Individuals diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure) will be monitoring blood pressure reading at home or be required to have readings done at a medical facility on a regular basis. If these readings were high it would be advantageous for them to know how to lower blood pressure quickly. There are also many medical reasons for wanting to know how to lower blood pressure quickly.
The reason why it is important to lower blood pressure quickly is because when blood pressure is high there is an increased risk for several medical complications some of which may be fatal if left unchecked. Some of these complications include an increased risk for heart attack, complications that involve the blood vessels, complications that involve the brain, and an increased risk for kidney failure. Most individuals and those caring for them would probably rather take steps to lower blood pressure quickly than to suffer the consequences of sustained high blood pressure.
One of the first things discussed following the diagnosis of hypertension (high blood pressure) are some of the more common ways to lower blood pressure quickly including following a strict diet, having a proper eating schedule, eating dark chocolate, eating foods that are rich in potassium such as apricots, figs, raisins and sardines and by replacing food items like red meat with healthier choices such as cold-water fish, and salmon. Other ways that help to lower blood pressure quickly include learning how to relax, making an effort to be physically active each day by doing activities such as yoga, and by avoiding habits such as smoking or drinking of alcoholic beverages, drinking plenty of water and by striving to lead as stress-free life as possible.
You may notice that the things mentioned above that help to lower blood pressure quickly are also the same things that many doctors tell individuals to do in order to lower cholesterol. That is because there is a connection between high blood pressure and high cholesterol. When you take steps to lower your cholesterol, the result is that you lower your blood pressure too. Having high cholesterol is a main risk factor for high blood pressure. You learn how to lower one you will lower the other. All adults should know what their cholesterol numbers are and what their blood pressure readings are so that they will know if they are at risk for high blood pressure.
If an individual presents in an emergency room with an extremely high blood pressure reading personnel know how to lower blood pressure quickly. They know that high blood pressure can lead to serious medical complications such as severe brain, heart and kidney damage and even death. In order to lower blood pressure quickly emergency personnel will administer rapidly acting medications that will safely lower dangerously elevated blood pressure.
Signs or symptoms that an individual needs to lower blood pressure quickly include presenting with a severe headache, being in a state of extreme anxiety, experiencing shortness of breath, having a seizure, experiencing chest pain, the appearance of swelling or fluid buildup in skin tissues and swollen or bleeding eyes.
Several medical conditions such as eclampsia in pregnant women, intracranial hemorrhage, an aneurysm and acute congestive heart failure with pulmonary edema may also present in an emergency room with high blood pressure requiring that measures be taken to lower blood pressure quickly.
It is easy to see why it is so important to monitor blood pressure readings if a person is known to have high blood pressure. It is equally important for everyone with high blood pressure to know how to lower blood pressure quickly so that they can avoid the complications that may develop as a result of the high blood pressure.
High Blood Pressure for many is difficult to diagnose and complicated in understanding how to treat it. FREE information on this site will hopefully lead you in the right direction
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Lower blood pressure naturally
If you are one of the millions of people who are suffering from high blood pressure you may be shocked at the thought of taking medication for the rest of your life to keep it within normal limits. At one time the general consensus was to immediately prescribe medication for anyone no matter what their age if they had high blood pressure as it was thought this would prevent a rise the already high rates of stroke and cardiovascular disease in western society. Now it is realised that prescribing medication for millions of people who could quite possibly treat their high blood pressure without medication is very much a better and much more sensible option.
Now there is a move amongst most health care professionals to try if possible to lower blood pressure naturally before prescribing pills and potions. Very often the shock of finding you have high blood pressure is the wakeup call many people need to help themselves lower it via more natural means.
* Lifestyle changes are a major factor you probably need to look at if you want to reduce your blood pressure via more natural means than taking medication. If you're living a stressful caffeine filled life with too little sleep and too much fast food then it's obvious something is going to have to give and usually it's your health. Slow down, cut the caffeine out and start thinking about yourself for a change.
* A proper diet filled with nutrition rather than empty carbs is something you really need to consider before it's too late and you don't have any option but to take that medication. Cut down on the fast food and start eating fresh fruit and vegetables. A high potassium low sodium diet is best so think about foods such as tomatoes, bananas, orange juice, honey dew melon etc. A high sodium diet can cause the body to retain fluid which makes your heart work harder to push it round your body so make sure you cut your sodium intake right down.
