Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure
When you go to your doctor's office, usually they take your blood pressure and they give you some numbers. Often, we just want to know if our blood pressure is normal and that we are doing fine. But what is blood pressure and what do the numbers really mean to us?
What is blood pressure?
Every time your heart beats, it pumps out blood. Your heart is your body's main pump and it pushes blood through your vessels by squeezing and relaxing. As the blood travels through your body, it pushes against the walls of your vessels. This creates a force called blood pressure.
How is blood pressure measured?
When you heart squeezes, it forces blood in your arteries and pushes the pressure of the blood to the highest point called systolic pressure (pronounced "sis-tall-ick"). When your heart relaxes between beats, your blood pressure is at its lowest or diastolic pressure (pronounced "die-ah-stall-ick").
Blood pressure is usually measured by wrapping an inflatable pressure bag around the upper arm. The bag is connected to a pressure-measuring device.
A blood pressure reading is made of two numbers and is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg):
120 <--- Systolic
----
80 <--- Diastolic
The systolic pressure is the top number and the diastolic pressure is the bottom number.
What should your blood pressure be?
Your risk of heart, stroke, and blood vessel disease increases as your blood pressure increases. For most people, the lower the blood pressure, the better.
For most people, a blood pressure of less than 120 over 80 is considered best or normal.
A blood pressure of 120 to 139 over 80 to 89 is called pre-hypertension. It emans that you need to begin lifestyle changes to lower your risk for stroke, heart disease, and other complications.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is defined as blood pressure that is constantly higher than 140 over 90.
Normal | Less than 120/80 |
Pre-hypertension | 120 to 139 over 80 to 89 |
High blood pressure or hypertension | More than 140/90 |
Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (2003). Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure JNC Express (NIH Publication No. 03-5233). Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. | |
Warning signs of high blood pressure
High blood pressure usually does not give warning signs. You can have high blood pressure and feel perfectly well. The only way to find out if your blood pressure is high is by having it checked regularly by your doctor.
Who is at risk for high blood pressure?
The major risk factors are:
- Older age. Blood pressure tends to rise with age.
- Race/ethnicity: Blood pressure can affect anyone but occurs more often in African American and Hispanic adults.
- Overweight/obesity: You are more likely to develop pre-hypertension or high blood pressure if you are overweight or obese (extremely overweight).
- Lifestyle habits. Some lifestyle habits can raise your risk for high blood pressure, such as drinking too much alcohol, eating too much salt, and smoking.
High blood pressure and diabetes
People with diabetes are more likely to have high blood pressure. Both diabetes and high blood pressure increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, eye problems, kidney problems, and nerve disease.
For most people with diabetes, keeping blood pressure below 130 over 80 is recommended.
What can I do to reduce my blood pressure?
Take your pills
- If your doctor prescribed pills to lower your blood pressure, take your pills as he or she explained it to you.
- Take your pills every day. Remember there are no symptoms of high blood pressure and by taking your pills every day you can protect yourself from heart attack and stroke.
- Make sure to refill your pills before they run out.
Increase physical activity
Regular physical activity can lower high blood pressure and also reduce your risk for other health problems. Be physically active for 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week. Try walking, biking, swimming, running, or any other physical activity that you enjoy.
Before starting an exercise regimen ask your doctor if it is safe.
Keep a healthy weight
If you are overweight, losing about 10 pounds will lower your blood pressure, and reducing your weigh to within a healthy range will lower your blood pressure even more.
Eat a balanced, heart-healthy diet
Eat vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and lean meat, fish, and poultry. Limit fast foods, canned foods that are bought prepared, or those that are high in salt, sugar, and saturated fat.
Manage stress
Learn how to manage stress and relax by exercising, listening to music, meditating, or yoga, just to name a few.
Cut down on alcohol
If you drink alcohol, limit the amount to two drinks a day or less.
Reduce salt intake
Eat less salt. The more processed a food is, the higher the salt content. Try not to add salt to your cooking and remove the salt shaker from the table.
Quit smoking
It is important to stop smoking if you have high blood pressure. Smoking increases the risk of developing heart problems and other diseases.
Resources*
- U.S. National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health. Interactive tutorial on hypertension
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Institutes of Health. Information on heart and vascular diseases including hypertension
* Community Health Plan is not responsible for the content of the listed web sites. If you have questions about your medical condition, ask your health care provider.