28/02/2014
Facts About Blood Pressure:
If we had no blood pressure at all, we would not be able to live. A healthy blood pressure is vital for keeping all parts of our bodies supplied with the energy and oxygen we need.
However, problems can occur if our blood pressure is too high or too low. For more, please choose from the links below or on the left.
Q. How does blood pressure work?
As your heart beats, it pumps your blood round your body so that your muscles can get all the energy and oxygen they need. To do this, your heart pushes your blood through a network of blood vessels called arteries. As the blood travels through the arteries it pushes against the sides of these blood vessels and the strength of this pushing is called your blood pressure.
As your heart squeezes and pushes your blood through your arteries, your blood pressure goes up. As your heart relaxes, your blood pressure goes down. So, with each heartbeat, your blood pressure will rise to a maximum level and then fall to a minimum level.
When you have your blood pressure taken, the result is given as two numbers - the maximum and minimum levels. This is shown as one number over another, for example:
110/80mmHg
You would hear this reading said as "110 over 80".The first or top number is the highest level your blood pressure reaches when your heart is squeezing. This is called your systolic blood pressure level. The second or bottom number is the lowest level of your blood pressure when your heart is relaxing. This is called your diastolic pressure.
Q. Why is blood pressure important?
A. Blood pressure is important because the higher your blood pressure is, the higher your risk of health problems in the future.
If your blood pressure is high, it is putting extra strain on your arteries and on your heart. Over time, this strain can cause the arteries to become to become thicker and less flexible, or to become weaker.
If your arteries become thicker and less flexible, they will become more narrow, making them more likely to become clogged up. If an artery becomes completely clogged up (known as a clot), this can lead to a heart attack, a stroke, kidney disease or dementia.
More rarely, if an artery has become weakened, the extra strain may eventually lead to the artery bursting. This may also cause a heart attack or stroke.
The good news is that there are many ways in which you can lower your blood pressure and put less strain on your arteries and heart.
How do I keep my blood pressure healthy?
Whatever your blood pressure is at the moment, the message is the same:
the lower your blood pressure is, the lower your risk will be of having a heart attack or stroke in the future.
This means that all of us should be trying to lower our blood pressures, whether we have high blood pressure or not.
At the moment, optimal blood pressure is having a blood pressure of 120/80mmHg or less. (For more see What blood pressure should I have?)
The good news is that there are many things you can do to keep your blood pressure healthy. For more, please see the lifestyle pages.
