Having normal blood pressure is crucial and vital to life. Blood pressure is the force that pushes the blood to flow thoroughly in the body through the circulatory system. This blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the various parts of the body which is important to life and survival.
Having too high blood pressure could damage the arteries and may lead to various diseases like kidney failure, heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke and even death. However, too low blood pressure may also indicate a problem in the blood. It means the blood volume or its components are not enough to create pressure on the walls of the arteries indicating diseases like anemia or leukopenia.
Aside from nutrients and oxygen, the blood carries other components like clotting factors and indicators for temperature. So, having a healthy blood pressure is indeed helpful to the body specifically the vital organs needed to survive.
Knowing the normal baseline and how to take the blood pressure even if you're not aligned in the medical field can be a life saver. You can help yourself as well as your family members to know if they have normal or abnormal blood pressure readings.
According to Medical News Today, blood pressure has been measured for centuries now. However, the devices are the ones being updated and improved. A stethoscope and sphygmomanometer are devices needed to be able to measure blood pressure. There are digital blood pressures for those who do not know how to take it manually, but doctors prefer the manual BP taking because it is said to be more accurate.
Cardiologists also recommend not dwelling on the normal range of blood pressure but to work on the basis of when blood pressure could be considered too high for the patient. The National Institutes of Health recommends the blood pressure should not be higher than 120 mmHg for systolic pressure and 80 mmHg for diastolic pressure.
Meanwhile, the American Heart Association recommends a range for the blood pressure. For Normal, it should be less than 120 mmHg and 80mmHg for systolic and diastolic pressure respectively. Prehypertension is defined as having a systolic pressure of 120 to 139 and diastolic pressure of 80 to 89 mmHg. Furthermore, hypertension Stage 1 is having a systolic pressure of 140 to 159 and diastolic pressure of 90 to 99 mmHg. For Stage 2, the systolic pressure ranges from 160 or higher and diastolic pressure is higher than 100. For hypertensive crisis, the blood pressure ranges from 180 or higher for systolic and 110 or higher for diastolic.
If the blood pressure is normal, you should maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy, limiting salt intake and exercising regularly. For those with elevated blood pressure, the intake of maintenance drugs is recommended.
