Regular Blood Pressure Checks For Over Over 40’s
The only way to find out whether you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked regularly. Ask your GP when you are next due for yours to be checked.
Blood pressure checks are usually available on request at most GP surgeries and health clinics. Some surgeries have home monitoring devices available, which you may be able to use at the time of blood pressure medication start up or change. Many also have a policy of arranging regular checks for you.
Adults who are over 40 and have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure should have their blood pressure checked at least once every five years. However, your blood pressure should ideally be checked more frequently, particularly if you have any contributory risk factors.
How Do Blood Pressure Medicines Work
Blood pressure medicines can work several different ways. Blood pressure medicines can keep blood pressure at a healthy level by1:
- Causing your body to get rid of water, which decreases the amount of water and salt in your body to a healthy level
- Relaxing your blood vessels
- Making your heart beat with less force
- Blocking nerve activity that can restrict your blood vessels
Talk with your health care team about the best type of treatment for you. You may need to take more than one type of medicine to control your blood pressure. You can also talk to your health care team about how long it should take your blood pressure medicine to work.
It is important to take your blood pressure medicine exactly as your doctor tells you to. Do not stop taking your current medicine without talking to your doctor or pharmacist first. Stopping your blood pressure medicine without first talking to your health care team could lead to serious health consequences.
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Normal Blood Pressure Ranges
A wide range of factors help determine a normal blood pressure range for any particular person, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Your age and gender play significant roles in determining approximately where your blood pressure should fall if you are healthy overall. Your genetics, lifestyle choices, and other health concerns can also impact your blood pressure.
Blood pressure ranges by age
The body’s precise needs, capabilities, and functions change over time, which means that it is important to consider age when determining an acceptable, concerning, or dangerous range of blood pressure.
Blood pressure ranges that are considered “normal” can increase as we age. Like many health conditions, older adults are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and experiencing complications that may be connected. This generally happens because arteries can stiffen over time and plaque buildup within the arteries gradually reduces the amount of space your blood has to move through.
This means that readings that would not indicate a problem for adults may be more concerning in teens or young adults. However, high blood pressure numbers can be concerning at any age.
For example,¹ men between the ages of 21-25 should typically have a blood pressure of approximately 120.5/78.5mm Hg, and this figure can rise to around 143.5/76.5mm Hg and still be considered normal by age 61-65.
Blood pressure ranges by gender
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Why Diastolic Pressure Is Important Too
The findings about low diastolic blood pressure are intriguing, and they make sense intuitively, Dr. Conlin says. Diastolic pressure is measured during the point in the heart cycle when blood flows into the coronary arteries that feed the heart. When those arteries are clogged with fatty deposits, blood pressure beyond the narrowed areas will drop as blood works its way through the narrowed channels. As a result, part of the heart muscle may not get enough blood. Starved for oxygen and nutrients, the heart may become weak and prone to damage.
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What Diet Helps Manage High Blood Pressure
- Eat foods that are lower in fat, salt and calories, such as skim or 1% milk, fresh vegetables and fruits, and whole-grain rice and pasta.
- Use flavorings, spices and herbs to make foods tasty without using salt. The optimal recommendation for salt in your diet is to have less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day. 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. Dont add salt at the table.
- Avoid or cut down on foods high in fat or salt, such as butter and margarine, regular salad dressings, fatty meats, whole milk dairy products, fried foods, processed foods or fast foods and salted snacks.
- Ask your provider if you should increase potassium in your diet. Discuss the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet with your provider. 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.
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Best Bp Medication With Least Side Effects
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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:
- Certain medications or combinations of medications
- Chronic kidney disease
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Stiffening Of The Arteries
Some physicians consider the most authentic form of pseudo-resistant hypertension to be caused by stiffened brachial arteries that prevent the blood pressure cuff from obtaining a true reading. If your doctor suspects this form of pseudo-resistant hypertension, they might consider other ways to measure your blood pressure.
