Have you ever wondered why your GP takes your Blood Pressure every time you visit them? Well, testing Blood Pressure gives you a good indication of how your heart, kidneys and blood vessels are travelling. High blood pressure can go undetected if not tested regularly. Unlike low blood pressure, there are no obvious symptoms with high blood pressure and thus the likelihood of damaging many vital organs is increased.
If high blood pressure goes undiagnosed or is left untreated, damage can occur to the vessels supplying the brain, eyes, heart and kidneys as well as other arteries throughout the body. You also have increased risk of having a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and blindness.
What does testing blood pressure measure?
Your heart pumps blood around the body through arteries and veins. Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood on the artery wall. Your blood pressure has a peak and a trough. With each heart beat the pressure peaks (the blood is pushed from your heart to the arteries), this is known as your Systolic Blood Pressure. As the heart relaxes, the pressure drops and this is your Diastolic Blood Pressure.
What is considered a normal blood pressure?
Rather than think of blood pressure as normal, it is better to look at our blood pressure ranges and what range increases or reduces our risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, blindness or damage to other arteries. Table 1 outlines the blood pressure ranges (sourced from the National Heart Foundation of Australia) and our risk to disease.
Table 1.
Blood Pressure Ranges
Systolic Blood Pressure
Diastolic Blood Pressure
Risk
| Normal |
< 120mmHg |
< 80mmHG |
Low risk |
| High – Normal |
120-140mmHg |
80-90mmHg |
Low risk |
| High |
> 140mmHg |
> 90mmHg |
Moderate risk |
| Very high |
> 180mmHg |
> 110mmHg |
High risk |
Blood pressure Ranges - National Heart foundation of Australia: Blood Pressure Information Sheet Dec 2003.
What can we do to lower our blood pressure?
To help maintain or lower blood pressure we can enjoy regular physical activity, keep a healthy weight, be a safe moderate drinker, enjoy food with less fat and salt and learn relaxation skills. However if you have Hypertension (high risk blood pressure) you can be treated by medication and/or through lifestyle behaviours. It depends on the severity of your hypertension. Typically treatment will include a combination of medication and lifestyle changes with a focus on nutrition, physical activity, weight management and stress management.
So the next time you visit your GP, roll up your sleeve to determine your risk of life threatening disease!
For more information on cardiovascular health go to
www.lifestylemedicine.net.au.
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