What Are High Blood Pressure and Prehypertension?
High blood pressure is a condition that most people will have at some point in their lives - p eople who do not have high blood pressure at age 55 face a 90 percent chance of developing it during their lifetimes.
Preferred Care cares about your health and what you to know the good news: if you have normal blood pressure, there are steps you can take that will help prevent you from developing high blood pressure. And if you have high blood pressure, some simple lifestyle changes can help you control it.
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. Blood pressure rises and falls throughout the day. When blood pressure stays elevated over time, it's called high blood pressure.
The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension. High blood pressure is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard and contributes to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). It increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are the first- and third-leading causes of death among Americans. High blood pressure also can result in other conditions, such as congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness.
Blood pressure is usually measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded as two numbers - the 'systolic' pressure (as the heart beats) "over" 'diastolic' pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats) - for example, 130/80mmHg. Ask your doctor to write down for you your blood pressure numbers.
- A blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high. About two-thirds of people over age 65 have high blood pressure.
- If your blood pressure is between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, then you have prehypertension. This means that you don't have high blood pressure now but are likely to develop it in the future unless you take steps toward a healthier lifestyle.
People who do not have high blood pressure at age 55 face a 90 percent chance of developing it during their lifetimes. So high blood pressure is a condition that most people will have at some point in their lives.
Hypertension can almost always be prevented, so these steps are very important even if you do not have high blood pressure:
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Be physically active.
- Follow a healthy eating plan.
- Eat foods with less sodium (salt).
- Drink alcohol only in moderation.
- Take prescribed drugs as directed.
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Both numbers in a blood pressure test are important, but for people who are age 50 or older, systolic pressure gives the most accurate diagnosis of high blood pressure. Systolic pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading. It is high if it is 140 mmHg or above.
5/2004
Source:The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Click Here for more of "Your Guide to Lowering Blood Pressure" from the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute.
Learn more about high blood pressure in our Health Encyclopedia.
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