What is blood pressure?

[patliputra]

We always hear ,blood pressure readings is this or that. Actually what is meant by blood pressure. Why it is important? What is its significance.

[jan-ran]

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. Blood pressure is necessary to move the blood through your body so it can get to all the body's organs.

Why is high blood pressure dangerous?

High blood pressure—also called hypertension—puts you at risk for heart disease. When your

circulatory system

blood pressure is high, your heart has to work harder. High blood pressure is known as the "silent killer" because it often has no symptoms. If not treated, high blood pressure raises your chances of:

Stroke

Heart attack

Kidney problems

Eye problems

Death

The good news

You can take action to prevent high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is high, you can do something to control it.

What do your blood pressure numbers mean?

A normal blood pressure is below 120/80. Check your blood pressure once a year.

If your numbers are 120/80 to 139/89, you have prehypertension. You are more likely to end up with high blood pressure. Take action to prevent it.

Your blood pressure is high if it is 140/90 or above. Ask your doctor how to lower it. Check your blood pressure often if your blood pressure is high.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service

National Institutes of Health

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

NIH Publication No. 08-6352

June 2008

[patliputra in reply to jan-ran]

Thank you,but how and why blood pressure rises.

[Lisahelen in reply to patliputra]

Many reasons, main ones i would say are stress, illness, and being overweight. Other short term risers would be alcohol or exercise.

[jan-ran in reply to Lisahelen]

Yes and also it rises a bit with age, but many say it should not. A diet containing lots of hydrogenated (trans) fats also puts bp up. Can go high in pregnancy.  Many people blame the stress of modern day living, too. 

[patliputra in reply to jan-ran]

You are right. But the main factor for rise in blood pressure is fatty deposits in blood vessels called atherosclerosis.

[seasider18 in reply to patliputra]

I have had labile BP for 16 years that meds and the hypertension Clinic have not controlled. I've had every test in the book and two angiograms that show my arteries to be clear after false positives during stress ECG's and Echocardiograms.

[patliputra in reply to seasider18]

Labile or idiopathic blood pressure do occur in about 10% of hypertensives. Here cause is unknown, so management is difficult and treatments is very unsatisfactory. Sorry for that.

[seasider18 in reply to patliputra]

Consultant suggested that I am not truly hypertensive but have spikes. My average from 24 hour monitoring keeps them happier than me.

He suggested that not being truly hypertensive is the reason that all drugs tried gave me side effects and did not reduce the mainly morning highs.

[jan-ran]

You knew all along then! 😉

[patliputra in reply to jan-ran]

You are kind.

[seasider18]

You seem to be posting other contentious posts on other conditions throughout HealthUnlocked.  Are you at a loose end?