* Stop smoking, yes it's difficult especially if you've been smoking for a number of years, but it's either give up cigarettes or watch your health decline even further. Your health care provider will be only too happy to give you advice on how to stop and there are plenty of aids and devices such as nicotine patches on the market to help you get through the tough stages.
* Get more exercise, most of us don't take nearly enough exercise and it shows in our declining health. Get yourself a dog so it gives you an excuse to go for a walk, join the gym, start swimming, you'll soon feel the benefits.
* Get plenty of fresh air, and I'm not particularly talking about exercise here. So many people remain cooped up inside their homes sat at computers or games consoles instead of getting out into the yard or garden and getting some fresh air. And talking about gardens, gardening can be a huge stress buster if you can get interested which all contributes to lowering your blood pressure.
Foods that help lower blood pressure naturally
* Artichokes contain natural diuretics which assist in flushing excess sodium from your body
* Food containing essential unsaturated fatty acids such as Omega 3. This helps boost your immune system and protect your body against certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Oily fish is a good source of omega 3.
* Nibbling on sunflower seeds is a more healthy option than nibbling on chocolate or donuts as they are rich in minerals such as potassium and magnesium.
Click Here To Learn Exactly How To STOP High Blood Pressure And Eliminate Your Risk Of A Heart Attack Or Stroke In Just A Few Short Days
Now there is a move amongst most health care professionals to try if possible to lower blood pressure naturally before prescribing pills and potions. Very often the shock of finding you have high blood pressure is the wakeup call many people need to help themselves lower it via more natural means.
* Lifestyle changes are a major factor you probably need to look at if you want to reduce your blood pressure via more natural means than taking medication. If you're living a stressful caffeine filled life with too little sleep and too much fast food then it's obvious something is going to have to give and usually it's your health. Slow down, cut the caffeine out and start thinking about yourself for a change.
* A proper diet filled with nutrition rather than empty carbs is something you really need to consider before it's too late and you don't have any option but to take that medication. Cut down on the fast food and start eating fresh fruit and vegetables. A high potassium low sodium diet is best so think about foods such as tomatoes, bananas, orange juice, honey dew melon etc. A high sodium diet can cause the body to retain fluid which makes your heart work harder to push it round your body so make sure you cut your sodium intake right down.
* Stop smoking, yes it's difficult especially if you've been smoking for a number of years, but it's either give up cigarettes or watch your health decline even further. Your health care provider will be only too happy to give you advice on how to stop and there are plenty of aids and devices such as nicotine patches on the market to help you get through the tough stages.
* Get more exercise, most of us don't take nearly enough exercise and it shows in our declining health. Get yourself a dog so it gives you an excuse to go for a walk, join the gym, start swimming, you'll soon feel the benefits.
* Get plenty of fresh air, and I'm not particularly talking about exercise here. So many people remain cooped up inside their homes sat at computers or games consoles instead of getting out into the yard or garden and getting some fresh air. And talking about gardens, gardening can be a huge stress buster if you can get interested which all contributes to lowering your blood pressure.
Foods that help lower blood pressure naturally
* Artichokes contain natural diuretics which assist in flushing excess sodium from your body
* Food containing essential unsaturated fatty acids such as Omega 3. This helps boost your immune system and protect your body against certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Oily fish is a good source of omega 3.
* Nibbling on sunflower seeds is a more healthy option than nibbling on chocolate or donuts as they are rich in minerals such as potassium and magnesium.
Click Here To Learn Exactly How To STOP High Blood Pressure And Eliminate Your Risk Of A Heart Attack Or Stroke In Just A Few Short Days
Symptoms of high blood pressure in women
High blood pressure or hypertension is one of the easiest problems to treat when it is in the relatively early stages, unfortunately because many women don't realise they are suffering from hypertension it is often not found until it has done quite a lot of damage to the heart and other organs of the body.
There is some speculation amongst health professionals that a number of women who suffer from high blood pressure when they are middle aged or older probably suffered from the disease when they were younger but it just went undiagnosed as they were not tested.
