Blood flows through our arteries and veins because of the force created by our beating heart. This force presses on our arteries. When we die and our heart stops beating, the force drops to zero and blood stops flowing. No force, no flow. A healthy blood pressure (BP) is essential for healthy life. What is normal blood pressure is not easy to define.
Medical advisers usually refer to a desirable BP range rather than an optimal or the normal BP point reading. An unambiguous answer that applies at all times in all places and to all people is not possible. The answer varies by a number of factors including age, weight, gender and the general health of the individual. Even when these variables are controlled, a healthy BP may vary from individual to individual.
BP can vary over the day as stress, physical exercise and temperature changes. A single reading is unlikely to reliably indicate BP. Better to take a number of readings and calculate an average. Mean arterial pressure is considered a better indicator.
For adults, a systolic-diastolic BP reading of 120-80 with a MAP reading of 93 milliliters of mercury (Hg) is believed a healthy or desirable level. A 90-60 reading lies at the low end and 140-90 at the high end of the normal range. By contrast, adult athletes typically record a low BP reading of 90-60 which reflects a typical reading for extremely fit individuals.
The figures 120/80 are read as 120-over-80 and the units refer to milliliters of mercury (mm of Hg). These two figures refer to the systolic and the diastolic pressure respectively. The systolic reading is when the heart contracts. By contrast, the diastolic reading is when the heart is relaxed.
Consistent with shying away from defining one single target BP level, health advisers usually identify several levels of high or low BP. Common categories include mild, moderate, severe and very severe. BP above 160/100 (moderate hypertension) requires medical treatment. BP above 180/110 (severe hypertension) significantly increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular disease as well as kidney disease. Low BP causes fainting, dizziness, chronic tiredness and coma.
In conclusion, what is normal blood pressure is perhaps best thought of as a range rather than a specific point. Persons diagnosed as suffering from high BP are commonly advised to stop smoking, not to eat salty foods, decrease caffeine consumption, exercise more, and to get adequate sleep without oversleeping.
Medical advisers usually refer to a desirable BP range rather than an optimal or the normal BP point reading. An unambiguous answer that applies at all times in all places and to all people is not possible. The answer varies by a number of factors including age, weight, gender and the general health of the individual. Even when these variables are controlled, a healthy BP may vary from individual to individual.
BP can vary over the day as stress, physical exercise and temperature changes. A single reading is unlikely to reliably indicate BP. Better to take a number of readings and calculate an average. Mean arterial pressure is considered a better indicator.
For adults, a systolic-diastolic BP reading of 120-80 with a MAP reading of 93 milliliters of mercury (Hg) is believed a healthy or desirable level. A 90-60 reading lies at the low end and 140-90 at the high end of the normal range. By contrast, adult athletes typically record a low BP reading of 90-60 which reflects a typical reading for extremely fit individuals.
The figures 120/80 are read as 120-over-80 and the units refer to milliliters of mercury (mm of Hg). These two figures refer to the systolic and the diastolic pressure respectively. The systolic reading is when the heart contracts. By contrast, the diastolic reading is when the heart is relaxed.
Consistent with shying away from defining one single target BP level, health advisers usually identify several levels of high or low BP. Common categories include mild, moderate, severe and very severe. BP above 160/100 (moderate hypertension) requires medical treatment. BP above 180/110 (severe hypertension) significantly increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular disease as well as kidney disease. Low BP causes fainting, dizziness, chronic tiredness and coma.
In conclusion, what is normal blood pressure is perhaps best thought of as a range rather than a specific point. Persons diagnosed as suffering from high BP are commonly advised to stop smoking, not to eat salty foods, decrease caffeine consumption, exercise more, and to get adequate sleep without oversleeping.
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