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6. Blood Pressure |
The pressure of blood exerted on the walls of the arteries, which carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body. Normal systolic pressure is from 100 to 129.
Blood Pressure measures the pressure of circulating blood against artery walls, and it is measured by two numbers. The first number, or systolic pressure, refers to the pressure inside the artery when the heart contracts and pumps blood throughout the body. The second number, or diastolic pressure, refers to the pressure inside the artery when the heart is at rest and is filling with blood.
Most people don’t know if they have high Blood Pressure – especially since there may be no noticeable warning signs or symptoms – and therefore the Blood Pressure must be measured.
Blood pressure changes in response to different activities and is recommended to be measured while at rest. Consistently high blood pressure readings may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure (hypertension), which poses a higher risk for health problems such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. In most cases, high blood pressure has no defined cause, and it is called primary hypertension. However, it is related to unhealthy lifestyles such as physical inactivity, stressful life, obesity, shift work, pregnancy, etc. It should be emphasized that Blood Pressure can be managed through diagnosis, lifestyle changes, medication and long-term monitoring.
Blood Pressure is categorized as low, normal, or elevated: low blood pressure is defined as systolic pressure of less than 100, normal blood pressure is defined as systolic pressure of 100 to 129, while elevated blood pressure is defined as systolic pressure of 130 or higher.
These numbers should be used as a guide only. A single Blood Pressure measurement that is higher than normal is not necessarily an indication of a problem. Your doctor will want to see multiple Blood Pressure measurements over several days or weeks before making a diagnosis of high blood pressure and commencing treatment. |
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