What is high blood pressure?
Imagine that your arteries are pipes that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. High blood pressure (hypertension) occurs when your blood moves through your arteries at a higher pressure than normal.
High blood pressure that can be linked to a specific cause, such as a disease or drug, is called secondary hypertension. But most often the exact cause isn't known. When the cause isn't known, the high blood pressure is called essential hypertension. Your blood pressure changes often during the day depending on many factors. Therefore, your blood pressure may need to be taken several times in a quiet setting, while you are comfortable, in order to assess your blood pressure better. Doctors need to assess if you have high blood pressure to prevent heart disease and stroke. You should have your blood pressure taken once every year or two by your doctor.
What do the numbers for blood pressure mean?
Blood pressure is really two numbers written with a slash, such as 120/80. You may also hear someone say a blood pressure is "120 over 80."
The first number is the systolic blood pressure. This is the peak blood pressure when your heart is squeezing blood out. The second number is the diastolic blood pressure. It's the pressure when your heart is filling with blood - relaxing between beats. A normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. High blood pressure is when your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.
A healthy adult with a blood pressure of less than 120 over 80 is at less risk for getting some health problems over the long run. A blood pressure reading of more than 140 over 90 (or 160 over 90 if you are over the age of 65) will need to come down to safer levels. New goals for best blood pressure readings vary by your health status. The current target values for the following conditions are :
- Diabetes – less than 130/80
- Diabetes with protein in your urine greater than 1g per day – less than 125/75
- Isolated systolic hypertension – less than 140 systolic
- Diastolic hypertension with or without systolic hypertension – less than 140/90
- Renal disease – less than 130/80.
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