Historically high blood pressure has always been a disease associated with older age groups, it's only relatively recently that its been realised it is quite endemic in middle aged groups of people. Many health care providers are coming round to realising that more and more young people are developing symptoms of high blood pressure and are monitoring them accordingly. Men are known to usually be more susceptible to high blood pressure, however women are also very prone to developing it especially as they get older.
The main problem caused by high blood pressure in either sex is the eventual damage it does over time to the coronary arteries. Hardening of the arteries can have very serious consequences as there is a build-up of plaque that eventually narrows the arteries and prevents the flow of blood around the body. If this is left untreated then serious heart disease can occur which can sooner or later be fatal. This build-up of plaque occurs over many years from early adult life and is impossible to reverse once you hit middle age; therefore in this case prevention is much better than attempting a cure.
It is very often difficult to pin point a cause of high blood pressure in women mainly because there are a number of factors to consider. Race and area is thought to be a factor in its development as it has been noticed that African/American women living the Southeast part of America are more likely to develop the problem.
There are lots of other issues to consider when looking for symptoms of high blood pressure in women and they include
* Smoking
* Diabetes
* Lack of exercise
* High salt intake
* Being overweight
* Drinking too much alcohol
* High cholesterol
If women take an oral contraceptive they should be monitored quite closely for any rise in their blood pressure, however a rise in blood pressure when taking the "pill" isn't so much of a worry nowadays as modern day contraceptive pills contain a lot less female hormones than they did previously.
The Menopause is another red flag for developing high blood pressure in women with the risk increasing even more if they have undergone a hysterectomy.
Symptoms of high blood pressure Pre-eclamsia
Blood pressure has to be monitored very carefully in women who are pregnant as there is the very real possibility they may develop pre-eclamsia. The problem with this disease is it can happen so fast that the lives of both mother and baby can be put in real danger very quickly.
Some symptoms of pre-eclamsia include
* Swelling of the body, especially the arms face and legs.
* A huge weight gain in a matter of days
* Severe headaches
* Dizziness and fainting
* Nausea and vomiting
* Visionary changes
And if the condition gets really bad seizures can occur.
Any woman who is pregnant and gets any of these symptoms then they should inform their doctor and midwife immediately so treatment can be given to prevent it getting any worse.
There is some speculation amongst health professionals that a number of women who suffer from high blood pressure when they are middle aged or older probably suffered from the disease when they were younger but it just went undiagnosed as they were not tested.
Historically high blood pressure has always been a disease associated with older age groups, it's only relatively recently that its been realised it is quite endemic in middle aged groups of people. Many health care providers are coming round to realising that more and more young people are developing symptoms of high blood pressure and are monitoring them accordingly. Men are known to usually be more susceptible to high blood pressure, however women are also very prone to developing it especially as they get older.
The main problem caused by high blood pressure in either sex is the eventual damage it does over time to the coronary arteries. Hardening of the arteries can have very serious consequences as there is a build-up of plaque that eventually narrows the arteries and prevents the flow of blood around the body. If this is left untreated then serious heart disease can occur which can sooner or later be fatal. This build-up of plaque occurs over many years from early adult life and is impossible to reverse once you hit middle age; therefore in this case prevention is much better than attempting a cure.
It is very often difficult to pin point a cause of high blood pressure in women mainly because there are a number of factors to consider. Race and area is thought to be a factor in its development as it has been noticed that African/American women living the Southeast part of America are more likely to develop the problem.
There are lots of other issues to consider when looking for symptoms of high blood pressure in women and they include
* Smoking
* Diabetes
* Lack of exercise
* High salt intake
* Being overweight
* Drinking too much alcohol
* High cholesterol
If women take an oral contraceptive they should be monitored quite closely for any rise in their blood pressure, however a rise in blood pressure when taking the "pill" isn't so much of a worry nowadays as modern day contraceptive pills contain a lot less female hormones than they did previously.
The Menopause is another red flag for developing high blood pressure in women with the risk increasing even more if they have undergone a hysterectomy.
Symptoms of high blood pressure Pre-eclamsia
Blood pressure has to be monitored very carefully in women who are pregnant as there is the very real possibility they may develop pre-eclamsia. The problem with this disease is it can happen so fast that the lives of both mother and baby can be put in real danger very quickly.
