Understanding Blood Pressure: The Fundamentals and What You Should Know
Blood pressure is an important indicator of your heart’s health, but do you really understand it? In this post, we’ll look at the basics of blood pressure, such as what it is, what typical levels are, and what causes high blood pressure.
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force that blood exerts against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps. It’s measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and contains two parts:
Systolic Pressure: The pressure created while the heart beats, which is usually the highest value in a reading.
Diastolic Pressure: The pressure that the heart experiences between beats.
Normal Range of Blood Pressure
A typical healthy blood pressure value is approximately 120/80 mmHg. Deviations from this figure can suggest a variety of health concerns:
– Elevated blood pressure: 120-129 mmHg systolic and <80 mmHg diastolic.
– Hypertension Stage 1: systolic 130-139 mmHg, diastolic 80-89 mmHg.
– Hypertension Stage 2: 140/90 mmHg or greater.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
Several things can contribute to high blood pressure:
– Genetics: Family history can have a huge impact.
– Lifestyle choices: A high-salt diet, excessive alcohol consumption, a lack of exercise, and obesity are all risk factors.
– Chronic stress: Prolonged stress can cause long-term hypertension.
– Underlying health issues: Diabetes, renal disease, and other disorders can cause high blood pressure.
Keeping your blood pressure within normal limits is critical for avoiding significant health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, and renal failure.