As long as you are going to pay more attention to your blood pressure, take a few minutes and learn more about how your blood pressure works and keeps everything pumping.

The two numbers in a blood pressure reading represent the peak pressure reached in your heart’s pumping cycle. The top number is the systolic pressure and the bottom number is the diastolic pressure which is the lowest pressure you have during the resting phase of the cycle.

The entire result is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm.Hg) and written with the systolic pressure number over the diastolic.  For instance, your blood pressure may read 110/80 mm Hg. That would be considered normal. A high blood pressure reading would be 140/80 mm Hg or 120/90 mmHg.

Keep in mind that blood pressure naturally rises and falls throughout the day so a single reading doesn’t tell you much. What does matter is the pattern over time. You are diagnosed with high blood pressure only if your doctor finds a consistently elevated level over several months.

In 2003 the Joint National committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure stated that in people over age 50 an elevated systolic reading (top) such as 140 Hg or higher is a more significant risk of cardiovascular disease than the diastolic reading. Other research indicates that just treating high systolic pressure cuts the risk of stroke in people ages 60 or more.

Again, this is important to keep in mind because by the age of 60, high blood pressure affects about half the population . Fortunately, lifestyle changes and sometimes medication can successfully treat the condition. For instance, if you are heavy, every 2 pounds of weight you lose can  reduce your pressure. If you have no complicating health problems, the goal is to reduce blood pressure to under 140-/90 mm Hg.

If you have issues with your bp tell us what you are doing to manage your blood pressure.

To your successful healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

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Filed under: Conditions and Diseases

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