What is blood pressure

That pressure difference is what causes blood to flow around our bodies. Arteries affect blood pressure in a similar way to the physical properties of a garden hose pipe affecting water pressure. Constricting the pipe increases pressure at the point of constriction.

Without the elastic nature of the artery walls, for example, the pressure of the blood would fall away more quickly as it is pumped from the heart. While the heart creates the maximum pressure, the properties of the arteries are just as important to maintaining it and allowing blood to flow throughout the body. The condition of the arteries affects blood pressure and flow, and narrowing of the arteries can eventually block the supply altogether, leading to dangerous conditions including stroke and heart attack.

The device used to measure blood pressure is a sphygmomanometer, it consists of a rubber armband — the cuff that is inflated by hand or machine pump. Once the cuff is inflated enough to stop the pulse , a reading is taken , either electronically or on an analogue dial. The reading is expressed in terms of the pressure it takes to move mercury round a tube against gravity.

This is the reason for pressure being measured using the unit millimeters of mercury, abbreviated to mm Hg. A stethoscope identifies the precise point when the pulse sound returns and the pressure of the cuff is slowly released. Using the stethoscope enables the person measuring the blood pressure to listen out for two specific points.

Learn more about ways to manage and prevent high blood pressure. In addition to making positive lifestyle changes, some people with high blood pressure need to take medicine to manage their blood pressure. Learn more about medicines for high blood pressure. By taking action to lower your blood pressure, you can help protect yourself against heart disease and stroke, also sometimes called cardiovascular disease CVD.

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What do blood pressure numbers mean? What are normal blood pressure numbers? What is high blood pressure hypertension? What are the signs and symptoms of high blood pressure? Primary, or essential, high blood pressure is the most common type of high blood pressure.

For most people who get this kind of blood pressure, it develops over time as you get older. Secondary high blood pressure is caused by another medical condition or use of certain medicines. It usually gets better after you treat that condition or stop taking the medicines that are causing it.

Why do I need to worry about high blood pressure? What are the treatments for high blood pressure? Start Here. American Heart Association. Diagnosis and Tests. Prevention and Risk Factors. Treatments and Therapies. Living With. Related Issues. The bottom number refers to your blood pressure when your heart muscle is between beats. This is called diastolic pressure. Numbers greater than the ideal range indicate that your heart is working too hard to pump blood to the rest of your body.

The American Heart Association AHA considers blood pressure to be within the normal range when both your systolic and diastolic numbers are in these ranges. Blood pressure readings are expressed in millimeters of mercury. This unit is abbreviated as mm Hg. However, you should maintain a healthy lifestyle and healthy weight to help prevent hypertension from developing.

Regular exercise and healthy eating can also help. You may need to be even more mindful of your lifestyle if hypertension runs in your family. When your systolic pressure is between and mm Hg and your diastolic pressure is less than 80 mm Hg, it means you have elevated blood pressure.

Elevated blood pressure has a good chance of turning into actual high blood pressure, which puts you at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. No medications are necessary for elevated blood pressure. But this is when you should adopt healthier lifestyle choices. A balanced diet and regular exercise can help lower your blood pressure to a healthy range and help prevent elevated blood pressure from developing into full-fledged hypertension.

This is considered stage 1 hypertension. However, the AHA notes that if you get only one reading this high, you may not truly have high blood pressure. What determines the diagnosis of hypertension at any stage is the average of your numbers over a period of time. The treatment for adults 65 and older who have significant health problems should be made on a case-by-case basis. Treating high blood pressure in older adults appears to decrease memory problems and dementia.

Stage 2 high blood pressure indicates an even more serious condition. At this stage, your doctor will recommend one or more medications for keeping your blood pressure under control. Lifestyle habits are just as important in stage 2 as they are in the other stages. Some medications that can complement a healthy lifestyle include:.