

It can contribute to heart disease, kidney failure, vision issues and strokes.

It reaches its lowest point when you relax or sleep and elevates during periods of physicality, anxiety or excitement. The ideal blood pressure reading is 120/80.īlood pressure does not remain consistent throughout the day. The former refers to the pressure created by your heart’s motion to pump blood, so it can circulate throughout the body, and the latter refers to your heart muscle when it relaxes and fills with blood. A blood pressure reading has two numbers: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Understanding High Blood Pressureīlood pressure measures the force at which blood pushes against the artery walls. To anticipate these risks, older adults should have their blood pressure checked at least once a year to detect any issues.

If ignored, high blood pressure can become the precursor to a stroke, vision issues, kidney failure or heart disease. Two increases in a row may require the patient to start monitoring blood pressure at different times of the day. When high blood pressure is detected at a doctor’s appointment, lifestyle changes and medications may be recommended to help manage the condition. Unfortunately, high blood pressure does not often display discernible symptoms and has earned a reputation as the “silent killer”. Half of the American adult population will develop high blood pressure during their lifetime, with age and lifestyle habits playing a factor.
