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Blood Pressure
Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force exerted by blood on the walls of the arteries when the heart beats. When measured, two readings are recorded.The first is called the systolic pressure and represents the force of the blood as the heart contracts (beats) to pump it around the body. The second, called the diastolic, is the pressure while the heart is filling with blood again in preparation for the next contraction or heart beat. For most people a blood pressure reading less than 140/85mmHg is desirable. For those already at high risk of cardiovascular disease (for example people with diabetes) the normal limit is a little lower, at 130/80 mmHg.Blood pressure changes throughout the day. In particular, it increases during exercise and decreases during sleep.
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force exerted by blood on the walls of the arteries when the heart beats. When measured, two readings are recorded.The first is called the systolic pressure and represents the force of the blood as the heart contracts (beats) to pump it around the body. The second, called the diastolic, is the pressure while the heart is filling with blood again in preparation for the next contraction or heart beat. For most people a blood pressure reading less than 140/85mmHg is desirable. For those already at high risk of cardiovascular disease (for example people with diabetes) the normal limit is a little lower, at 130/80 mmHg.Blood pressure changes throughout the day. In particular, it increases during exercise and decreases during sleep.Although high blood pressure can cause headaches, dizziness and problems with vision, the majority of people suffer no symptoms at all. However, it can lead to heart attack, stroke and kidney damage, which is why it's important for people to have it checked every couple of years so it can be diagnosed and treated. In 90 per cent of cases there's no specific cause of high blood pressure, but it can run in families. In around 10 per cent of cases, kidney disease, endocrine disease (for example, underactive thyroid) and drugs (such as the contraceptive pill) are found to be responsible.
Helping yourself
- Have your blood pressure checked regularly every few years
- Reduce your salt intake
- Don't smoke
- Eat low-fat foods
- Keep to your ideal weight
- Drink safe amounts of alcohol
- Take regular exercise
- Reduce your stress.
Safe levels
If your blood pressure is normal then it needs to stay that way. If it's high, it needs to be brought down to a normal level. There's no cure as such for hypertension, but following a healthy lifestyle can be enough to bring blood pressure down to a normal level. Medication is used if lifestyle changes alone fail to lower blood pressure sufficiently. Those used are safe and have few side effects.
Sarnath |
Latest page update: made by Sarnath
, Aug 27 2007, 6:19 AM EDT
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- Sarnath
36 words added 36 words deleted view changes - complete history) |
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| charu_01 | Blood Pressure | 2 | Apr 15 2009, 12:49 AM EDT by Sarnath | ||
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Thread started: Apr 15 2009, 12:06 AM EDT
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