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Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force of blood inside an artery. A blood pressure test will determine the force of the blood against the artery wall. Readings of this test include an upper number called the systolic pressure and a lower number known as diastolic pressure.
Blood pressure should be checked on a regular basis, often there may be no signs or symptoms of high or low blood pressure. Simply put, the heart pumps the blood through the artery walls. The blood carries oxygen and nutrients to vital organs in order for the body to work properly and to survive. A rise or drop in blood pressure can cause a myriad of ailments or worse cause organs to fail. For the best course of treatment your doctor will determine a range of factors including lifestyle, weight, whether you are a smoker, diabetic or have high cholesterol.
LOW BLOOD PRESSURE (also known as orthostatic hypo-tension) is when the amount of blood pumped out through the heart is reduced and there is not enough oxygen in the blood to be carried through to your vital organs.
Causes: Dehydration, severe to moderate bleeding, severe inflammation of body organs, weakened heart muscles, Pericarditis, Pulmonary embolism, abnormally fast or slowed heart rate, some medications, Postural (orthostatic) hypo-tension, Septicaemia, adrenal diseases and more.
Left Untreated Can Cause: kidneys, liver, heart, lung, and brain to fail rapidly.
Symptoms: dizziness, fainting, light headedness, angina symptoms, chest pain or heart attack.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (also known as hypertension) is the force of the blood being pushed through narrowing arteries. It is this restriction that increases the blood pressure. Constant high blood pressure can cause the heart to weaken and enlarge. It can also cause damage to the blood vessels, more so if you already have raised blood cholesterol, diabetes or smoke.
Causes: obesity, lifestyle, genetic factors, excessive alcohol, oral contraceptives, pain relievers and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) Underlying causes may include; Abnormal blood vessels, adrenal diseases, eclampsia / pre-eclampsia, kidney diseases and thyroid diseases.
Left Untreated Can Cause: Heart failure, kidney failure, strokes, blindness or an aneurysm(Blood Clot).
Symptoms: Often there are no symptoms. High blood pressure is often referred to as “the silent killer”.
Blood Pressure Range For Adults 18 yrs And Older |
| - | Blood Pressure Level (mmHg) |
| Category | Systolic Range | and | Diastolic Range |
| Normal | 120 or lower | or | 80 or lower |
| Pre-Hyper tension | 120-139 | or | 40.59 |
Stage 1 Hypertension
(High Blood Pressure) | 140-159 | or | 90-99 |
Stage 2 Hypertension
(High Blood Pressure) | 160 or higher | or | 100 or higher |
Prevention and Treatment
Your doctor may prescribe you medication to manage your blood pressure issues. If not, the following maybe a beneficial guide as well as a good preventative of heart and blood pressure problems.
- Maintain a healthy bodyweight.
- Eat a balanced, low fat diet with whole grains.
- Eat eight servings of coloured vegetables and fruit a day.
- Use low fat milk.
- Choose Fish, skinless chicken and lean meat.
- Avoid fatty, fried food.(Saturated Fat).
- Get plenty of exercise
- Eat less salt
- Avoid liquorice (it contains a chemical that can raise blood pressure).
- Have no more than two or three alcoholic drinks a day.
- Stop smoking.
- Make sure you get enough potassium, calcium and magnesium in your diet.
A good nutritionist/dietician can give you an ideal meal plan if you need help with choosing the right foods to combat weight and blood pressure problems. Your doctor may also have a list of good foods to include in your diet.
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