Understanding Blood pressure readings






Gone are the days when measuring your blood pressure necessitated a visit to the hospital and the doctor’s or nurse’s stethoscope hovering over you. Today, technology has advanced and measuring of blood pressure can be done at home using home kits. As home kits have inundated the market, the need to understand blood pressure and the readings has increased. At first most people would have been content with the doctor doing the reading and making the interpretations. However, when taking measurements at home, it is important to be able to make sense of the reading so you can decide on the next course of action.

What is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted on the wall of the arteries as blood flows through them. During every heart beat, the heart pumps blood through the blood vessels which in tend carry blood to other parts of the body. This pumping action creates the pressure commonly referred to as blood pressure.

Blood Pressure readings

Blood pressure is read as two figures one written to the left and the other written below or to the right or a slash; it is measured in millimeters of mercury. A typical blood pressure reading could be 120/80 mm hg. These are the numbers that have to be understood. Generally the first number is known as the systolic pressure and the second the diastolic pressure.

The systolic blood pressure is the first reading or the reading before the slash in blood pressure measurement. This reading is actually the highest pressure recorded by the heart as it pumps blood.

The diastolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart rests between its job of pumping blood. It is the lowest pressure recorded by the heart.

When taking your blood pressure you may find that the readings may vary depending on when you took them. That is why doctors advise that people should not depend on only one reading. If you take a reading and find that it is too high or too low. Wait for some time and take the readings again. You can only get alarmed if the readings do not change.

When should you get alarmed?

 

Normally, if your blood pressure falls below the numbers 120/80 there is no cause for alarm however, if its start reading higher than this, there may be need to make some lifestyle changes. Usually, while it is still reading below 139/89 you are not yet considered to be hypertensive. However it is time to take care of what goes into your mouth as this may be having negative effects on the health of the heart. By the time the blood pressures reads 140/90 and above then you are considered to be hypertensive and doctor’s attention is highly recommended.


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