High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. Every time the heart
beats it pumps out blood into the arteries. One third of American adults have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is called
the silent killer because it usually has no symptoms. Most people don't know they have high blood pressure until they develop
trouble with their heart, brain, or kidneys or through a routine medical exam.
High blood pressure causes the heart to enlarge
which may lead to heart failure. With high blood pressure small bulges called aneurysms may form in blood vessels. Aneurysms
can form in the main artery from the heart, legs, arteries in the brain, intestines and the artery leading to the spleen. Blood
vessels in the kidney can also narrow and cause kidney failure. Also arteries in the heart, brain, kidneys, and legs may
harden faster. Hardening of the arteries can cause a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure. High blood presure may also cause
blood vessels in the eyes to burst or bleed and cause blurred vision changes or blindness.
Blood pressure is at its highest, systolic pressure, when the heart beats pumping the blood. The blood pressure is lowest, diastolic pressure, when the heart is at rest between beats. When your blood pressure is taken it is given as numbers representing the systolic and diastolic pressures. They are given one before the other. The first number given is always the systolic and the last number the diastolic. If your blood pressure is 120/80, the systolic number is 120 and the diastolic is 80. You will here your doctor refer to these as 120 over 80. It is generally agreed upon that normal blood pressure is in the range of 120/80 and high pressure is 140/90. However there are many other factor which are taken into consideration. If you don't know what your blood pressure is, it's time to make an appointment with your doctor.
