September 29 is World Heart Day, a day set aside to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure is a symptom rather than a disease in and of itself, but left unchecked it can lead to a serious cardiovascular episode, such as a heart attack or stroke. Monitoring your blood pressure and keeping it within a normal range is one of the best things you can do for your heart.
What IS Blood Pressure, and Why is it Important?
Blood pressure is a measurement of how hard your blood presses against your artery walls. It’s measured in “millimeters of mercury,” abbreviated as “mm Hg,” and consists of two numbers. The first, called systolic pressure, measures the amount of force exerted as your heart beats. Normal is less than 120 mm Hg. The second number — your diastolic pressure — measures the force exerted as your heart rests between beats. Normal diastolic pressure is less than 80 mm Hg. If your blood pressure is 130/80 or higher, you have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
Blood Pressure and Your Health
Blood pressure fluctuates depending on many factors, from your activity to what medications you may be taking. When it’s high, your heart has to work harder. And if it remains chronically high, it can damage your arteries, heart, brain, and even kidneys. High blood pressure is also a common cause of erectile dysfunction for men.
Monitoring Your Blood Pressure
Keeping track of your blood pressure requires a blood pressure monitor. Home blood pressure monitors usually consist of an inflatable cuff that wraps around your arm, and a digital display that showcases your blood pressure numbers. Wrist and finger monitors may be an option for some people, but their readings tend to be less reliable. Talk to your doctor about which type is right for you. Each individual monitor will come with instructions, but it’s a good idea to check with a healthcare provider to ensure that you’re using it correctly and getting accurate readings.
Lowering Your Blood Pressure
If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, lifestyle changes may help bring your numbers down. In some cases, they may even reduce your reliance on medication. Some positive changes you can make include:
Lose weight. Even losing a little weight can affect your blood pressure in a positive way. Blood pressure may decrease by about 1 mm Hg per kilogram (2.2 pounds) lost. So losing a mere 10 pounds could bring your numbers down by 5 points.
Exercise. Just 30 minutes of exercise per day can reduce blood pressure by 5 to 8 mm Hg.
Cut down on sodium. Reducing the sodium in your diet can also reduce your blood pressure — by 5 to 6 mm Hg. So become a label reader and try to limit your intake to 1,500 mg or less daily.
High blood pressure is sometimes called “the silent killer” because people often have no symptoms. The only real way to know if you have high blood pressure is by checking it. Visit SimplyMedical today and find the blood pressure monitor that’s right for you.