such as olive or canola oil.
- Choose whole grains over white flour or pasta products.
- Choose fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Many of these foods are rich in potassium, fiber, or both.
- Eat nuts, seeds, or legumes daily.
- Choose modest amounts of protein . Fish, skinless poultry, and soy products are the best protein sources.
HEART HEALTHY DIET
Other tips include:
Why Is Hypertension An Important Issue In Low
The prevalence of hypertension varies across regions and country income groups. The WHO African Region has the highest prevalence of hypertension while the WHO Region of the Americas has the lowest prevalence of hypertension .
The number of adults with hypertension increased from 594 million in 1975 to 1.13 billion in 2015, with the increase seen largely in low- and middle-income countries. This increase is due mainly to a rise in hypertension risk factors in those populations.
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