Stages of High Blood Pressure
- Blood pressure is defined as the blood pushing against the artery walls when the heart pumps out blood. If a person's blood pressure is high and stays high over a period of time, serious heart problems such a coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and kidney failure can occur. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute names four general categories for blood pressure levels in adults: normal, prehypertension, stage 1 high blood pressure and stage 2 high blood pressure.
- Blood pressure is measured as a two-part number in millimeters of mercury or mmHg. In stage 1 high blood pressure, the systolic number (it measures the pressure when the heart beats) ranges from 140 to 159 and the diastolic number (it measures the pressure between the heart beats) ranges from 90 to 99. Blood pressure is measured using an inflatable arm cuff with a gauge that measures pressure.
- In stage 2 high blood pressure, the systolic number is 160 and higher or the diastolic number is 100 and higher. A person's systolic and diastolic numbers may not fall in the same stage. For this person, the blood pressure stage is determined by the higher stage reading. For example, a person whose blood pressure is 160 over 80 has stage 2 high blood pressure because of the 160 number. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, about 1 in 3 adults in the United States have high blood pressure. A person can have high blood pressure for a long time without knowing it because usually there are no other symptoms. So regular blood pressure checks are important.
- In normal blood pressure, the systolic number is 120 or less and the diastolic number is 80 or less. As people age, their blood pressure usually rises. However, a person can sometimes prevent or delay this kind of rise in blood pressure by maintaining a healthy lifestyle as they age. In prehypertension, the systolic number ranges from 120 to 139 or the diastolic number range from 80 to 89. People whose blood pressure falls in the prehypertension range are likely to develop high blood pressure unless they follow a doctor's treatment plan and make changes. Blood pressure tends to rise and fall even for people who have normal blood pressure. However, if a person's blood pressure tends to stay above the normal range most of the time, that person is at risk for high blood pressure and its health complications.