Understanding Blood Pressure Readings and Risks
Introduction
Blood pressure is the force blood exerts on your artery walls as
it flows through your circulatory system. The higher the pressure, the harder
your heart has to work. Monitoring your blood pressure is important to detect
any elevations early and take steps to control it.
Blood Pressure Categories
Blood pressure is measured in two numbers - the systolic
pressure (as the heart beats) over the diastolic pressure (as the heart relaxes
between beats). A normal reading is less than 120/80 mmHg. Here are the general
blood pressure categories:
·
Normal: Less than 120/80
mmHg
·
Elevated: 120-129/Less
than 80 mmHg
·
Stage 1 Hypertension:
130-139/80-89 mmHg
·
Stage 2 Hypertension:
140/90 mmHg or higher
·
Hypertensive Crisis:
Higher than 180/120 mmHg
Risks of High Blood
Pressure
Sustained high blood pressure raises your risk for serious
health problems:
1.
Heart Disease and Heart
Attack: The extra workload causes your heart to enlarge and weaken
over time. This leads to coronary artery disease and heart attack risk.
2.
Stroke: High
pressure damages blood vessels in the brain and causes them to harden and
narrow, potentially leading to stroke.
3.
Kidney Damage: The
kidneys have to work overtime to filter blood, which can cause damage over
time.
4.
Blurred Vision: Blood
vessel damage in the eyes can cause vision impairment or blindness.
5.
Erectile Dysfunction: Men
can experience erectile dysfunction from high blood pressure decreasing blood
flow.
Conclusion
Knowing your blood pressure numbers and ranges is key for
identifying potential issues early on. Have your blood pressure checked
regularly and work with your doctor to control elevated levels through
lifestyle changes and medication if needed. Consistently maintaining healthy
blood pressure reduces your risk for all the associated dangerous
complications.
Frequently Asked
Questions
Is
130/80 high blood pressure?
A reading of 130/80 is classified as stage 1 hypertension.
Lifestyle changes are recommended at this stage to lower blood pressure and
reduce heart disease risk.
What
blood pressure requires immediate treatment?
A hypertensive crisis with a reading over 180/120 mmHg requires
emergency treatment to reduce blood pressure quickly and prevent organ damage.
What is
a dangerous diastolic blood pressure?
Diastolic pressure consistently over 90 mmHg is considered
dangerous. Between 80-90 mmHg indicates stage 1 hypertension requiring
treatment.
What
lifestyle factors affect blood pressure?
Diet, exercise, weight, smoking, alcohol, stress, sleep quality,
and medications can all impact blood pressure readings.
Is
white coat hypertension dangerous?
White coat hypertension, which spikes only at the doctor’s
office, doesn’t seem to increase health risks like consistent high blood
pressure. But it still requires monitoring.