Some symptoms of pre-eclamsia include
* Swelling of the body, especially the arms face and legs.
* A huge weight gain in a matter of days
* Severe headaches
* Dizziness and fainting
* Nausea and vomiting
* Visionary changes
And if the condition gets really bad seizures can occur.
Any woman who is pregnant and gets any of these symptoms then they should inform their doctor and midwife immediately so treatment can be given to prevent it getting any worse.
Hypertensive cardiovascular disease
Is an umbrella term for a disease which includes enlargement of the heart, coronary heart disease, and heart failure. This results from suffering often for a long period of time from high blood pressure (hypertension).
When you suffer from untreated high blood pressure, the heart has to work extra hard to pump your blood around your body. In a normal healthy body it can maintain this extra work for months or even a few years, but eventually it becomes tired and the muscles in the heart become enlarged. The arteries which supply the blood also suffer, they begin to harden and often become coated with cholesterol plaque which makes them become narrow. Because of this, the heart has to work even harder and becomes even more diseased.
The problem with this type of disease is it tends to creep up on people unexpectedly. Many of those who reach the stage of hypertensive cardio vascular disease probably had no idea they even had a raised blood pressure as they had no symptoms, very often the first sign they are ill is when they are rushed into hospital with cardiac problems or even stroke. This is why this disease is also known as the "silent killer"
Symptoms to look out for if you have a history of high blood pressure and suspect you may have hypertensive cardiovascular disease is
* Shortness of breath
* Chest pain
* Weakness and fatigue
* Oedema or swelling in ankles and feet
* Frequency of micturition (Urinating)
* Sweating and dizziness
* Nausea and stomach pain
If you have high blood pressure and you present with any of these symptoms you should seek medical assistance urgently.
Because high blood pressure is so common, many people make the mistake of thinking it's not a serious condition. If it's caught and treated early enough it doesn't have to be serious, but if left untreated then it can ultimately cause damage to not only your heart but also other organs in your body such as your kidneys and eyes. You are also at a greater risk of developing type two diabetes and stroke if you suffer from high blood pressure.
If you do have hypertensive cardiovascular disease then its imperative it's treated medically by a competent health care provider otherwise you may be at risk of developing further health complications such as angina, stroke, heart failure, heart arrhythmias and unfortunately death.
It's not all doom and gloom though, with a little bit of common sense and a change in your outlook on life you should be able to manage your high blood pressure effectively so there will be no eventual cardiovascular repercussions.
Regular monitoring of your blood pressure is essential especially if you've taken the decision not to take any medication. Many health care providers like to try a change in lifestyle first before they commit their patients to medication so it's important that your blood pressure is monitored carefully to ensure it doesn't get any worse.
Treatment for Hypertensive cardiovascular disease
The primary goal for this disease is a reduction in your blood pressure level if it's high. Reducing the blood pressure level immediately takes much of the strain off the heart and helps it to rest.
Obviously treatment will be varied and dependent on the exact nature of the heart disease but will possibly include diuretics, beta blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE) and calcium channel blockers.
A lifestyle change may also have to be considered as Hypertensive cardiovascular disease is a very serious illness and can be fairly limiting depending on the severity. For many people mild to moderate changes in their lifestyle may be all that's needed whilst for others they could be more far reaching. It's a discussion that needs to be made with both your physician and your family.
When you suffer from untreated high blood pressure, the heart has to work extra hard to pump your blood around your body. In a normal healthy body it can maintain this extra work for months or even a few years, but eventually it becomes tired and the muscles in the heart become enlarged. The arteries which supply the blood also suffer, they begin to harden and often become coated with cholesterol plaque which makes them become narrow. Because of this, the heart has to work even harder and becomes even more diseased.
The problem with this type of disease is it tends to creep up on people unexpectedly. Many of those who reach the stage of hypertensive cardio vascular disease probably had no idea they even had a raised blood pressure as they had no symptoms, very often the first sign they are ill is when they are rushed into hospital with cardiac problems or even stroke. This is why this disease is also known as the "silent killer"
Symptoms to look out for if you have a history of high blood pressure and suspect you may have hypertensive cardiovascular disease is
* Shortness of breath
* Chest pain
* Weakness and fatigue
* Oedema or swelling in ankles and feet
* Frequency of micturition (Urinating)
* Sweating and dizziness
* Nausea and stomach pain
If you have high blood pressure and you present with any of these symptoms you should seek medical assistance urgently.
