The heart operates like a pump. When the heart closes (or contracts) blood is pumped out into the body, this is called systolic pressure (the working pace of the heart). When blood is filled into the heart this is called diastolic pressure (the rest pace of the heart). When you measure the blood pressure the measure unit used is ‘millimetre quicksilver’, mmHg for short.
It is important to be clear over the fact that the blood pressure varies dependent on both physical and mental reasons. It is normal that the blood pressure raises when the body is physically activated, after meals, in stressful situations, etc. Smoking, mental tensions and agony may also get the blood pressure to raise. Therefor the pressure may vary from minute to minute, especially the upper (systolic) pressure.
Is the pressure constantly higher than the normal for the age, this is defined as high blood pressure, which can result in cerebral hemorrhage and heart-, kidney- and vessel disease.
Symptom of high blood pressure comes first when you have had it for a while, or when the pressure caused a disease on one of the bodies inner organs.
It is a good LIFE INSURANCE to measure your blood pressure regulary, write down the results and the dates and show it to a doctor for evaluation when going to a health control.
High blood pressure should always be treated in consensus with a doctor.
How is blood pressure measured?
The pressure in the arteries is measured easily with an instrument that is called sphygo-pressure meter. Every time the heart contracts the pressure in the artery increases to the maximum value, called systolic blood pressure. When the heart is resting, between every beat, the pressure falls to its lowest value, called diastolic blood pressure. The pressure value is written (systolic/diastolic) for example 120/80. The systolic (highest) is written first and the diastolic (lowest) is written last.
What is normal blood pressure?
It varies with age and the general condition. For a young person normal blood pressure is 120/80. It is normal that the blood pressure increases with age. As a golden rule one says that the systolic (highest) pressure is normal when it is 100+ age. For example a forty years old person should have 100+40=140 mmHg, and a sixty years old person should have 100+60=160 mmHg. It is only the doctor that makes the diagnosis of your blood pressure that can decide how it should be treated.
If the blood pressure isn’t normal.
An increased pressure can be the sign of a hidden disease. In that case it is the hidden cause that is important and the blood pressure is only a symptom. When the disease has been treated the blood pressure will also be normalized.
Overweight can also be the cause for high blood pressure and an effective weight reduction will also stabilize the blood pressure. For about 85% of everyone with an increased blood pressure it exists, what we call, an Essentially increased blood pressure. With that we mean that despite careful examination there are no provable causes to the high blood pressure. The Essential hypertoni can be treated both with medicine and a change in living habits, fare, etc. The treatment is decided on the basic of how serious the blood pressure increase is. Essential hypertoni is a silent disease, it doesn’t show any symptoms for a long time and when it is discovered injurious changes has taken place in the organs in the body. The best way to prevent this disease is by regularly taking the blood pressure your self.
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Updated: april 01, 2009.