What Does Having High Blood Pressure Mean

What Does It Mean If You Fall Into The New Guidelines

With these new guidelines, it is estimated that about 14 percent of people will now be classified as having hypertension many of those individuals may be younger. However, only a small percentage will require intervention by medication. Individuals who now fall into a hypertensive category will receive more aggressive prevention interventions, like lifestyle changes.

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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.

Blood Pressure Is Linked To Other Medical Issues

High blood pressure can be the first indication of a serious underlying condition. When a patient comes in with high blood pressure, doctors will check their urine and kidney function do an electrocardiogram to check the size of the heart and look for lung changes.

Stress on the blood vessels makes people with hypertension more prone to heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and aneurysms. Correspondingly, chronic conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, sleep apnea and high cholesterol increase the risk for developing high blood pressure.

In some women, pregnancy can contribute to high blood pressure, leading to preeclampsia. Postpartum blood pressure typically goes back to normal levels within six weeks. However, some women who have high blood pressure during more than one pregnancy may be more likely to develop high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases as they age.

Some of these medical issues can also cause spikes in high blood pressure .

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Research And Statistics: How Many People Have High Blood Pressure

Hypertension is a very common condition, in developing countries as well as industrialized nations.

High blood pressure is more common in men than women, the CDC reports. About 50 percent of men in the United States have high blood pressure, compared with 44 percent of women.

Only 1 in 4 Americans with hypertension have the condition under control.

How Is An Unusual Map Treated

An unusual MAP is usually a sign of an underlying condition or problem in the body, so the treatment depends on the cause. causes may include heart conditions, Sepsis, stroke, internal bleeding, and more.

For a low MAP, treatment may focus on safely raising blood pressure quickly to avoid organ damage. This is usually done with:

• intravenous fluids or blood transfusions to increase blood flow
• medications called vasopressors that tighten blood vessels, which can increase blood pressure and make the heart beat faster or pump harder

Depending on the cause, treating a high MAP may also require quick action, in this case, to reduce overall blood pressure. This can be done with oral or intravenous nitroglycerin . This medication helps to relax and widen blood vessels, making it easier for blood to reach the heart.

Once the blood pressure is under control, the doctor can continue treating the underlying cause. This may involve:

• breaking up a stroke-causing blood clot
• inserting a stent into a coronary artery to keep it open

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What Are Hypertension And Hypotension Are They Both The Same As High And Low Blood Pressure

Hypertension is the condition that emerges when a person is having high blood pressure. Because of contraction in vessels, the blood can not flow through the vessels efficiently, and therefore, high pressure is exerted over the blood vessels, this particular condition is high blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension.

Hypotension is the condition that comes into effect when the blood pressure of a person is lower compared to the ideal value of blood pressure. This means that the heart is unable to pump blood through the blood vessels to all the body parts. This type of situation when observed is called low blood pressure, or hypotension.

Monitor Your Blood Pressure Regularly

The best way to prevent complications and avoid problems is to recognize hypertension early.

Keep a log of your blood pressure readings and take it to your regular doctor appointments. This can help your doctor see any possible problems before the condition advances.

People with hypertension can deliver healthy babies despite having the condition. But it can be dangerous to both the birthing parent and baby if its not monitored closely and managed during the pregnancy.

People with high blood pressure who become pregnant are more likely to develop complications . For example, pregnant women with hypertension may experience decreased kidney function. Babies born to birthing parents with hypertension may have a low birth weight or be born prematurely.

Some people may develop hypertension during their pregnancies. Several types of high blood pressure problems can develop. The condition often reverses itself once the baby is born. Developing hypertension during pregnancy may increase your risk for developing hypertension later in life.

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Heart Rate And Exercise

In discussions about high blood pressure, you will often see heart rate mentioned in relation to exercise. Your target heart rate is based on age and can help you monitor the intensity of your exercise.

