High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common health concern that can lead to serious medical issues if left untreated.
What Is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force exerted by your blood against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps it throughout your body. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and is typically expressed as two numbers: systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Systolic Blood Pressure: This is the higher number and represents the pressure in your arteries when your heart contracts or beats.
Diastolic Blood Pressure: This is the lower number and signifies the pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest between beats.
Normal Blood Pressure
Normal blood pressure levels can vary slightly depending on factors like age, but in general, a healthy blood pressure reading falls within the range of 90/60 mm Hg to 120/80 mm Hg.
High Blood Pressure
A consistent reading of 140/90 mm Hg or higher is classified as hypertension. It is crucial to manage and control high blood pressure to prevent complications.
Elevated blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, and other serious health issues such as retinopathy, peripheral artery disease, and aneurysms.
High blood pressure can damage the arteries, causing atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries), which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
The elevated pressure in the arteries can weaken and damage blood vessels in the brain, potentially leading to a stroke when a blood vessel bursts or becomes blocked.