What is Blood Pressure? Blood pressure, also called hypertension, is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. What is a blood pressure reading? Your blood pressure reading is expressed with two numbers — for example, 120/80. The first number, known as systolic blood pressure, is a measurement of the force your blood exerts on blood vessel walls as your heart pumps. The second number, known as diastolic blood pressure, is a measurement of the force that blood exerts on blood vessel walls when the heart is at rest between beats. What is high blood pressure? High blood pressure means the heart is pumping harder to move blood through the body. This can weaken blood vessels and damage major organs, such as the brain. Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to stroke. Blood pressure, like a person's heart rate, will vary occasionally with exercise or stress. For people over age 18, an optimal blood pressure reading is considered 120/80 or lower. A blood pressure reading consistently higher than 120/80 is considered "pre-hypertension." High blood pressure or “stage one hypertension” is a measurement of 140/90 or higher. People who have high blood pressure have one and a half times the risk of having a stroke compared to those who consistently have optimal blood pressure of 120/80. Anyone who has had a previous heart attack, stroke, is diabetic, has kidney disease, high cholesterol or is overweight should speak with a doctor about aggressively controlling and lowering blood pressure. Maintaining a blood pressure reading below 140/90 may reduce the risk of further complications. Who has high blood pressure? As many as 73 million Americans have high blood pressure. Of the 1 in every 4 adults wi... ... middle of paper ... .... Factors to consider in the selection of antihypertensive drugs include cost, convenience, side effects and interaction with other drugs. Where can I get more information on high blood pressure? Speak with a doctor about how to control high blood pressure. The key to keeping blood pressure within the normal range is for a person to commit to being an active participant in their healthcare with a doctor. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health can also provide information about high blood pressure and its treatment. Visit their Web site at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/. Back to Top | Printer Friendly Version Get Involved Stroke and You Stroke Survivors Caregivers and Families Healthcare Professionals Stay Informed » Sign In Email Address Zip Code
As early as the 1800s clinicians began to take a closer look at elevated blood pressure levels, they soon found high correlation between hypertension, stroke, and other heart diseases. They also established that high levels of blood pressure effected both privilege and underprivileged, and within the years they have noted the disease have become more prevalent in the African American culture. Long term studies, such as randomized controlled trial studies, unveiled
Blood pressure is measured by mmHg (millimetres of mercury) and it is written as two numbers. The first number is the highest pressure that the heart reaches in beats and the second number is the lowest blood pressure reached between the heart beats. A normal blood pressure level in adults is blood pressure less than 120/80 but for someone with CKD; high blood pressure is if it is 130/80.
High Blood Pressure is anything that alters in peripheral vascular resistance, heart rate, or stroke volume that affects systematic arterial blood pressure. Long term effect of high blood pressure are serious and can cause heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and retinal damage. Hypertension is another medical word that substitutes the meaning of high blood pressure. It is known as the “silent killer” because it does not create any symptoms. The most common reason for high blood pressure is arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is the thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries, occurring in old age. Four control systems have a job in maintaining blood pressure. These are the arterial baroreceptor and chemoreceptors’ system, regulation of body fluid volume, the renin- angiotensin system, and vascular autoregulation. Primary hypertension mostly occurs from a defect or malfunction in some or all of these
impact of high blood pressure by; reducing dietary salt, making fresh fruit and vegetables more affordable and accessible, implementing weight loss and exercise programs and utilizing blood pressure lowering medications. "The current focus of many health systems is on treating hypertension directly, and while treatments are effective in reducing morbidity and mortality, they are also very costly. Focusing efforts on primary prevention or treatment may have a significant impact on costs in the long term,” says McBrien. (McBrien
Produce a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for your chosen method of measuring blood pressure for use in the study
Hypertension is diagnosed by measuring the blood pressure by a device known as the sphygmomanometer. Blood pressure is taken and presented by the systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. The systolic and diastolic numbers will be recorded and compared to a chart of values. At the same time, doctor would also ask for patient’s family history of hypertension and the associated risk factors such as high cholesterol food intake.
Hypertension is viewed as a critical condition because it places a lot of effort on the heart to pump blood to the body. According to Mastalerz-Migasthoug, & Kilis-Pstrusinska (2015), "hypertension (HT) is known as one of the most significant risk factors of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases" (p. 1). It is an effortless task to examine blood pressure. While examining the blood pressure, two numbers will be displayed.
Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is more often found in males than in females as age increases then reverses around the age of 65. There is about 67 million of American adults that have high blood pressure, which is 31 percent, that comes down to one in every three American adults (High Blood Pressure Facts, CDC.com). Hypertension is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure (“What Is High Blood Pressure, NIH.com).
Ever since my dad reached his mid-thirties he has had to deal with his high-blood pressure. Not only does my dad have high-blood pressure, but so does my dad’s two brothers and mother. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, “Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. High blood pressure, sometimes called hypertension, happens when this force is too high.” Blood pressure is measured with the use of a gauge, stethoscope, and a blood pressure cuff which is the thing that wraps tight around your arm like a python. When someone is measuring blood pressure they are looking for the systolic pressure which is blood pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood and diastolic pressure which is blood pressure when the heart is at rest between beats. When these two pressure are figured out the numbers are recorded like a fraction with the systolic pressure over top of the diastolic pressure. A normal blood pressure should be 120/80 mm Hg or less, so
This would include, a history and physical exam of the individual to recognize risk factors of hypertension like, family history, obesity, a diet high in sodium and fat, and one’s level of physical activity (Gladding et al., 2015). The physical assessment would require careful attention to identifying signs of hypertension and coronary artery disease. It would also require the advance practice nurse to order labs to assess electrolytes and renal function along with clinical testing like an electrocardiogram to assess for cardiac issues secondary to hypertension (Gladding et al., 2016). Next, diagnosing and prescribing medications suitable for the individual and encouraging frequent assessment of their condition will be necessary. Finally, with the identification of issues beyond the elevated blood pressure, the advanced practice nurse must initiate interdisciplinary care and make referrals for cardiology or nephrology upon identification of complications related to hypertension (Gladding et al.,
Hypertension is diagnosed by having a blood pressure of 140/90 or above, this may sound like a simple diagnosis but high blood pressure is a very serious condition. Hypertension is also known as the silent killer due to its limited and quiet symptoms yet deadly aftermath, it puts a person at high risk for heart disease and stroke by damaging your arteries. According to the CDC (2010), Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. and stroke is number four. Hypertension also damages your kidneys after time; this may lead to kidney failure and require kidney transplant or dialysis down the line. Hypertension is nothing to overlook, it is a severe issue that must be addressed. “Fortunately, with treatment and lifestyle changes, you can control your high blood pressure to reduce your risk of life-threatening complications” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014).
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is the most common cardiovascular disease. Blood pressure refers to the force of blood pushing against artery walls as it flows through the body. High blood pressure can threaten healthy arteries and lead to life-threatening conditions such as heart disease and stroke. Hypertension is the leading cause of stroke and a major cause of heart attack.
The American Heart Association (AHA) is focused in decreasing the negative impacts that high blood pressure has on society. According to the AHA, high blood pressure costs the United States approximately $46 billion annually in healthcare costs, and lost productivity in the workplace (American Heart Association, 2015). Also, nearly 80 million people in the United States suffer from high blood pressure, which is defined as having blood pressure greater than 140/90 mm/hg. This means that these people are at higher risk for other health conditions such as heart attack and stroke. “Target BP” is an initiative between the American Medical Association, and the American Heart Association to help reduce the number of people suffering from high blood
Prehypertension: When the systolic/diastolic measurements are between the 90th and 95th percentile or if the BP exceeds 120/80mmHg.
Our arteries and veins are like hoses, they normally have a nice clean flow, but sometimes our blood pressure can be raised when bad things happen to them. Arteries can get clogged, and that happening is much like sticking your finger at the head of the hose to make the water squirt farther, the same amount of liquid has to get through but now with a smaller hole, so it has to go faster (Tamarkin Ph.D., 2011). Blood pressure is always faster right at the end of a ventricular systole, because the blood receives a large push from the contraction and that speeds up all of the blood in the body for a little bit. The blood pressure is also determined by how fast the heart has to beat to get the blood to the body, so higher blood pressure normally occurs when one is doing a lot of physical activity, is angry, or is under stress. The pulse we feel when we feel our wrist or neck is a surge of blood coming from our heart, so when our pulse is faster than that means our blood pressure has risen (Cordova, et al.,