CHS Healthcare offers blood pressure screenings every day. Please feel free to visit us anytime to have your blood pressure checked.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure (HBP), is a disease. It often has no symptoms but can have deadly health consequences if left untreated. Some people think that those with hypertension are tense, nervous or hyperactive, but hypertension has nothing to do with personality traits. The truth is, you can be a calm, relaxed person and still have HBP.
By keeping your blood pressure in the healthy range, you are:
- Reducing your risk of your vascular walls becoming overstretched and injured
- Reducing your risk of your heart having to pump harder to compensate for blockages
- Protecting your entire body so that your tissue receives regular supplies of blood that is rich in the oxygen it needs
Your blood pressure rises with each heartbeat and falls when your heart relaxes between beats. While BP can change from minute to minute with changes in posture, exercise, stress or sleep, it should normally be less than 120/80 mm Hg (less than 120 systolic AND less than 80 diastolic) for an adult age 20 or over. About one in three (33.5%) U.S. adults has high blood pressure.
What Do the Numbers Mean?
The results of blood pressure test will give you two numbers. The first number is a systolic (sis-TOL-ik) number followed by the diastolic (di-a-STOL-ik) number.
The systolic number is the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. The diastolic number is the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats. For example, for a blood pressure reading of 120/80, 120 is the systolic number and 80 is the diastolic number.
If you get a blood pressure reading of 180 or higher on top or 110 or higher on the bottom, and are having any symptoms of possible organ damage (chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness/weakness, change in vision, difficulty speaking) do not wait to see if your pressure comes down on its own. Seek emergency medical assistance immediately.
Risk Factors
- Being Overweight
- Smoking
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Consuming foods high in salt
- Lack of exercise
- Consuming heavy amounts of alcohol
Lowering Your Risk
- Know your blood pressure, have it checked at least once a year
- Include at least 30 minutes of exercise in your daily routine
- Stop smoking
- If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation
- Eat a low-salt diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables and low-dairy fat
Source and more information about high blood pressure: click here.