What Do Those Blood Pressure Numbers Mean?

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Article Title: What Do Those Blood Pressure Numbers Mean?

Author: D Ruplinger

Word Count: 654

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The body is an amazing and complicated system. Every time a

person’s heart beats, blood is released from the heart and

spread throughout the body via the blood vessels (arteries,

capillaries and veins are types of blood vessels). Oxygen is

retrieved from the lungs and deposited throughout the body via

the blood vessels. Carbon dioxide is carried to the heart via

the blood vessels and is sent to the lungs so the carbon

dioxide can be released and a new supply of oxygen can be

picked up.

Nutrients are also carried throughout the body via the blood

vessels. Waste products travel through the blood vessels and,

as they travel through the kidneys and liver, the waste

products are left behind. The average person has 11 pints of

blood traveling through the vessels in their body. To keep the

blood moving and all the necessary processes working correctly,

some pressure is needed.

Blood pressure measures the amount of pressure in the arteries.

A device called a sphygmomanometer (the inflatable arm cuff with

the attached air pump and pressure gauge that we are probably

familiar with) is used to measure the pressure.

There are two different numbers that make up a person’s blood

pressure. The systolic pressure is the top or left-hand side

number. The diastolic pressure is the lower or right-hand

number.

Systolic pressure is the amount of pressure exerted when the

heart contracts. Diastolic pressure is the amount of pressure

that remains in the arteries between heartbeats, when the heart

is resting. If someone has a blood pressure of 112/70 (spoken as

“112 over 70”). it means that person has a systolic pressure of

112 and a diastolic pressure of 70. Both the systolic and

diastolic numbers are important and need to maintained at

healthy levels.

What is a healthy and normal blood pressure? Experts say 119/79

is the healthiest blood pressure for an adult and is what every

adult should strive for. Blood pressure between 120/80 and

129/84 is normal. High-normal blood pressure is between 130/85

and 139/89. When blood pressure reaches 140/90 and higher it is

considered high blood pressure. The higher a person’s blood

pressure gets after it is greater than 140/90, the greater the

risk for serious damage to the body’s organs

(http://www.gothypertension.com/hypertension).

A person’s blood pressure changes throughout the day depending

on what a person is doing physically, feeling mentally (strong

emotions can increase blood pressure), food that has been

eaten, and depending what time of the day it is. It is natural

for a person’s blood pressure to fluctuate somewhat.

To get a good blood pressure reading it is better to have it

taken after getting up from sleeping and moving around for a

few hours, rather than right away in the morning. Try not to

have it taken right after vigorous physical activity because

blood pressure stays lower than normal for a while. Also, try

to not to drink anything with caffeine or alcohol in it, or

smoke for at least thirty minutes before having a reading

taken. The tobacco and caffeine could temporarily raise blood

pressure, resulting in an inaccurate reading. And depending on

the person, alcohol can artificially raise or artificially

lower blood pressure for a short time.

If a blood pressure reading is high, the person will likely be

asked to come back in a day or two to have another reading done

so an average blood pressure can be established. One high blood

pressure reading doesn’t necessarily mean a person has high

blood pressure but it shouldn’t be ignored either. In addition

to the factors mentioned above that can temporarily and

artificially raise blood pressure, other things--such as the

stress of being in a medical setting--can also temporarily

raise it.

About The Author: D Ruplinger is a featured writer for

http://www.gothypertension.com. For more information about high

blood pressure visit http://www.gothypertension.com.

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