Because high blood pressure is so common, many people make the mistake of thinking it's not a serious condition. If it's caught and treated early enough it doesn't have to be serious, but if left untreated then it can ultimately cause damage to not only your heart but also other organs in your body such as your kidneys and eyes. You are also at a greater risk of developing type two diabetes and stroke if you suffer from high blood pressure.
If you do have hypertensive cardiovascular disease then its imperative it's treated medically by a competent health care provider otherwise you may be at risk of developing further health complications such as angina, stroke, heart failure, heart arrhythmias and unfortunately death.
It's not all doom and gloom though, with a little bit of common sense and a change in your outlook on life you should be able to manage your high blood pressure effectively so there will be no eventual cardiovascular repercussions.
Regular monitoring of your blood pressure is essential especially if you've taken the decision not to take any medication. Many health care providers like to try a change in lifestyle first before they commit their patients to medication so it's important that your blood pressure is monitored carefully to ensure it doesn't get any worse.
Treatment for Hypertensive cardiovascular disease
The primary goal for this disease is a reduction in your blood pressure level if it's high. Reducing the blood pressure level immediately takes much of the strain off the heart and helps it to rest.
Obviously treatment will be varied and dependent on the exact nature of the heart disease but will possibly include diuretics, beta blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE) and calcium channel blockers.
A lifestyle change may also have to be considered as Hypertensive cardiovascular disease is a very serious illness and can be fairly limiting depending on the severity. For many people mild to moderate changes in their lifestyle may be all that's needed whilst for others they could be more far reaching. It's a discussion that needs to be made with both your physician and your family.
understanding what is Hypertension
Many individuals are confused by or desire to know what is hypertension? Medical personnel use the term hypertension to describe a condition in which a person's blood pressure exceeds the normal blood pressure readings. Blood pressure readings are measured in millimeters of mercury and read as two numbers. The top number of the reading is called the systolic number and the bottom number is called the diastolic number. Both numbers are pressure readings. The readings are considered to be high if the systolic pressure is higher than 140 and the diastolic number is higher than 90.
When determining what is hypertension medical staff look at these two important numbers. These numbers describe the pressure within the blood vessels of the heart, both the systolic and your diastolic numbers. The blood pressure reading is made up of these two numbers together so knowing just one number does not tell the entire story. If your systolic number is between 120 and 139 or your diastolic number is between 80 and 89 you might be told you have pre-hypertension, which increases your risk for hypertension. Can you see now how determining what is hypertension and what is a normal blood pressure reading or what is pre-hypertension is based on both of these numbers?
A person's blood pressure reading can be affected by several factors so in general a doctor will only make the diagnosis after a person has had consecutive readings in the higher levels. Some of the factors that may have an impact on a person's blood pressure reading include how much water and salt have been consumed, the condition of the blood vessels, kidneys and nervous system, and also the levels of hormones. Your risk for hypertension also increases with age so age is also a factor.
When patients question medical personnel about what is hypertension they often are also curious about if they are at high risk for hypertension. These two questions usually go hand-in-hand. Individuals that are at higher risk for hypertension include those of African American heritage, those considered to be obese, individuals experiencing long-term stress or whom are consumed with anxiety, have a high sodium diet, have a family history of hypertension, have been diagnosed with diabetes or who smoke.
When explaining what is hypertension, there may be another term that is discussed called, "secondary hypertension". Secondary hypertension is a medical term for a condition in which a person develops hypertension as a result of another medical condition or medication. Secondary hypertension may be the result of alcohol abuse, atherosclerosis, an autoimmune disorder, chronic kidney disease, coarctation of the aorta, cocaine use, kidney damage as a result of diabetes, or as a result of endocrine disorders, or renal artery stenosis. Medications that can have the side effect of causing secondary hypertension include appetite suppressants, birth control pills, cold medications, corticosteroids, and medications taken for migraines.
Part of the dialogue between doctor and patient when discussing what is hypertension might revolve around the symptoms of hypertension, which include confusion, ear noise, fatigue, headache, irregular heartbeat, nosebleeds, and vision changes. It may have been one or more of these symptoms that brought the patient into the doctor's office.
