Lowering your blood pressure
If you have high blood pressure, you’ll know that this can have an impact on the health of your heart. The good news is that, as with many other causes of coronary heart disease, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce your blood pressure.
Understanding blood pressure
Blood pressure is a measure of the force blood exerts on the arteries as it’s pumped around the body.
Blood pressure is variable and goes up and down during the day. Physical activity, stress and excitement can all cause a temporary increase in your blood pressure – this is quite normal and very different from being diagnosed with ‘high blood pressure’.
How is blood pressure measured?
Blood pressure’s measured in units called millimetres of mercury, usually shortened to mmHg.
There are two measures of blood pressure:
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Systolic pressure - the pressure the blood exerts on the arteries when the heart beats
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Diastolic pressure - the pressure the blood exerts on the arteries when the heart relaxes between beats.
What’s a healthy blood pressure measurement?
The ideal blood pressure measurement is systolic blood pressure of 120 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure of 80 mmHg, so 120/80 mmHg. However your BP depends on many factors including your age and family history.
If your blood pressure is above this, talk to your doctor and think about making some small changes to your diet and lifestyle which may help to manage it and hopefully bring it down to a healthier level.
However if you are concerned about your blood pressure you should always talk to your doctor first.
High blood pressure
High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) occurs when your blood exerts a persistent and abnormally high pressure, on your arteries and circulation. High blood pressure is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or more, or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or more. High BP should be diagnosed and confirmed by your doctor?
Why is blood pressure important?
It is important that you find out if you have high blood pressure. The good news is that it is easy to detect and can be treated by lifestyle changes and drug treatment. If you suffer from high blood pressure and it is not detected and treated, it may increase your risk of having a heart attack, stroke or kidney problem.
How can you tell if you have high blood pressure?
Having high blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so you could have it for a long time and be completely unaware of it. The best way to tell is by having your blood pressure measured by your doctor, nurse, pharmacist or other health care professional.
As hypertension is common and occurring in nearly one quarter of the world’s adult population, have your blood pressure checked regularly. High blood pressure often has no symptoms, so have yours checked at least once every two years by a healthcare professional.
Causes of high blood pressure
There are a number of different reasons why you may develop high blood pressure:
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Age – some people over 60 years old may have high blood pressure
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Genetic differences – high blood pressure sometimes runs in families and people of African descent are more susceptible
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If you are overweight, have diabetes or kidney disease
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Dietary factors such as a high salt and alcohol intake.
What lifestyle changes can you make to control your blood pressure?
The good news is that simple diet and lifestyle changes may help to lower your blood pressure.
Positive steps that help include:
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Losing weight, if you are overweight
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Increasing your physical activity level
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Avoiding smoking or quit
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Eating a healthy diet with plenty of vegetables and fruit
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Reducing salt intake and choosing low-fat dairy foods
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Cutting down your alcohol intake