High blood pressure, also referred to as hypertension, carries many risks with it, one of the most severe being heart disease. But what exactly is a normal blood pressure and how is it measured? When blood pressure is measured, a systolic and a diastolic reading is taken. The systolic reading is usually the first number listed and measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart is contracting. The diastolic pressure is the pressure within the arteries when the heart is relaxed between beats.
A normal reading for an adult is less than 120 (systolic) / 80 (diastolic). An individual is considered to have high blood pressure when his reading is 140/90 or above. Anything over 120/80 and under 140/90 puts a person in a pre-hypertension, or risk, category. Unfortunately, high blood pressure is very common in the United States – approximately 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure.
High blood pressure has a very negative effect on the heart. It causes the arteries to narrow, making the heart work harder in order to pump blood through the arteries. The increased strain on the heart wears it down sooner than normal and contributes to coronary heart disease, in which plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries, causing them to narrow. Once the arteries are narrowed, the flow of blood to the heart decreases and encourages the formation of clots within the arteries. These clots block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. When the heart is not receiving enough oxygen, a heart attack can occur.
High blood pressure has no known symptoms, making it difficult to detect until it’s too late. For this reason, it’s important to have your blood pressure checked at least once a year.
If the doctor determines you have high blood pressure or borderline high blood pressure, he will probably encourage you to make some lifestyle changes. A variety of controllable factors can contribute to high blood pressure. These factors include:
Smoking. Smokers have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure and a much high risk of developing heart disease.
Poor diet. A diet full of fat and sodium can contribute to high blood pressure.
Alcohol. Studies have shown that high consumption of alcohol can contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease. It is recommended that people drink no more than 2 drinks per day in order to minimize the risk of developing high blood pressure.
Activity level. Regular exercise can also reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and heart disease.
Hereditary factors also play a role in the development of high blood pressure and heart disease, but controlling the factors listed above will greatly reduce the risk of even those individuals that have a family history of heart disease.
In some cases, a person’s blood pressure is too high to be controlled just by lifestyle changes. In this case, the doctor will put him or her on high blood pressure medication. There are a variety of different drugs used to treat hypertension:
Diuretics. Diuretics work to flush excess water and salt from the body, which contribute to high blood pressure.
Beta-blockers. Beta-blockers cause the heart to beat at a slower pace, allowing the heart to work less harder, leading to a lower blood pressure.
ACE inhibitors. This form of medication prevents the narrowing of the arteries, a large factor in the development of heart disease from high blood pressure.
High blood pressure and heart disease go hand in hand. Oftentimes, however, high blood pressure goes undetected until it’s too late. By getting screened regularly for high blood pressure and by choosing a healthy lifestyle, the chances of developing high blood pressure and heart disease will be greatly reduced.