Blood pressure becomes a big deal especially when one is getting old. However, just what is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. Did you know that each time your heart beats about 60-70 times a minute it pumps out blood into the arteries, which is much well known as the systolic pressure. Furthermore, when the heart is at rest between beats your blood pressure falls, which is generally known as the diastolic pressure. Blood pressure is always read in two numbers and these are the systolic and diastolic pressures. A blood pressure reading is not complete without either of the two. The systolic pressure is the first written on the top or the top number while the diastolic pressure is the second number or the bottom number an example of which is a blood pressure reading of 120/80, or it may also be read as 120 over 80. Every person has different blood pressure to some a blood pressure that is 120/80 may mean normal while to others this same blood pressure may already mean high blood pressure to them.
Blood pressure changes especially during the day and at its lowest when you are sleep. However, it rises when you get up or when you are excited, nervous as well as when you are doing active activities. Moreover, for most of your usual activities your blood pressure remains pretty much the same whether you are sitting or standing still. A blood pressure reading of 140/90 or 140 over 90 or even higher signifies that you have a high blood pressure. The thing that happens when you have a high blood pressure is that your heart tend to work extra harder thus causing your arteries to take an extra beating which may result to a stroke, heart attack as well as kidney problems. In addition, if either one of the systolic or the diastolic number is higher it signifies a high blood pressure. Aside from that, people who have been treated for high blood pressure will still have high blood pressure even if they have already repeated readings of normal blood pressure range.
When there is not a single specific cause of high blood pressure known, such kind of high blood pressure is termed as essential or primary high blood pressure. However, in some people high blood pressure may be the result of some medical problem or may be the cause of taking some medications. When the cause of high blood pressure is known this is termed as secondary high blood pressure.
Jinky C. Mesias is a lover of simple things and of nature. She spend most of her time reading and writing poetry. For comments and suggestions about the article kindly log on to http://www.bloodpressuremonitorstore.com
