How Much Do You Know About High Blood Pressure?

By: John Bradstreet ... Click on author's name for more of their articles

Over 65 million people in this country are affected by high blood pressure, or hypertension as it is medically termed. It is sometimes referred to as the "silent killer" because a lot of people that have it are unaware of their condition. Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood against the walls of the artery, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). When you have your blood pressure tested it is reported as two numbers, systolic and diastolic. One is created when the heart pumps blood into the circulatory system and the other is the force of the arteries as they resist blood flow.

The systolic pressure is always reported first. For example, a reading of 120/80 (120 over 80) means that 120 is your systolic number and 80 is the diastolic. This reading of 120/80 is considered to be the optimal level for adults. When systolic pressure reaches 120 to 139 mmHg or the diastolic pressure is 80 to 89 this is considered to be "prehypertension" and needs to be monitored. When your numbers exceed 140 or 90 this is considered high blood pressure.

Because the medical term for high blood pressure is "hypertension" some people may find this confusing. It does not mean that one is nervous or tense or hyperactive. You can be a very calm and relaxed individual and have high blood pressure. If you receive a single high reading this does not mean you have high blood pressure. There are many factors that can contribute to a high reading. What is does mean is that you want to monitor it. Your doctor will be able to let you know how often it should be checked.

It is known that some diseases, such as kidney disease can cause high blood pressure. The fact is that in 90 to 95 percent of cases the exact cause is unknown. The only way to determine if you do have high blood pressure is to have it checked by your doctor or other medical professional. It is recommended that you have it checked every two years unless something is found that necessitates for frequent testing. With respect to cardiovascular disease the optimal reading would be less that 120/80. However, unusually low readings should be evaluated because this could be a result of an underlying medical problem.

One of the most concerning aspects of high blood pressure is that there are no symptoms so people do not usually feel anything. This is why almost one third of people that have hypertension don't know it. The only way to know is to be tested regularly. This is especially true if someone in your family has hypertension as it is known to travel in families. If your blood pressure is extremely high there are certain symptoms to be on the lookout for. Some of these may be:

* Severe headaches

* Fatigue or confusion

* Problems with vision

* Chest pain

* Difficulty breathing

* Irregular heartbeat

* Blood in urine

* Pounding in ones chest, neck or ears

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you need to contact your primary health care professional immediately. If this condition is left untreated this could lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney failure or vision problems.

Your blood pressure reading may fluctuate. Some things that can affect one reading to another are age, heart condition, emotions, activity and medications you may be taking. It is usually necessary to test your readings at different times after resting for 5 minutes or so to come up with a typical value.

At least three elevated readings are usually required to make a diagnosis of hypertension. Your doctor will also want to review your medical history. Such things as heart problems and family history will need to be evaluated. He or she will also take into account your specific risk factors such as smoking, a history of high cholesterol, diabetes, etc. A physical exam will be done and your doctor will use a stethoscope to listen for any abnormal sounds in your heart or a whooshing and swishing sound in your arteries would indicate some degree of blockage. They will also take your pulse in your arm and ankles to determine if it is weak or even absent. If you are diagnosed with hypertension your doctor will want to do other tests to determine the most appropriate treatment plan.

In conclusion, because high blood pressure can go undetected due to lack of symptoms it is a good idea to have it checked every couple of years. While it can lead to severe medical problems, once identified it can be very successfully treated and such problems avoided.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: John Bradstreet is an experienced Biochemist with extensive knowledge in nutritional supplementation. He is committed to a healthy lifestyle through natural means. To learn more about High Blood Pressure we have included additional links at the bottom of the page to help educate you on the subject. Or you can subscribe to our Vitamin and Supplement Blog where you will find information on topics concerning natural supplementation.

Note: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, John Bradstreet

Did You Like This Article? Share It With Your Friends!