Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries. Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mm Hg). Your blood pressure is recorded as two figures. For example, 150/95 mm Hg. This is said as 150 over 95.
- The top (first) number is the systolic pressure. This is the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts.
- The bottom (second) number is the diastolic pressure. This is the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between each heartbeat.
High blood pressure is a blood pressure that is 140/90 mm Hg or above each time it is taken at the GP surgery (or home or ambulatory readings always more than 135/85 mm Hg). That is, it is sustained at this level. High blood pressure can be:
- Just a high systolic pressure – for example, 170/70 mm Hg.
- Just a high diastolic pressure – for example, 120/104 mm Hg.
- Or both – for example, 170/110 mm Hg.
However, it is not quite as simple as this. Depending on various factors, the level at which blood pressure is considered high enough to be treated with medication can vary from person to person.
Your chances of having high blood pressure increase as you get older. There is often no clear cause of high blood pressure but you are at increased risk if you:
- are overweight
- have a relative with high blood pressure
- are of African or Caribbean descent
- eat a lot of salt
- don’t eat many fruit and vegetables
- don’t do enough exercise
- drink a lot of coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks)
- drink a lot of alcohol are aged over 65
External Links
www.bpassoc.org.uk Blood Pressure Association
www.hbpf.org.uk High Blood Pressure Foundation
How can blood pressure be lowered?
There are two ways in which blood pressure can be lowered:
- Modifications to lifestyle (weight, exercise, diet, salt, caffeine and alcohol), if any of these can be improved upon
- Medication
What care you should receive from the practice
It is vital that you have regular blood pressure checks as well as cholesterol checks. Our practice nurses can help assess, provide advice, answer queries and provide the correct treatment to help patients with hypertension.
