Wellness Tuesday: What is High Blood Pressure?
While discussing sodium, I mentioned that it can lead to high blood pressure. However, what is high blood pressure?
The American Heart Association defines blood pressure as “the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. High blood pressure means the pressure in your arteries is higher than it should be.” High blood pressure is also referred to as hypertension.
Blood pressure is two numbers. The top, systolic, is the pressure when the heart beats. The bottom, diastolic, is the pressure when the heart rests between beats. Normal blood pressure should be below 120/80 mm Hg.
Anything above this is considered high blood pressure.
WebMD identifies the following:
- Prehypertension:120-139 over 80-89
- Stage 1 blood pressure: 140-159 over 90-99
- Stage 2 high blood pressure: 160 and above over 100 and above
- High blood pressure in people over age 60:150 and above over 90 and above
Some symptoms of high blood pressure are:
Headaches are a common symptom of high blood pressure
- Headaches
- Nosebleeds
- Dizziness
- Facial Flushing
- Severe Anxiety
- Shortness of breath
Do you have any of these symptoms?