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Blood Pressure

Patients are advised to measure your blood pressure regularly to help diagnose of any health problems. This is the only way to know if you have high blood pressure as it has no warning signs or symptoms.

           Blood pressure is measured as two numbers:

•  Systolic blood pressure (first number). It indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls when the heart beats.
•  Diastolic blood pressure (second number). It indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls while the heart is resting between beats.

Which number is more important?

Systolic blood pressure (first number) is generally given more attention as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In most people, systolic blood pressure rises steadily with age due to the increasing stiffness of large arteries, long-term buildup of plaque and an increased incidence of cardiac and vascular disease.

However, either an elevated systolic or an elevated diastolic blood pressure reading might be used to make a diagnosis of high blood pressure.

Why blood pressure is measured in mm Hg

The abbreviation mm Hg means millimeters of mercury. Mercury was used in the first accurate pressure gauges and is still used in medicine today as the standard unit of measurement for pressure.

Blood pressure ranges, as recommended by the American Heart Association.

Diagnosis of high blood pressure must be confirmed with a medical professional.

Does high blood pressure increase heart rate?

A rising heart rate does not normally cause your blood pressure to increase at the same rate. When our heart is beating more times a minute, healthy blood vessels get larger to allow more blood to flow through more easily. When we exercise, our heart speeds up so more blood can reach our muscles.

Blood pressure, heart rate and exercise

Our heart rate is based on age and our health level. Before any intense physio exercises, it is good to measure our blood pressure and heart rate.

• If we measure our heart rate (take our pulse) before, during and after physical activity, we will notice it will increase over the course of the exercise.
• The greater the intensity of the exercise, the more our heart rate will increase.
• When we stop exercising, our heart rate does not immediately return to our normal resting heart rate.
• The more fit we are, the sooner our heart rate will return to normal.