The term “blood pressure” refers to the level of pressure one’s heart pumps through the body’s blood vessels. One’s blood pressure (as measured by blood pressure readings) has a huge impact on health and wellness. It’s important to know your blood pressure reading and how to maintain a normal level.

Exercising, eating healthy, and managing stress all help maintain normal blood pressure. If someone has consistently high blood pressure levels, their provider may diagnose them with hypertension. While hypertension can be managed with diet and exercise, often patients need medication to control their blood pressure. A hypertensive crisis occurs when a person’s blood pressure is extremely high and has a high risk of causing a stroke. Hypertensive crises almost always require medication. If anyone has a high blood pressure reading at home, it’s possible to consult a doctor on HealthTap about how to manage high blood pressure, either with lifestyle changes or medication.

Why do blood pressure readings matter?

A physician or healthcare provider takes blood pressure readings in a medical facility. It’s important to check a patient’s blood pressure in order to determine if they have high blood pressure. Blood pressure readings contain two numbers- one at the top and one at the bottom. 

The top number measures the systolic pressure or the pressure of blood pushing inside your arteries during a heartbeat pulse. The lower number, the diastolic pressure, is the pressure in your arteries during the time between heartbeat pulses.

All blood pressure readings are in millimeters of mercury, also known as mmHg. 

Source: heart.org

What does a normal blood pressure reading look like?

It’s important to have a normal blood pressure reading, as this is a sign of a healthy heart. 

When taking blood pressure, a normal reading[1] as per the AHA (American Heart Association) should have a systolic reading over 90 mmHg and below 120 mmHg. On the other hand, the diastolic reading needs to be between 60 mmHg and 80 mmHg.

Normal blood pressure readings indicate the heart and cardiovascular system are healthy. It’s important to maintain a healthy heart through physical exercise, managing stress, and eating healthy foods. 

What does an elevated blood pressure reading look like?

Any blood pressure reading above 120/80 mmHg is considered elevated. Usually, this is a call to action to change one’s lifestyle (including exercise and eating habits).

If untreated, high blood pressure can lead to serious complications. A single elevated blood pressure reading may be a sign that someone is developing high blood pressure, but medical professionals usually don’t diagnose high blood pressure from just one high reading. After one elevated blood pressure reading, a medical professional may recommend lifestyle changes like weight management and physical exercise. 

What is high blood pressure?

If a patient has consistently elevated blood pressure readings over time, their medical professional will diagnose them with high blood pressure, or hypertension. If their systolic blood pressure readings are consistently between 130 to 139 mmHg and/or their diastolic blood pressure reading is 80 to 89 mmHg, they have stage 1 hypertension.

Stage 1 hypertension (or mild high blood pressure) may be reversible if patients adopt strict healthy eating habits and lifestyle changes. However, some people require medications for high blood pressure to control their stage 1 hypertension.

Is stage 2 hypertension dangerous?

If a patient has systolic blood pressure readings of 140 mmHg or above and/or diastolic blood pressure readings of 90 mmHg or above, they have stage 2 hypertension, or moderate high blood pressure.

Usually, their medical provider will recommend treating their high blood pressure with medication to prevent complications from stage 2 hypertension. Apart from taking high blood pressure medication, it’s important to adopt a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating healthy food. 

What is a hypertensive crisis?

If a patient’s blood pressure readings are 180/120 mmHg or higher, they may experience a hypertensive crisis. This may be dangerous and usually requires immediate treatment. Anyone who has a blood pressure reading this high should seek emergency medical attention from their nearest hospital or emergency room.

Even during a hypertensive crisis, patients may not experience any symptoms. If they have symptoms, they may include:

• Dizziness

• Headaches

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain

• Loss of muscle control or partial paralysis

• Blood in urine

• Blurry vision

In case of a hypertensive crisis, a healthcare provider will check if the elevated blood pressure reading is a fluke or an ongoing issue. Occasionally, a patient may have one very high blood pressure reading if they are under extreme stress. After waiting 15-20 minutes and re-checking their blood pressure, it may return to normal. However, a hypertensive crisis with persistently elevated readings requires immediate treatment. 

