Blood pressure (BP) is the force your heart exerts on the artery walls. It happens as the heart moves oxygen through your body. It can be expressed with two digits, like 120/80 mm Hg. Here’s what the data indicates:
The Main Causes Of Blood Pressure below
Behaviors such as overeating, smoking, and drinking are all linked to stress. They are also linked to higher blood pressure. Diseases like diabetes, kidney failure, and sleep apnea can all raise BP. Pregnancy. Pregnancy may result in high blood pressure.
- Family history of BP
- overweight or obese
- drug abuse
- certain health conditions, such as kidney disease,
- diabetes, and thyroid problems
- excessive salt intake
- alcohol and smoking
- Tension
High blood pressure symptoms
Most people with high BP have no symptoms. Their BP readings skyrocketed, posing a significant threat to their health. You can have high BP for years without any symptoms.
A few people with high BP may have:
- Headache
- Shortness of breath
- Nosebleeds
- chest pain
- back pain
- numbness
- weakness
- change in vision
- difficulty speaking
Treatment of High Blood Pressure
Changing your lifestyle can help control and manage high blood pressure. Your healthcare provider may recommend that you make lifestyle changes, including:
- Maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight
- Getting regular physical activity
- Limiting alcohol
- Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep daily
- Not smoking
- Eating a heart-healthy diet with less salt
Sometimes lifestyle changes aren’t enough to treat high BP. If they don’t help, your provider may recommend medicine to lower your BP.
Normal Blood Pressure in Adult and children’s
Adults who are 20 years old and older have a normal BP level of less than 120/80 mm Hg. Hypertension (high BP) is defined as having a systolic pressure of 130 mmHg or higher or a diastolic pressure of 80 mmHg or higher, most of the time. Normal BP for children Children’s BP ranges vary according to age.
Newborns up to 1 month: 60–90 mm Hg (systolic) or 20–60 mm Hg (diastolic) Teenagers: 66–80 mm Hg (diastolic), 112-128 mm Hg (systolic). Keep in mind that the range of healthy BP depends on age, sex, and height. The Baylor College of Medicine calculator is one tool you can use to find out if your child’s BP is within a healthy range.
Controlling blood pressure
If your blood pressure falls into the normal range, maintain heart-healthy routines, including a balanced diet and regular exercise. If your BP is high, consult with your doctor for assistance with managing the situation. Your doctor would most likely suggest lifestyle adjustments if you have hypertension at Stage 1. They may recommend medication based on your risk of heart disease or stroke, and they should prescribe medication if you have other health issues such as diabetes, heart failure, or renal disease. In hypertension stage 2, the physician ought to suggest BP medication and lifestyle modifications. In a hypertensive crisis, you require medical assistance.
Wait five minutes after the first reading.
Take your BP again.
If your readings are still unusually high, contact your health care professional immediately.
Your BP numbers and what they mean
Your BP is recorded as two numbers:
Systolic blood pressure is the first number. It measures the pressure your blood is pushing against your artery walls when the heart beats.
Diastolic blood pressure is the second number. It measures the pressure your blood is pushing against your artery walls while the heart muscle rests between beats.
Diet and lifestyle changes:
- Reach and stay at your ideal body weight
- exercise regularly
- Eat a balanced, heart-healthy diet that is low in salt, fat, and cholesterol and contains lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Your diet is an important part of controlling your blood pressure. The Dietary Approaches to Stop High Blood Pressure (DASH) eating plan and limiting sodium (salt) help control blood pressure. Ask your doctor to set you up for a more personalized eating plan
- Have no more than two alcoholic beverages per day (for most men) and no more than one beverage per day for women and lighter men. One beverage serving includes a 12-ounce beer or wine cooler, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
- Manage stress and anger.
- Avoid all tobacco and nicotine products.
- Other lifestyle changes, such as managing lipid levels (LDL, cholesterol, and triglycerides), and managing other health conditions, such as diabetes
Medicines and follow-up care
Take all medicines as prescribed by the doctor. Do not stop or start taking any medications without talking to your doctor. Blood pressure medicines do not work well even after you stop taking them.
Some over-the-counter medications, such as decongestants, may change the way your blood pressure medicine works.
Keep all follow-up appointments so that your doctor can monitor your blood pressure, make necessary changes to your medications, and help manage your risk of heart disease.
Your doctor may ask you to record your blood pressure at home. Follow your doctor’s instructions for recording your blood pressure.