• If you measure your heart rate before, during and after physical activity, youll notice it will increase over the course of the exercise.
• The greater the intensity of the exercise, the more your heart rate will increase.
• When you stop exercising, your heart rate does not immediately return to your normal heart rate.
• The more fit you are, the sooner your heart rate will return to normal.

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How Can You Reduce Your Risk Of High Blood Pressure

Fortunately, there are certain things you can do to help reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure. These include the following:

• Eat right: A healthy diet is an important step in keeping your blood pressure normal. The DASH diet emphasizes adding fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet while reducing the amount of sodium. Since its rich in fruits and vegetables, which are naturally lower in sodium than many other foods, the DASH diet makes it easier to eat less salt and sodium.
• Keep a healthy weight: Going hand-in-hand with a proper diet is keeping a healthy weight. Since being overweight increases your blood pressure, losing excess weight with diet and exercise will help lower your blood pressure to healthier levels.
• Cut down on salt: The recommendation for salt in your diet is to have less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day . To prevent hypertension, you should keep your salt intake below this level. Don’t forget that most restaurant foods and many processed and frozen foods contain high levels of salt. Use herbs and spices that do not contain salt in recipes to flavor your food do not add salt at the table.
• Keep active: Even simple physical activities, such as walking, can lower your blood pressure .
• Drinkalcoholin moderation: Having more than one drink a day and two drinks a day can raise blood pressure.

How Is Blood Pressure Measured

Blood pressure is defined as the amount of pressure that is exerted on the artery walls as blood moves through them. It is measured in millimetres of mercury, or mmHg.

A more detailed explanation is provided below.

Two measurements are used to measure blood pressure:

• Systolic pressure – the measure of blood pressure exerted when your heart beats and forces blood around your body.
• Diastolic pressure – the measure of blood pressure when your heart is resting in between beats.

Both the systolic and diastolic pressures are measured in millimetres of mercury .

The figures are usually represented with the systolic pressure first, followed by the diastolic pressure. Therefore, if your GP says that your blood pressure is ‘120 over 80’, or 120/80mmHg, they mean that you have a systolic pressure of 120mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 80mmHg.

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What Is Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as the heart pumps blood. When a health care professional measures your blood pressure, they use a blood pressure cuff around your arm that gradually tightens. The results are given in two numbers. The first number, called systolic blood pressure, is the pressure caused by your heart contracting and pushing out blood. The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, is the pressure when your heart relaxes and fills with blood.

A blood pressure reading is given as the systolic blood pressure number over the diastolic blood pressure number. Blood pressure levels are classified based on those two numbers.

• Low blood pressure, or hypotension, is systolic blood pressure lower than 90 or diastolic blood pressure lower than 60. If you have low blood pressure, you may feel lightheaded, weak, dizzy, or even faint. It can be caused by not getting enough fluids, blood loss, some medical conditions, or medications, including those prescribed for high blood pressure.
• Normal blood pressure for most adults is defined as a systolic pressure of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80.
• Elevated blood pressure is defined as a systolic pressure between 120 and 129 with a diastolic pressure of less than 80.
• High blood pressure is defined as 130 or higher for the first number, or 80 or higher for the second number.

Is Menopause A Key Risk Factor

Research shows that before middle age, males are more likely to experience high blood pressure than females. Then, around the time of menopause, the reverse becomes true. However, health experts disagree on whether this is due to menopause.

Some argue that, until menopause, hormonal factors and specifically the presence of estrogen helps protect people from high blood pressure. When menopause occurs, individuals lose this protection, effectively making menopause the main risk factor for cardiovascular disease among females.

However, some suggest that other factors may increase the risk around this time, such as increased body mass index, aging, and dietary changes, whether hormonal changes also play a role or not.

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What Are The Risks Of Having High Blood Pressure

The most serious risk that is faced by an individual that is suffering from high blood pressure is the risk of heart attack, heart failure, or some chronic disease related to the heart.

Moreover, there are also the additional risks of strokes, vision loss, diabetes, kidney failure, unresponsiveness to external stimuli, chronic chest pain, artery damage, and vascular dementia.

