Blood Pressure Numbers Research Note
By Reader's Digest Editors
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With a blood pressure cuff strapped to your arm and a stethoscope pressed to inside of your elbow, a doctor or nurse measures your blood pressure—the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. The result is a pair of numbers that look like a fraction. The top or first number is your systolic blood pressure, the pressure against blood-vessel walls during a heartbeat. The second number is your diastolic blood pressure, the force of blood between heartbeats. As researchers learn more about the risks of high blood pressure, the definition of healthy blood pressure has been changing. Once, you were considered OK if your pressure was simply lower than 140/90. Today, levels below 120/80 are considered normal.
Fast Facts:- A blood pressure reading between 120/80 and 139/89 is considered pre-hypertension. Healthy lifestyle changes can bring it down to normal.
- A reading of 140/90 or higher is considered hypertension. Lifestyle changes can still help, but you may also need medication for pressure control.
- A reading of 180/110 or higher is a hypertension emergency that requires immediate treatment. Recheck in a few minutes, if still high call 9-1-1.
- Once, experts thought only the top number mattered for health. Now, both are considered important indicators of cardiovascular health.
- Blood pressure is measured in mmHg, short for “millimeters of mercury.” It refers to how high the mercury rises on a blood-pressure gauge.
Understanding Blood Pressure Readings
heart.org — “Learn about various levels of blood pressure and how high blood pressure (hypertension) is defined.” View full resource at heart.org
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