H e a l t h f a c t s
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Blood Pressure is the force created as your heart pumps blood and moves it through
your blood vessels of your body. This continuous blood flow provides your body with
the oxygen and nutrients it needs. In short, it keeps you alive. Blood Pressure or
Hypertension, is a condition where a person’s blood pressure is consistently high (i.e.
BP greater than Systolic 140mmhg or Diastolic greater than 90mmHg or both).
HOW IS BLOOD PRESSURE MEASURED?
Blood pressure measurements have 2 readings:
BP 140/90mmHg.
Your blood pressure can go up and down during
the day, depending on what you are doing and how
you are feeling. People have high blood pressure
when their blood pressure is constantly higher than
is needed, even when they are relaxed and sitting
quietly.
About 40% of people at retiring age have high
blood pressure. It can also occur in younger
people.
NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE
A blood pressure reading measures the force of
blood as it presses against the walls of your
arteries. It’s made up of two numbers that
measure your heart pumping and your heart
resting.
SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE
The higher value measure blood pressure in the
arteries when the heart is pumping blood. A
normal healthy systolic blood pressure
is
140mmHg or below.
DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE
The lower value measures blood pressure in the
arteries when the heart is at rest, between beats. A
normal healthy diastolic blood pressure is 90mmHg
or below.
YOUR CHANGING BLOOD PRESSURE
While your diastolic blood pressure stays usually at
the same level, your systolic blood pressure
changes frequently, these variations represent your
body’s normal responses to your daily activities
and stress.
WHEN BLOOD PRESSURE IS TOO HIGH?
When does the silent killer become a real threat to
your health? When blood pressure is too high-
either the systolic or diastolic measurement, or
both, rises and remains above the normal range.
Blood can’t flow freely through your arteries and
your heart has to pump harder than