What is Hypertension? - Why Should I Care If I Have It?
Blood pressure is a measure of force.
Blood pushes its way through the arteries as it travels throughout the body.
This push of blood through arteries is a measured pressure known as blood pressure.
There are two numbers in a blood pressure reading.
The top number is called systolic and the lower number is diastolic.
They appear as a fraction with systolic being over diastolic.
Your systolic pressure is a measure of force when the heart is pumping blood.
While your diastolic pressure is a measure of force when your heart is at rest between beats.
Normal blood pressure has a systolic reading of less than 120 and a diastolic of less than 80.
(Though normal can vary from person to person.
Ask your doctor or other health care professional what is normal for you).
Hypertension is a systolic reading of 140 OR more or a diastolic reading of 90 or more.
One in three adults in the United States has hypertension.
Many of these people do not know they have hypertension as their usually no symptoms.
When symptoms do occur they include: - Vision changes - Chest pain - Ear buzzing or noise - Nosebleed Most of the time, the cause of hypertension is unknown.
Though there are several factors that may influence blood pressure such as: - Age - Diet - Exercise - Heredity - Smoking - Race Untreated hypertension can cause some very serious consequences.
These include: - Stroke - Kidney failure - Brain damage or stroke - Heart attack - Loss of vision (blindness) - Congestive heart failure Treatment of hypertension includes: - Losing weight (even just a few pounds can help) - Exercise - Diet changes - Medications
Blood pushes its way through the arteries as it travels throughout the body.
This push of blood through arteries is a measured pressure known as blood pressure.
There are two numbers in a blood pressure reading.
The top number is called systolic and the lower number is diastolic.
They appear as a fraction with systolic being over diastolic.
Your systolic pressure is a measure of force when the heart is pumping blood.
While your diastolic pressure is a measure of force when your heart is at rest between beats.
Normal blood pressure has a systolic reading of less than 120 and a diastolic of less than 80.
(Though normal can vary from person to person.
Ask your doctor or other health care professional what is normal for you).
Hypertension is a systolic reading of 140 OR more or a diastolic reading of 90 or more.
One in three adults in the United States has hypertension.
Many of these people do not know they have hypertension as their usually no symptoms.
When symptoms do occur they include: - Vision changes - Chest pain - Ear buzzing or noise - Nosebleed Most of the time, the cause of hypertension is unknown.
Though there are several factors that may influence blood pressure such as: - Age - Diet - Exercise - Heredity - Smoking - Race Untreated hypertension can cause some very serious consequences.
These include: - Stroke - Kidney failure - Brain damage or stroke - Heart attack - Loss of vision (blindness) - Congestive heart failure Treatment of hypertension includes: - Losing weight (even just a few pounds can help) - Exercise - Diet changes - Medications