Should I Be Eating Certain Foods To Control My Blood Pressure
The DASH eating plan is the most often-used dietary method of reducing high blood pressure. Using DASH, your overall diet should be rich in nutrients including potassium, calcium, magnesium and fibre, while being low in sodium, saturated fat and total fat.
This eating plan suggests that you:
- enjoy at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day
- choose at least 2 servings of lower-fat dairy products each day
- choose whole grain breads, cereals and baked goods
- limit the salt and condiments that you add to your food, both at the table and while cooking
- limit eating greasy snack foods, regular soft drinks, candy and other high-sugar, high-fat and salty snack foods
- eat fats such as canola and olive oil, peanut butter and nuts, but keep the quantities small.
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How Is It Diagnosed
Because it is such a common problem, blood pressure is checked at most healthcare visits. High blood pressure is usually discovered during one of these visits. If your blood pressure is high, you will be asked to return for follow-up checks. If repeated checks of your blood pressure show that it is higher than 140/90, you have hypertension.
Your healthcare provider will ask about your life situation, what you eat and drink, and if high blood pressure runs in your family. You may have urine and blood tests. Your provider may order a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram . You may be asked to use a portable blood-pressure measuring device, which will take your pressure at different times during day and night. All of this testing is done to look for a possible cause of your high blood pressure.
What Is Low Blood Pressure
Low blood pressure occurs when blood travels through your arteries at a lower pressure than normal. Low blood pressure occurs normally in some people and it may happen almost all the time. This usually happens without a specific cause. But it can be due to genetic inheritance, being active or fit, or living a healthy lifestyle.
However, sometimes it may be linked to an underlying health issue. This type of low blood pressure is dangerous because it may be an indication of a blood flow issue in the brain, heart, or other vital organs. Low blood pressure may also put you at risk of getting a stroke or a heart attack.
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Lowering Systolic Blood Pressure More May Cut Health Risks
One major study found that lowering systolic blood pressure to well below the commonly recommended level also greatly lowered the number of cardiovascular events and deaths among people at least 50 years old with high blood pressure.
When study participants achieved a systolic blood pressure target of 120 mmHg compared to the higher target of 140 mmHg recommended for most people, and 150 for people over 60 issues such as heart attack, stroke and heart failure were reduced by almost one-third, and the risk of death by almost one-fourth.
Thats important information, because more lives may be saved and more deaths may be prevented if we maintain lower blood pressure in certain patients, says Lynne Braun, NP, PhD, a nurse practitioner at the Rush Heart Center for Women.
Braun cautions, however, that your personal blood pressure target depends on a variety of things, including your current blood pressure, lifestyle, risk factors, other medications you are taking and your age. Every person has to be evaluated as an individual, she says. Realistically, we cant get everybody down to 120, and trying to do so may create unintended problems.
It can be dangerous, for instance, to keep an older person on medications that have unsafe side effects, such as diuretics , which can cause dehydration and dizziness in older adults.
And there can be other issues involved with taking multiple medications, such as cost and compliance.
What Are The Symptoms Of Resistant Hypertension
You can have hypertension without having any symptoms. The best way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked by a health care provider.
However, symptoms may be felt when blood pressure first rises or during a hypertensive crisis, when levels are extremely high. These symptoms may include headaches, shortness of breath, chest pain and nosebleeds.
Dizziness is usually not a symptom of high blood pressure. In fact, dizziness can sometimes be a symptom of low blood pressure. Frequent or unexplained dizziness may be a warning sign of a serious condition and should be addressed by your physician.
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What Are The Symptoms
One of the sneaky things about high blood pressure is that you can have it for a long time without symptoms. That’s why it is important for you have your blood pressure checked at least once a year.
If you do have symptoms, they may be:
Although it happens rarely, the first symptom may be a stroke.
