As your age increases so does your blood pressure. The earlier you begin taking control of it, the more likely that you will enjoy the benefits of a long and healthy life.
Constant visits to the doctor’s office for monitoring can rapidly drain your wallet and eat up hours of your time. So especially if you have a history of high blood pressure in your family, purchasing a home blood pressure measuring device can be the perfect solution.
You should still maintain your regular doctor visits but a home monitor will allow you to see if any of the lifestyle changes you are making are the right ones. Be sure to keep a record in order to keep track of what is or isn’t working to lower your blood pressure.
There are several choices for your home monitor. You can choose an aneroid one with a dial gauge and a pointer to read. Or you might opt for a digital model where the reading flashes on a screen and it has the option of a manual or automatic cuff.
If you have any questions as to how to operate your monitor take it to your doctor. He can show you how use it properly. You want to be sure that you are getting the right readings.
There are some things you should do before checking your blood pressure. You should avoid using or drinking any caffeine, alcohol, or any tobacco products at least 30 minutes prior to taking your reading. Be sure to use the restroom. Relax and don’t talk for about three to five minutes prior to taking your reading.
Ensure that you are completely comfortable. Don’t cross your arms or legs and keep your back straight. When you strap the cuff on, be sure your arm is at the same level as your heart. Rest it on a table or other solid surface.
Know what your numbers mean before you start using your blood pressure measuring device at home. Normal blood pressure is a reading of 120/80 or less. High blood pressure will be a reading of 160/100 or higher. Anything between these two readings indicate hypertension and means you are on the way to developing high blood pressure.
Blood Pressure Monitor - Fully Automatic
Monday, June 2, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Blood Pressure-What Is Normal
What’s all this concern about blood pressure and what is normal? Blood pressure is the force exerted against your arterial walls when your heart pumps blood through them. Your blood pressure reading consists of two numbers; an upper one and a lower one which measure the pressure in millimeters of mercury (or mm of Hg).
The upper number is systolic ( sis-TOL-ik) and the lower one is diastolic (di-a-STOL-ik). Sistolic is the pressure exerted against your arterial walls when the heart is pumping (beating) blood through them. Diastolic is the pressure against the walls when the heart is resting between beats.
Normal blood pressure for an adult should be less than 120/80 and is stated as 120 over 80. High blood pressure or hypertension would be a reading of 140/90. Hypertension increases your risk for stroke, kidney disease, and heart attack.
Strokes are caused when high blood pressure ruptures weakened vessels in the brain. Blood leaks out into the brain causing either death or paralysis of certain parts of the body requiring extensive therapy to relearn how to use them again.
Hypertension puts undo strain on the filtering capillaries in the kidneys causing kidney disease. It can cause congestive heart failure where the heart has trouble pumping enough blood to the rest of the body. And chest pain can indicate that the heart is not receiving sufficient oxygen from the arteries that supply it resulting in a “myocardial infarction” or heart attack.
There are many causes of high blood pressure, such as, lack of physical activity, heredity, using alcohol and tobacco, stress in your life, and, of course, your diet. There are some medical conditions and also some medicines that can increase blood pressure. Consider that the average person has 60,000 miles (or more than twice around the world) of blood vessels and their heart will have beat around 2 ½ billion times by the age of 70. With a network this extensive there is a lot that can go wrong.
Almost half of older Americans are subject to hypertension. This makes them five times more likely to have a stroke, three times more prone to experience a heart attack, and twice as apt to suffer heart failure. Probably a third of these people are unaware of their condition since they haven’t felt any obvious pain.
The good news is that hypertension is not an inevitable conclusion. By cutting down on salt, eating a more healthy diet, losing weight, and exercising regularly you can lower the risk of high blood pressure.
Always have your blood pressure checked at your regularly scheduled doctor visits. You may even want to purchase a device to check your blood pressure at home. Get your doctor’s advice as to whether it is accurate and that you are using it properly.
Be sure to check with your doctor before initiating any exercise program that is going to place increased demands on your circulatory system. Remember that moderate exercise three times a week, especially if you are older, will give you greater benefit than more strenuous workouts done twice as much.
For a more detailed report on controlling your blood pressure, be sure to check this out:
“High Blood Pressure Remedy Report”
The upper number is systolic ( sis-TOL-ik) and the lower one is diastolic (di-a-STOL-ik). Sistolic is the pressure exerted against your arterial walls when the heart is pumping (beating) blood through them. Diastolic is the pressure against the walls when the heart is resting between beats.
Normal blood pressure for an adult should be less than 120/80 and is stated as 120 over 80. High blood pressure or hypertension would be a reading of 140/90. Hypertension increases your risk for stroke, kidney disease, and heart attack.
Strokes are caused when high blood pressure ruptures weakened vessels in the brain. Blood leaks out into the brain causing either death or paralysis of certain parts of the body requiring extensive therapy to relearn how to use them again.
Hypertension puts undo strain on the filtering capillaries in the kidneys causing kidney disease. It can cause congestive heart failure where the heart has trouble pumping enough blood to the rest of the body. And chest pain can indicate that the heart is not receiving sufficient oxygen from the arteries that supply it resulting in a “myocardial infarction” or heart attack.
There are many causes of high blood pressure, such as, lack of physical activity, heredity, using alcohol and tobacco, stress in your life, and, of course, your diet. There are some medical conditions and also some medicines that can increase blood pressure. Consider that the average person has 60,000 miles (or more than twice around the world) of blood vessels and their heart will have beat around 2 ½ billion times by the age of 70. With a network this extensive there is a lot that can go wrong.
Almost half of older Americans are subject to hypertension. This makes them five times more likely to have a stroke, three times more prone to experience a heart attack, and twice as apt to suffer heart failure. Probably a third of these people are unaware of their condition since they haven’t felt any obvious pain.
The good news is that hypertension is not an inevitable conclusion. By cutting down on salt, eating a more healthy diet, losing weight, and exercising regularly you can lower the risk of high blood pressure.
Always have your blood pressure checked at your regularly scheduled doctor visits. You may even want to purchase a device to check your blood pressure at home. Get your doctor’s advice as to whether it is accurate and that you are using it properly.
Be sure to check with your doctor before initiating any exercise program that is going to place increased demands on your circulatory system. Remember that moderate exercise three times a week, especially if you are older, will give you greater benefit than more strenuous workouts done twice as much.
For a more detailed report on controlling your blood pressure, be sure to check this out:
“High Blood Pressure Remedy Report”
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