What Do Those Blood Pressure Numbers Mean?
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Ever wonder what those two numbers in your blood pressure reading stand for? It’s interesting how doctors make such a big deal out of how high or low those numbers are, while we ourselves can’t make heads or tails out of it.
These numbers symbolize how hard your blood is pushing against the walls of your arteries. Imagine how water builds up in a hose until it damages it, that’s how your blood can also damage your arteries and make you more prone to strokes and cardiac arrest.
A blood pressure reading can look like this: 120/80 mmHg. The first number represents the systolic blood pressure, which is the pressure your blood exerts on your arteries when your heart beats. The second number represents the diastolic blood pressure, which is your blood pressure when your heart rests between beats.
120/80 is considered as normal blood pressure reading. Most people have this reading or a slightly lower reading. If a person has a blood pressure slightly higher than 120/80, he/she is considered as prehypertensive, and doctors start treatment at this stage to prevent the blood pressure from escalating.
Of the two numbers, the diastolic number (the second number) has always been considered as the one who contributes to hypertension, and other medical concerns. However, it’s been discovered recently that a high systolic blood pressure(the first number), may also pose a measure of risk, particularly for those over the age of 50.
When a person has a blood pressure reading of 140/90 or higher in two different sittings, then that person is said to have hypertension. If not treated, it can lead to several other medical conditions.
When it comes to bringing those numbers down to 120/80, doctors often suggest drastic, life-changing practices to their patients. They may ask individuals to stop smoking or drinking, to get into vigorous exercise regimens, or to change their diets entirely.
When they can’t cope with the doctor’s order (and they usually can’t), they lose any improvement on their blood pressure and get back into hypertension. In other words, hypertension can make a person’s life unpleasant.
But it can be avoided.
My hypertension program does not have any drastic practices, or vigorous exercises. In fact, you can incorporate the simple exercises into your daily life. Wouldn’t you want to be one of my customers who have cured their hypertension for good?
And now that you know what those numbers stand for, it’s much more satisfying to watch them go down to the 120/80 levels and stay there.
Warm regards,
Christian Goodman
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