Blood Pressure Overview

What is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is one of the most important phenomena in the human body. High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition when the blood exerts high pressure against the artery walls. High blood pressure is called a silent killer condition which can lead to other major health complications like kidney ailments, heart diseases, strokes, etc.

• The normal blood pressure in adults ranges from 120/80 mm to 130/90 mm of Hg.
• Millimeter of Hg i.e. mercury is used for measurement of blood pressure.

The 21st century has seen a large number of victims of blood pressure diseases. The fact is, in UAE around 40.8% of adults suffer from hypertension making it one of the prominent diseases in Emirates. It’s high time that we should understand what exactly hypertension is, and all the critical factors related to it.

Blood Pressure Types:

Blood pressure is divided into two types such as -

• Systolic pressure

• Diastolic pressure

The systolic blood pressure is when the heart pumps and contracts the blood in arteries whereas diastolic is when the heart relaxes once the contraction is done and thus creates the pressure in arteries. We can understand more about hypertension with the help of blood pressure chart. In that chart, the top number is systolic blood pressure and the bottom one is diastolic blood pressure. If you have blood pressure levels around 130/90 or 120/80 then it’s ideal blood pressure however if it’s around or beyond 140/90 that means you have high blood pressure.

Causes and Risk Factors:

When we talk about hypertension, we need to understand the factors that play major role. Here are some high blood pressure causes & risk factors.

• Smoke
• Not being regular with your daily exercise routine
• Have a family history of hypertension
• Drink alcohol too often
• Are experiencing stress at home, college or workplace
• Having a diet with too much potassium and sodium
• Not getting enough sleep
• Are over age of 65
• Obesity

Here are some diseases that can be caused due to hypertension.

• Stroke or heart attack
• Dementia
• Heart failure
• Kidney failure
• Aneurysm
• Narrowed or weakened blood vessels

Prevention:

So here are some tips for blood pressure prevention:

• First and foremost thing is to see a doctor. Doctor can evaluate the exact situation and prescribe you medicines.
• Having low potassium diet can help but not too low, as it could lead to low blood pressure.
• With timely checkup, you can control or maintain the blood pressure levels.
• Regular exercises and de-stress activities really work well to maintain normal blood pressure levels. However, even if you are not able to devote enough time to exercise on a routine basis, some simple dietary changes can control the blood pressure levels.

One needs to understand his/her condition and take treatment & medication accordingly. The modern hectic and stressful lifestyle makes you ignorant towards your health, going for a simple and routine health checkup can help you be updated about your health status without much hassle. Opt for a family health checkup and stay together, stay happy and stay healthy. Worrying about hypertension won’t help, take a positive step, plan a health checkup today. Fill up the query form and we will get in touch with you.