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Is Your Blood Pressure Too High?

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This is another post on Heart Month. Blood pressure is an important risk factor for heart disease — read on…

How High is too High?

high blood pressure

Is a blood pressure reading of 135 over 85 healthy, or a cause for alarm? What constitutes good numbers and bad? Are healthy blood pressure readings the same for young and old, male and female, active and sedentary individuals? And how frequently should you be checking your blood pressure anyway?

Those are all great questions, which reflect a desire on your part to take control of your heart health. Basically put, if your blood pressure frequently tests at 140 over 90 week after week, you could suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension or BP). And if either your top or bottom number is too high for an extended period of time, you may be a higher BP candidate as well.

Possible Diseases that Follow High Blood Pressure

Left untreated, this could lead to heart attack, stroke, heart and kidney diseases, and even some forms of brain damage or dementia. Just remember that everyone is different. This is why you should have your BP checked at least once a year if you enjoy a healthy level. You should have it checked much more frequently if you know your numbers are out of line.

General Blood Pressure Guidelines

wrist cuff

A doctor or licensed health professional is the only one who can tell you for certain if you have a low or high BP problem. But as long as you stay within the following guidelines, in most cases, your BP level is probably fine.

When your systolic (top number) is between around 90 and 120, you are right where you need to be. The same can be said if your diastolic (bottom number) BP reading is between 60 and 80. Numbers below those indicate low BP, and greater numbers than those are signs of possible high BP problems.

How Can You Tell if Your Blood Pressure Is OK?

There are all kinds of individual issues and factors which can cause your personal BP to spike or drop over the short and long-term. For quick reference, type the term “blood pressure chart” into your Internet search engine. There are free downloadable charts that allow you to quickly diagnose if your BP is too high or not.

Home BP testing kits are readily available online and are budget-friendly. In most modern countries around the world, pharmacies and even some supermarkets offer free BP testing. The first step toward figuring out if your blood pressure is too high is to consult your doctor or health professional.

What Can You Do?

high blood pressure cuff

High or low, 2-to-3 hours of moderately intense exercise each week, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, drinking lots of water, and getting plenty of rest can all help return your BP to a healthy level.

Otherwise, your physician or healthcare professional can offer some suggestions — either lifestyle or medical — to help control your BP levels.

Other Posts for Heart Month:

Important Facts about Heart Disease

Loving Life — The Reboot!

Dominique

This article provides general information and discussion about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this article, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.

Is Your Blood Pressure Too High?

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