All About Hypertension

During most visits to your physicians, your blood pressure will be checked. But what is blood pressure? It is the measure of force that is generated by the heart as it pumps blood through the body's arterial system.

Two numbers represent this force, such as 110 over 80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury.) The first number is the systolic blood pressure representing the amount of force the heart uses to initially fill the blood vessel circuit. The diastolic blood pressure is the second number which shows the measure of resistance to the force. These two numbers show how hard the heart is working as it moves blood through the body.

Hypertension is high blood pressure. This is when the readings consistently are above 140 over 90 mm Hg. This diagnosis is based on an average of at least three readings. Hypertension causes stress on the body which can lead to heart disease, hardening of the arteries, and kidney damage. High blood pressure often is called the silent killer because there may be no symptoms. Some people may not even know they have high blood pressure until they have a heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure.

Testing Blood Pressure

The best way to determine if you have hypertension is to have your blood pressure checked by a physician.Testing is done using a sphygmomanometer consisting of a cuff, which is placed around your upper arm and inflated. This temporarily stops the flow of blood while the person measuring your blood pressure listens with a stethoscope for the sound of blood pulsing the artery while air is slowly released from the cuff. The systolic pressure (the top number) is the measurement taken when the first sound is heard while the diastolic pressure (bottom number) is the measurement taken when the last sound is heard.

Treating Hypertension

If you have hypertension, your physician will work with you to develop a treatment plan. This plan may include lifestyle changes such as achieving your ideal body weight, cutting back on the use of salt, limiting the intake of alcohol, quitting smoking, or adding exercise to your daily life.

Blood pressure medications such as diuretics (which eliminate sodium), and others which can inhibit blood pressure-raising hormones, reduce blood vessel constriction, or dilate arteries, may be prescribed.

Knowing Your Blood Pressure

Periodically having your blood pressure checked can help you in knowing what your normal blood pressure is. This can be done by a physician, a nurse, or by using equipment in your local pharmacy. Some people become nervous in the physician's office and this can alter the actual blood pressure reading. Your physician will recheck your blood pressure when you are less nervous. You also can purchase a home blood pressure kit and, with training from your physician, monitor it yourself.

Checking for blood pressure takes just a few minutes but these few minutes are important ones!

American Heart Association: www.americanheart.org

Ask NOAH: www.noah.cuny.edu

Helios Health: www.helioshealth.com/blood_pressure

On Health: onhealth.com/ch1/resource/conditions/item,367.asp

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