More than 50 million Americans have high blood pressure – a condition which if left untreated can lead to heart disease, strokes, and kidney disease. The National Institutes of Health guidelines for the management and treatment of high blood pressure suggest that blood pressures as low as 120/80 may in the long run still be too high!
So what does it all mean? Will we all have to take medication to control our blood pressure? Well, probably not. But what it does mean is that research has shown that the damage caused by high blood pressure in the body begins at lower blood pressure levels than previously thought. And that means we have to keep a watchful eye on our blood pressure levels and get treated if our blood pressure runs too high on a consistent basis.
Here are some important facts about blood pressure:
- The guidelines state that blood pressure values less than 120/80 mm Hg are normal; 120-139/80-89 mm Hg are considered pre-high blood pressure values (called "prehypertension") and values above that are considered high blood pressure. If you fall into the prehypertension range, the probable first step that your doctor will recommend is changing your lifestyle behaviors. In other words, you'll have to look at changing all of those things you would rather not think about such as your weight, your diet, the amount of physical activity you get, and the amount of alcohol you drink. Lifestyle changes are not always easy to make but they can have a significant effect on reducing blood pressure.
- It is important to remember that one blood pressure reading at the grocery store is not enough to help you know your blood pressure. Machines used at the grocery store might be reliable, or they might be totally inaccurate. The most reliably accurate blood pressure measurement is one taken by a nurse or a physician.
- If your blood pressure is high or in the prehypertension range you will need to have it checked on several occasions over a couple of months to verify that your blood pressure is consistently high. One blood pressure reading even in the doctor's office – unless it is very high – is not enough to say that you have the condition of high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is very high or if you have a chronic medical condition such as diabetes, you might need medical treatment right away and will have to have your blood pressure monitored more frequently.
Bottom Line
Go to the doctor. Get your blood pressure checked by the doctor or the nurse. And though you may hate to hear it – live a healthy life! |
Sources:
- 1. Your guide to lowering high blood pressure. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
- 2. Hart J. Preventing hypertension. In: Rakel D, ed. Integrative Medicine: Complementary Therapeutics in Medical Practice. Program in Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson. W.B. Saunders.
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