Favorite Online Support Networks

This online support group from the American Heart Association allows you to connect with others going through an array of heart issues, including hypertension. Ask questions, share your story, and get peer support from others going through similar experiences as they take control of their heart health.

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How Common Is High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a common condition, it is estimated that 18% of adult men and 13% of adult women have high blood pressure but are not getting treatment for it.

In 90-95% of cases, there is no single identifiable reason for a rise in blood pressure. But all available evidence shows that lifestyle plays a significant role in regulating your blood pressure.

Risk factors for high blood pressure include:

• being overweight
• excessive alcohol consumption.

Also, for reasons not fully understood, people of Afro-Caribbean and South Asian origin are more likely to develop high blood pressure than other ethnic groups.

High Blood Pressure Facts

What every adult should know about high blood pressure, or hypertension

Theres a good reason why every doctors 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.

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When Is Bloodpressure Considered High

Your blood pressure is the force of blood as it pushes against the walls of your arteries. Blood pressure is usually measured in the upper arm or wrist with a blood pressure machine. It consists of two numbers: a higher number called the systolic pressure and a lower number called the diastolic pressure.

Like the pulse, normal blood pressure is a range that depends on age. Children have lower blood pressures than adults. Guidelines published jointly by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology in 2017 define high blood pressure in adults as a pressure of 130/80 or above.

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When To Consult A Doctor

If a person monitors their blood pressure at home and does not see lower readings despite implementing lifestyle changes, they should contact a medical professional. Doctors can help to determine the underlying cause of their high blood pressure.

A person should seek immediate medical attention if they have two readings of 180/120 mm Hg or higher within 5 minutes, especially if they are experiencing a headache or nosebleed.

Doctors do not associate increased diastolic blood pressure with cardiovascular events in younger individuals.

However, increases in diastolic pressure in those aged

• Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness

16 sourcescollapsed

• Bae, E. H., et al. . Chronic kidney disease risk of isolated systolic or diastolic hypertension in young adults: A nationwide sample based-cohort Study.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Hypertension

Hypertension is generally a silent condition. Many people wont experience any symptoms. It may take years or even decades for the condition to reach levels severe enough that symptoms become obvious. Even then, these symptoms may be attributed to other issues.

of severe hypertension can include:

According to the American Heart Association , contrary to popular thought, severe hypertension doesnt typically cause nosebleeds or headaches except when someone is in hypertensive crisis.

The best way to know if you have hypertension is to get regular blood pressure readings. Most doctors offices take a blood pressure reading at every appointment.

If you only have a yearly physical, talk with your doctor about your risks for hypertension and other readings you may need to help you watch your blood pressure.

For example, if you have a family history of heart disease or have risk factors for developing the condition, your doctor may recommend that you have your blood pressure checked twice a year. This helps you and your doctor stay on top of any possible issues before they become problematic.

There are two types of hypertension. Each type has a different cause.

Causes Of High Blood Pressure

Although the exact cause is unknown, certain conditions, traits or habits may raise your risk for the condition. These are known as risk factors and include:

Non-modifiable risk factors: These factors are irreversible and cannot be changed. The more of these risk factors you have, the greater your chance of developing HBP.

• Starting at age 18, ask your doctor for a blood pressure reading at least every two years. If you’re age 40 or older, or you’re 18 to 39 with a high risk of high blood pressure, ask your doctor for a blood pressure reading every year.
• Family history/Genetics
• African Americans and non-white Hispanic Americans are at higher risk for developing high blood pressure than any other group in the U.S.

Modifiable risk factors: These factors can be modified, treated or controlled through medications or lifestyle changes.

• Excessive alcohol consumption over many years.
• Little to no physical activity
• Excessive amounts of salt in diet that excess the recommended amounts of 1,500 to 2,300 mg of sodium per day.
• Long history of smoking and/or drug abuse
• Extreme emotional stress

Other conditions that contribute to developing high blood pressure

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