High Blood Pressure - What Does That Mean?

At your next medical exam, the doctor or nurse informs you that you have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. And even though you have heard that term before, you're a bit uncertain what exactly that means, and you might wonder, "But I feel fine."



Everyone has blood pressure. As the heart is pumping blood through the blood vessels, the force of the blood on the walls of the vessels, is the blood pressure. Many things can make blood pressure rise. It rises when you’re active, excited or nervous. It is also a natural aging symptom. It is only when the pressure is high and stays high over time that it can damage the body.



You can have high blood pressure for years without knowing it. In fact, about 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure. Often there are no symptoms. So that's alright, yes? Wrong. The dangerous thing about high blood pressure is that it can cause damage to your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and several other parts of your body, even though there are no apparent sysmptoms. This condition can cause coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and kidney failure.



When you have your blood pressure taken, the doctor or nurse is measuring the force of the blood upon the blood vessal walls. This is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The first number the doctor records is the systolic pressure. This is the pressure generated exactly when the heart contracts. The second number is the diastolic pressure. This is the pressure between heart beats, your heart at rest. The two numbers make up your blood pressure.



The normal blood pressure for most adults is less than 120, and less than 80. This is typically written as 120/80. Prehypertension is when the top number is between 120 and 139 or the bottom number is between 80 and 89. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is split into two different stages. In the first stage, the top number is between 140 and 159 or the bottom number is between 90 and 99. Stage two, the most critical, is when the top number is 160 or higher or the bottom number is 100 or higher. It should be noted, that one does not have to have both numbers be abnormally high in order to have high blood pressure. If either number is to high, you are at risk.



If you're found to have high blood pressure, you and your doctor need to discuss different steps and option in order to control it. Following a healthy lifestyle, keeping track of your blood pressure numbers and following your doctor’s treatment plan are key to keeping your high blood pressure under control.



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