So You Have High Blood Pressure What Else Could Be Wrong
If you have high blood pressure, get checked for diabetes and high cholesterol. Most people who have high blood pressure also have some of the other risks for heart disease and stroke, such as not getting enough physical activity, having unhealthy eating habits, smoking, being overweight or drinking too much alcohol. Ask your doctor to test your kidney function through a blood and urine test, and through the electrolytes in your blood kidney problems can cause high blood pressure.
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Health Conditions That Can Contribute To High Blood Pressure
Other health conditions can make you more likely to develop high blood pressure, and high blood pressure can worsen other health conditions.
Some health conditions that may increase your blood pressure include diabetes, kidney disease, and obstructive sleep apnea.
Understanding how these conditions may affect your blood pressure and whether any medications you take may interact is essential for successfully managing both problems.
How Can I Tell If My Cpap Is Too High
Some people require higher pressures and will use a high-pressure CPAP mask. Others will find that they are more comfortable and that their treatment is more effective at lower levels of pressure. How to tell if CPAP pressure is too high? In most cases, it will be uncomfortable to use a CPAP machine where the pressure is too high.
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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.
How Are Narrowed Blood Vessels Treated In The Heart
A stent is then moved into place to unblock the blood vessel. When the balloon is deflated and removed, the stent expands and allows the blood vessel to remain open. Our skilled angioplasty specialists have the knowledge and expertise needed to effectively treat narrowed blood vessels, including coronary arteries and arteries to the legs.
Which is the best treatment for small vessel disease?
The treatment for small vessel disease involves medications to control the narrowing of your small blood vessels that could lead to a heart attack and to relieve pain. Your doctor could prescribe: Nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin tablets, sprays and patches can ease chest pain by relaxing your coronary arteries and improving blood flow. Beta blockers.
What is the procedure for narrowing of the renal artery?
Renal angioplasty and stenting. In this procedure, doctors open wider the narrowed renal artery and place a device inside your blood vessel that holds the walls of the vessel open and allows for better blood flow.
How is an angioplasty done to open a narrowed artery?
Narrowed Blood Vessels. Endovascular specialists at UT Southwestern Medical Center can use a minimally invasive angioplasty procedure to open a narrowed vein or artery. The procedure involves inserting a small balloon through a catheter, which is inflated at the site of the narrowing. A stent is then moved into place to unblock the blood vessel.
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Stroke And Brain Problems
High blood pressure can cause the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to burst or be blocked, causing a stroke. Brain cells die during a stroke because they do not get enough oxygen. Stroke can cause serious disabilities in speech, movement, and other basic activities. A stroke can also kill you.
Having high blood pressure, especially in midlife, is linked to having poorer cognitive function and dementia later in life. Learn more about the link between high blood pressure and dementia from the National Institutes of Healths Mind Your Risks® campaign.
Regular Blood Pressure Checks If Diagnosed With High Blood Pressure
If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, your blood pressure will need to be closely monitored until it is brought under control.
After your blood pressure has been controlled, your GP or practice nurse will measure your blood pressure at agreed regular intervals .
It is important you attend these appointments to ensure your blood pressure is being maintained within an acceptable range.
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What Causes High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure usually develops over time. It can happen because of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough regular physical activity. Certain health conditions, such as diabetes and having obesity, can also increase the risk for developing high blood pressure. High blood pressure can also happen during pregnancy.
You can manage your blood pressure to lower your risk for serious health problems that may affect your heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.
What Causes Change In Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
Generally, a womans blood volume increases during pregnancy. In fact, according to a study, from just before conception until the end of pregnancy, a womans blood volume can increase by as much as 45%.
This increase in the total blood volume requires much more work for the body, especially for the heart, which must pump extra blood throughout the body.
The left ventricle, which performs most of the hearts pumping, thus, enlarges and thickens. Yet, the heart pumps blood more forcefully to accommodate the greater amount of blood.
The kidneys release large amounts of vasopressin and other hormones as part of the overall process to increase water retention.
Note: Pregnancy is only one of the reasons for changes in blood pressure. There are many more heres an article that discusses other reasons.
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