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Hypertension / High Blood Pressure

About High Blood Pressure 

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The rising incidence of blood pressure is related to lifestyle changes and dietary habits.

Hypertension is called a silent killer because you can have it for years and not know about it. High blood pressure increases your risks for getting heart attacks, heart failure, stroke or kidney failure.

Almost one in every third person is suffering from this condition and this maybe related to our modern lifestyle and food habits. Consumption of salt, smoking, over-weight, lack of exercise and stress are factors that can lead to increase in our blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure is a chronic condition and once you develop it usually will last a lifetime. To prevent this happening to you must fully understand the condition and take appropriate action.

If your blood pressure falls between the range of 120/80 and 140/90, you may have something called "Pre-Hypertension". Remember that more than one recording is usually required before a person can be designated hypertensive.

What is Blood Pressure

Normally the blood is pumped by the heart into the arteries and then it flows through smaller capillaries before it flows into the veins to return to the heart.

There are miles of blood vessels in our body. Blood pressure is the tension exerted by the flowing blood on the wall of the arteries. If the blood pressure is high the tension is high and hence high blood pressure is also called Hypertension (hyper meaning increase).

Taking Blood Pressure

During the recording of blood pressure two readings are taken. The upper reading is called the Systolic Pressure (as the heart beats) and this reading is higher than the second reading called the Diastolic Pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats). A consistent blood pressure reading of 140/90 mm Hg (mercury) or higher is considered high blood pressure, another term for hypertension. The normal recommended blood pressure is 120/80 mm of Hg .

The instrument that records the blood pressure is called Sphygmomanometer.


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Posted by:  rishigupta02445  Posted on: 04/29/2012
Medical professionals can use some pages to practice taking blood pressure using an online simulator.




Posted by:  cosmas  Posted on: 04/01/2012
141-80. is that level consider high blood. Tq.



Posted by:  malta(Guest)  Posted on: 03/07/2012
my blood pressure is on always around 225 top number bottom 90 but last few weeks been 238 top bottom 146 i take medication but its not working its been like this for over 12 months im 41 years old female i do not smoke and only have odd drink glass of wine now and again have not had one since xmas how dangerous is this i dont feel very well always tired have no energy how is it affecting my health ?



Posted by:  zelmo(Guest)  Posted on: 02/09/2012
My ex wife went to her doctor . her blood presure was 200 over 103. what should have been done?



Posted by:  yoesse(Guest)  Posted on: 02/01/2012
I am a 78 year old female. My blood pressure reads 180/50 and I get headaches [maily around the top most of my head], would my blood pressure be causing the headaches?



Posted by:  Judi51(Guest)  Posted on: 01/23/2012
Would you say that 125/102 is high blood pressure for a sixty year old female?



Posted by:  Rebecca69(Guest)  Posted on: 10/12/2011
Rebecca69 Hi, I have lupus and have never had heart problems before. I have had a dry cough for 2 days and started having chest and arm pain. I went to ER and was told I had a 8 hour wait. Decided to go home. At home I checked my blood pressure and it was 145 over 120. In the morning it was 139 over 119. I usually sit around 105 over 59! I am now 134 over 92. Should I be worried?



Posted by:  Andy77  Posted on: 08/28/2011
I have quit smoking, coming up 4 week!, and i have been monitoring my blood pressure and it has gone up! I have suffered from high BP before so i decided to lose some weight [3.5 stone] and this had a positive effect on my BP it returned to normal, sometime a little high, but now i have quit smoking it is back to high again average results 150/105. what could this be?



Posted by:  christospalmer  Posted on: 06/30/2011
Mine has been as high as 170 over whatever number I can't remember, I'm now on my 2nd med for hypertension, I have constant chest pains, this is a nightmare for me.



Posted by:  Ironba3st(Guest)  Posted on: 04/13/2011
I'm 13. Today, I went to the nurse because I wasn't feeling well, and she took my blood pressure. It read 142/83. Is that considered hypertension?


Posted by:  christospalmer  Posted on: 07/01/2011
It is certainly high and should be lower than that. Anything upto 140/?? is prehypertension. Go and see your doctor and see what might be the problem.




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