Health Knowledgebase

Blood Pressure

20th February, 2009 - Posted by ross -

Blood pressure is the amount of pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries as the blood moves through them. It is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). A blood pressure reading is defined by two measurements, the systolic and diastolic measurement. The systolic pressure measurement is that pressure exerted on the arterial wall at the point of maximum contraction of the heart. The diastolic measurement is the pressure exerted at the point of maximum relaxation of the heart. The two figures are usually represented with the systolic pressure first, followed by the diastolic pressure. A typical normal value would be 120/80 mmHg.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is usually defined as having a sustained blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg, or above. It is important to recognize that blood pressure can be affected by anxiety and an initial high reading is not diagnostic of the condition. Usually a number of blood pressure readings will be taken, often on different occasions, before the diagnosis is made.

High blood pressure often causes no symptoms and is often detected only on a routine check, but it is a major risk factor for developing heart disease or stroke. If you have high blood pressure, your heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body which, over time, can weaken it. Also, the increased pressure can damage the walls of the arteries, which can result in a blockage, or cause the artery to split producing a haemorrhage. Both of these situations can cause a stroke.

Causes
In 95% of cases, there is no single identifiable reason for a rise in blood pressure. However, all available evidence shows that lifestyle plays a significant role in regulating blood pressure. Risk factors for high blood pressure include age, smoking, excess alcohol consumption, high blood cholesterol, poor diet, obesity, lack of exercise.

Treatments
High blood pressure can be treated, or prevented, by making changes to lifestyle such as stopping smoking, cutting back on your consumption of alcohol, eating a healthier diet including less salt and exercising more regularly.
Sometimes changes to lifestyle are not sufficient to control the blood pressure. If this happens, your GP will be able to prescribe one of a range of medicines, available from your online chemist, for the treatment of high blood pressure. Your GP will be able to advise on the best medication for you as an individual taking into account your medical history. You will require blood pressure checks on a regular basis to ensure that it remains satisfactorily controlled.

Further references

www.stroke.org.uk
http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com
www.bpassoc.org.uk
www.salt.gov.uk/benefits_of_less_salt.html