There are medical tests that can be conducted that together with several blood pressure readings can help to determine is a person has hypertension. Tests that may be ordered are blood tests, an echocardiogram, an electrocardiogram, a urinalysis and an ultrasound of the kidneys. All of these tests together with blood pressure readings will give a clear picture of what is hypertension for a particular patient. The readings and test results will be examined and discussed with the patient and a diagnosis given. If the patient does have hypertension a treatment plan will be designed that will help the individual control his or her blood pressure.
Click Here To Learn Exactly How To STOP High Blood Pressure And Eliminate Your Risk Of A Heart Attack Or Stroke In Just A Few Short Days
When determining what is hypertension medical staff look at these two important numbers. These numbers describe the pressure within the blood vessels of the heart, both the systolic and your diastolic numbers. The blood pressure reading is made up of these two numbers together so knowing just one number does not tell the entire story. If your systolic number is between 120 and 139 or your diastolic number is between 80 and 89 you might be told you have pre-hypertension, which increases your risk for hypertension. Can you see now how determining what is hypertension and what is a normal blood pressure reading or what is pre-hypertension is based on both of these numbers?
A person's blood pressure reading can be affected by several factors so in general a doctor will only make the diagnosis after a person has had consecutive readings in the higher levels. Some of the factors that may have an impact on a person's blood pressure reading include how much water and salt have been consumed, the condition of the blood vessels, kidneys and nervous system, and also the levels of hormones. Your risk for hypertension also increases with age so age is also a factor.
When patients question medical personnel about what is hypertension they often are also curious about if they are at high risk for hypertension. These two questions usually go hand-in-hand. Individuals that are at higher risk for hypertension include those of African American heritage, those considered to be obese, individuals experiencing long-term stress or whom are consumed with anxiety, have a high sodium diet, have a family history of hypertension, have been diagnosed with diabetes or who smoke.
When explaining what is hypertension, there may be another term that is discussed called, "secondary hypertension". Secondary hypertension is a medical term for a condition in which a person develops hypertension as a result of another medical condition or medication. Secondary hypertension may be the result of alcohol abuse, atherosclerosis, an autoimmune disorder, chronic kidney disease, coarctation of the aorta, cocaine use, kidney damage as a result of diabetes, or as a result of endocrine disorders, or renal artery stenosis. Medications that can have the side effect of causing secondary hypertension include appetite suppressants, birth control pills, cold medications, corticosteroids, and medications taken for migraines.
Part of the dialogue between doctor and patient when discussing what is hypertension might revolve around the symptoms of hypertension, which include confusion, ear noise, fatigue, headache, irregular heartbeat, nosebleeds, and vision changes. It may have been one or more of these symptoms that brought the patient into the doctor's office.
There are medical tests that can be conducted that together with several blood pressure readings can help to determine is a person has hypertension. Tests that may be ordered are blood tests, an echocardiogram, an electrocardiogram, a urinalysis and an ultrasound of the kidneys. All of these tests together with blood pressure readings will give a clear picture of what is hypertension for a particular patient. The readings and test results will be examined and discussed with the patient and a diagnosis given. If the patient does have hypertension a treatment plan will be designed that will help the individual control his or her blood pressure.
Click Here To Learn Exactly How To STOP High Blood Pressure And Eliminate Your Risk Of A Heart Attack Or Stroke In Just A Few Short Days
Determining what is Good Blood Pressure
In the quest to discover if you have high blood pressure or not it is important to understand what is good blood pressure? Many individuals may think that what is good blood pressure is something that is based upon opinion. The truth is that there is a very good way of determining what is good blood pressure. Any medical professional can tell you that a blood pressure reading can be used to establish whether or not a person has good blood pressure or if the person has high blood pressure.
When determining what is good blood pressure as opposed to what is high blood pressure one must understand what makes up a blood pressure reading. A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers. The two numbers are the systolic and diastolic blood pressure numbers. The systolic number is the top number and the diastolic is the bottom number. Blood pressure readings are taken by a blood pressure cuff and machine or stethoscope. The numbers tell whether or not the blood pressure is within the normal range, is considered to be pre-hypertension, or is considered to be high blood pressure. The numbers for high blood pressure are further broken down into two categories: stage 1 and stage 2.
