High Blood Pressure: What You Need to Know

Until I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, I never thought twice about it. Over the years, I convinced myself that I would never have to worry about high blood pressure. Why? I believed that several things worked in my favor. My blood pressure had always been in the low-normal range. I'm not a big fan of table salt or other sources of sodium which, I understand, elevate blood pressure. Also, I'm not a Type A personality, overly competitive, or walk around tense or stressed out. Finally, I don't smoke and I drink in moderation. In addition, as a woman, I believed that I was the right gender as if hypertension was something only men had to worry about. In any event, it would never happen to me.

Imagine my surprise when my blood pressure started creeping up, putting me in the high blood pressure range. Surely, it was a mistake. A high tech glitch. The white coat effect. This couldn't be happening to me, or could it?

Blood Pressure Basics

Blood pressure, simply put, is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. Blood pressure rises and falls throughout the day. It's the force that keeps blood moving and flowing where it needs to go. It plays an important role in overall health and wellness.

High Blood Pressure

When blood pressure stays elevated over time, it's called "high blood pressure" or "hypertension." Interestingly, high blood pressure can strike without causing symptoms or personal discomfort. High blood pressure can also strike without warning. High blood pressure is an equal opportunity health condition, affecting men and women, young and old, and everyone in between. Indeed, according to experts at the Mayo Clinic, high blood pressure is relatively common. About 65 million American adults have high blood pressure. That means about one in three Americans have high blood pressure.

What causes hypertension? Several factors may cause hypertension, according to medical experts at the National Institutes of Health, like narrowing of the arteries, a greater than normal volume of blood in your system, or the heart beating faster or more forcefully than it really should. High blood pressure can also be caused by other health conditions, like obesity, among others.

What's wrong with having high blood pressure? High blood pressure can increase your overall risk of heart disease and stroke. Untreated, high blood pressure can lead to other devastating health conditions, like congestive heart failure, kidney disease or, in some cases, blindness.

Risk Factors of High Blood Pressure

While high blood pressure can strike anyone, some are more at risk than others of developing the condition. For example, according to experts at the National Institutes of Health, high blood pressure is common among African Americans who may get it earlier in life and more often than whites. Blood pressure can become elevated as people age, but that's not to say it's a regular feature of aging. Middle aged persons are at higher risk of getting high blood pressure and, as a result, have a 90% change of developing high blood pressure. Finally, people with a family history of high blood pressure are, often, at increased risk of developing hypertension themselves.

Blood Pressure Testing and Diagnosis

According to experts at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, normal blood pressure is measured at less than 120 systolic (higher number) and less than 80 diastolic (lower number). A blood pressure reading between 120/80 and 139/89 is considered to be prehypertension. A blood pressure level of 140/90 to 159/99 is Stage 1, high blood pressure. 160/100 or higher is considered Stage 2, high blood pressure.

Health care professionals will diagnose high blood pressure only after a patient tests in the higher range 2-3 times within a six month period. In this way, your doctor can rule out other causes for the blood pressure elevation. Once you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure levels, you may be advised or guided to lose weight, exercise, test your blood pressure on a regular basis at home, and take medication to bring your blood pressure into normal range.

Preventing High Blood Pressure

You can prevent high blood pressure and hypertension by maintaining a healthy weight, healthy diet and engaging in exercise. You can also advance your healthy lifestyle by avoiding smoking and salt or sodium enriched foods.

RESOURCES

High Blood Pressure
Diseases and Conditions
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health

National Institutes of Health
www.nih.gov

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
www.mayoclinic.org

Home Blood Pressure Measurement
A Systematic Review
J Am Coll Cardiol, 2005; 46:743-751