Normal Blood Pressure and Your Heart’s Health
Everybody’s Concerned About It!
What’s The Fuss About Normal Blood Pressure?
Ask most people and they’ll tell you it’s important to have normal blood pressure. About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, or hypertension. Mostly everyone knows high blood pressure is bad for you, but what does high blood pressure do to you? How often should you take your blood pressure? Does medicine cure it?
Recent Blood Pressure Study Shows
Surprising Results
A recent (January 2008) study on American’s knowledge of high blood pressure showed that only 42 % of those surveyed knew that high blood pressure was associated with heart attack and stroke. The study was done by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD)
The survey also found that 76% of Americans aren’t worried about getting high blood pressure, including 80% of those over 55. High blood pressure affects mostly middle aged and elderly populations.
What’s amazing is that 72% were aware of multiple factors contributing to hypertension, including obesity, lack of exercise, salt intake and alcohol consumption, and they still weren’t worried about getting it.
So let’s back up a bit and go over the basics of normal blood pressure, and why it’s so important to keep it normal.
Blood Pressure Basics
Blood pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels.
Hypertension is blood pressure that is higher than normal.
There are no signs or symptoms of the disease. A person can have high blood pressure for years without knowing it. However, during this time the elevated blood pressure can damage your heart, blood vessels, kidneys and other organs.
A blood pressure reading is seen as two numbers, one over the other.
Systolic blood pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is contracting. This is the upper number of the blood pressure reading.
Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart relaxes in between beats. This is the lower number of the blood pressure reading.
Blood pressure readings are given in mmHg or millimeters of mercury as the unit of measure.
Normal blood pressure is a reading of 120/80 mmHg or less.
| Blood Pressure Classification | |||
| BP Classification | Systolic BP mmHg | Diastolic BP mmHg | |
| Normal Blood Pressure | <120 | and | <80 |
| Prehypertension | 120-139 | or | 80-90 |
| Stage 1 Hypertension | 140-159 | or | 90-99 |
| Stage 2 Hypertension | ≥160 | or | ≥100 |
NIH JNC 7 May 2003
Your systolic and diastolic may not be in the same category. If your systolic blood pressure is 160, but your diastolic is 88, your pressure is in the more serious category of Stage 2. Whichever number is worse defines the category you’re in.
If you have diabetes or kidney disease—high blood pressure is considered to be 130/80 mmHg or higher.
The Damage Done by High Blood Pressure
Since hypertension has no symptoms, it is rightfully called “The Silent Killer”. Here’s what goes on in your body with unchecked high blood pressure:
Over time, damage to blood vessels and vital organs occur.
• Blood vessels all over the body become stiff and narrow, and may be unable to carry blood to vital organs. Then these organs, such as the kidneys, can’t do their job.
It’s the most common risk factor for heart disease.
• With blood pressure elevated, the heart has to work much harder than normal to pump the blood through the vessels.• This puts the heart and blood vessels under stress.• If not treated, the heart will work increasingly harder to pump blood through the circulatory system.• The heart enlarges under the stress of the increased work, and may begin to weaken.
How is High Blood Pressure Treated?
Eat a healthy diet–Low fat, low salt and avoiding excess sugar will help control blood pressure.
Exercise! Doing aerobic exercise and losing weight helps keep blood pressure from rising.
Quit smoking. Smoking narrows blood vessels and chokes off oxygen to the cells in your body, contributing to hypertension.
Reduce stress. Find an activity you enjoy that’s relaxing. Listen to music you love. Talk out problems with a good friend. Take a walk. All these things can lower your stress, thereby lowering your pressure.
Take your medicine. There are many medicines your doctor can choose from to combat high blood pressure. Some of them reduce excess fluid and salt in your body. Some reduce heart rate and blood pressure by opening the blood vessels wider.
If you are on antihypertensive medicine, you need to take it every day, even if you feel great. Taking your medications daily ensures your blood pressure will remain in the normal range.
Keep Track of Your Blood Pressure
Studies have been done on blood pressure readings taken at the doctor’s office versus taking a reading at home. The consensus is that blood pressure readings taken in the privacy of one’s home are lower and more realistic readings.
Taking blood pressure at home eliminates the “White Coat Syndrome”. You are under less stress at home than in a doctor’s office.
Which type of blood pressure device is best for home use?
An automatic blood pressure cuff that a person can use alone is convenient and ideal. Whether it is a wrist cuff or arm cuff, has a cable to your PC to automatically record results or a memory onboard the device, an automatic blood pressure cuff eliminates the need for another person to perform the reading.
Making it easy to get your blood pressure reading means you’ll be inclined to take it regularly. As we’ve said before, keeping track of your blood pressure is very important!
Benefits Of Maintaining A Normal Blood Pressure
According to a National and Nutritional examination study there have been some very positive trends for the awareness, treatment, and control of high blood pressure.
In adults ages 18-74 beginning in 1976 until 2000:
• Awareness increased from 51 to 70%
• Treatment increased from 31 to 59%
• Control increased from 10 to 34 %
| Benefits of Lowering BP | |
| Average Percent Reduction | |
| Stroke incidence | 35-40% |
| Myocardial infarction | 20-25% |
| Heart Failure | 50% |
NIH JNC 7 May 2003
The JNC 8 is to be published in 2009 and new definitions for hypertension by the (WG-ASH) Writing Group of the American Society of Hypertension are being evaluated.
There may or may not be a new standard for the definition of hypertension and normal blood pressure adopted. We will soon know when the JCN 8 is published.