If a person has good blood pressure the blood pressure reading is within the normal range which is less than 120 for the systolic number (the one at the top) and less than 80 for the diastolic number (the one on the bottom). Determining what is good blood pressure has to take into consideration both the systolic and the diastolic number.
A blood pressure reading that is NOT a good blood pressure reading would be one in which the systolic number is between 120 and 139 and the diastolic number is between 80 and 89 a reading like this would be considered to be prehypertension.
Another reading that would NOT be considered good blood pressure would be if the numbers were between 140 and 159 for the systolic and between 90 and 99 for the diastolic as this would be considered to be stage 1 hypertension (high blood pressure).
If a reading was 160 or higher for the systolic and 100 or higher for the diastolic than this blood pressure reading would be stage 2 hypertension and would definitely NOT be considered a good blood pressure.
There are many reasons why it is important to understand what is a good blood pressure reading and what is NOT a good blood pressure reading. Basically individuals diagnosed with high blood pressure would need to understand these reasons so that they will know how important it is to monitor blood pressure readings on a regular basis. If they know the difference between what a good blood pressure reading looks like and what a blood pressure reading looks like when it is considered to be high than they will know when to take steps to lower the blood pressure reading. Another reason for knowing blood pressure is that high blood pressure is often a sign or symptom of a medical condition that needs immediate attention such as eclampsia in pregnancy.
High blood pressure, especially when it is high for a period of time can lead to many serious medical conditions including heart attack, brain and kidney damage, and even death. To avoid these serious medical consequences of high blood pressure individuals at risk for high blood pressure or those who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure should be good at determining what is good blood pressure and what is high blood pressure and then of course know what to do if the blood pressure is high. Individuals can learn how to monitor blood pressure at home when they visit the doctor. They can also learn what to do if the blood pressure reading is not a good blood pressure reading.
When determining what is good blood pressure as opposed to what is high blood pressure one must understand what makes up a blood pressure reading. A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers. The two numbers are the systolic and diastolic blood pressure numbers. The systolic number is the top number and the diastolic is the bottom number. Blood pressure readings are taken by a blood pressure cuff and machine or stethoscope. The numbers tell whether or not the blood pressure is within the normal range, is considered to be pre-hypertension, or is considered to be high blood pressure. The numbers for high blood pressure are further broken down into two categories: stage 1 and stage 2.
If a person has good blood pressure the blood pressure reading is within the normal range which is less than 120 for the systolic number (the one at the top) and less than 80 for the diastolic number (the one on the bottom). Determining what is good blood pressure has to take into consideration both the systolic and the diastolic number.
A blood pressure reading that is NOT a good blood pressure reading would be one in which the systolic number is between 120 and 139 and the diastolic number is between 80 and 89 a reading like this would be considered to be prehypertension.
Another reading that would NOT be considered good blood pressure would be if the numbers were between 140 and 159 for the systolic and between 90 and 99 for the diastolic as this would be considered to be stage 1 hypertension (high blood pressure).
If a reading was 160 or higher for the systolic and 100 or higher for the diastolic than this blood pressure reading would be stage 2 hypertension and would definitely NOT be considered a good blood pressure.
There are many reasons why it is important to understand what is a good blood pressure reading and what is NOT a good blood pressure reading. Basically individuals diagnosed with high blood pressure would need to understand these reasons so that they will know how important it is to monitor blood pressure readings on a regular basis. If they know the difference between what a good blood pressure reading looks like and what a blood pressure reading looks like when it is considered to be high than they will know when to take steps to lower the blood pressure reading. Another reason for knowing blood pressure is that high blood pressure is often a sign or symptom of a medical condition that needs immediate attention such as eclampsia in pregnancy.
High blood pressure, especially when it is high for a period of time can lead to many serious medical conditions including heart attack, brain and kidney damage, and even death. To avoid these serious medical consequences of high blood pressure individuals at risk for high blood pressure or those who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure should be good at determining what is good blood pressure and what is high blood pressure and then of course know what to do if the blood pressure is high. Individuals can learn how to monitor blood pressure at home when they visit the doctor. They can also learn what to do if the blood pressure reading is not a good blood pressure reading.
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