Which are the best ways to treat high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is an issue that millions of people face around the world. Once a patient has a diagnosis of high blood pressure, it’s important to manage it in order to prevent complications. 

Patients with elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension may only require lifestyle changes to achieve normal readings. For adults over 65 years old or those with other chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes or kidney disease, it’s best to manage their high blood pressure with medication to prevent complications. 

The following healthy lifestyle changes may help improve high blood pressure: eating healthy foods, physical exercise, and weight management. It’s imperative to include changes such as:

• Low sodium intake

• Improve stress management

If lifestyle changes do not lower blood pressure or for those with stage 2 hypertension requiring medication, treatment may include one of the following medications:

1. “Alpha-blockers” relax blood vessels to lower blood pressure

2. “Beta-blockers” relax blood vessels and reduce the heart rate 

3. “ACE Inhibitors” prevent blood vessels from tightening

4. “Diuretics” remove salt (sodium) from the body and therefore lower the level of salt and fluid in the blood vessels

5. “Calcium channel blockers” prevent calcium ffrom entering muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels, which keeps the vessels relaxed and prevents them from tightening.

In a hypertensive crisis, patients usually need immediate medical treatment with different types of medication. A physician may administer IV or oral medications like:

1. Beta-blockers

2. Vasodilators

However, it’s best to prevent high blood pressure from reaching the hypertensive crisis stage by treating it early with preventive lifestyle changes and medication as needed. 

Are there ways to prevent high blood pressure?

If possible, preventing high blood pressure is better than treating it once the blood pressure increases dramatically. Leading a healthy lifestyle is important to help maintain normal blood pressure. Anyone with elevated blood pressure readings or a diagnosis of high blood pressure should make lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of complications.

Below are some healthy ways to prevent blood pressure elevation and hypertension:

Physical exercise

Regular exercise is essential to maintain normal blood pressure readings [3]. This is why it’s crucial to set aside half an hour daily to move, lift weights or do a cardiovascular workout (e.g.  running, walking or an aerobic exercise class). 

Lower sodium intake

Adding salt to food or eating processed foods isn’t healthy. Lowering sodium intake [4] helps to maintain a normal blood pressure reading. The appropriate daily salt intake shouldn’t exceed 2300mg. Those with stage 1 hypertension or higher should aim to reduce their sodium intake to 1500 mg or lower. 

Lower alcohol intake and stop smoking

If possible, it’s better to stop consuming alcohol, as alcohol increases blood pressure. Lowering alcohol intake also helps maintain normal blood pressure readings. At the same time, it’s crucial to stop smoking. Consuming alcohol and smoking can increase blood pressure.

Maintain a healthy weight

Weight loss is essential to maintaining good health. Weight gain and an elevation in blood pressure go hand in hand. So, even a small amount of weight loss helps prevent high blood pressure and related complications. 

What health complications are associated with high blood pressure?

If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to other more serious health conditions. This is why getting proper care and treatment for this health issue is important. Uncontrolled hypertension may lead to health issues such as:

Heart failure

Over time, increased blood pressure will cause the arteries to grow harder and thicken. This makes it harder for the heart to pump blood around the body, and requires more energy and effort to maintain proper blood flow. When this happens, the heart muscles grow thicker and over time, the heart won’t be able to pump blood properly, which may lead to heart failure. 

Kidney failure

The heart isn’t the only organ that may fail because of hypertension; high blood pressure also directly affects the kidneys. Over time, high blood pressure causes the arteries around the kidneys to get weaker, impacting the organs' ability to filter out toxins from the blood. If this continues, the kidneys may eventually fail to work at all.

Poor eye health

Prolonged high blood pressure can damage blood vessels in the eyes. Over time, this may lead to impaired vision.

Vascular dementia

Vascular dementia refers to decreased blood flow to the brain, which may cause dementia as some areas of the brain don’t have enough blood to function normally. When the arteries are narrower and harder as a result of high blood pressure, this increases the chances of vascular dementia. 

What about hypotension (low blood pressure)?

It’s also possible to experience low blood pressure reading, also known as hypotension. 

A systolic blood pressure reading of 90 mm/Hg or below is considered low, as is a diastolic reading of 60 mmHg or lower. 

Hypotension has various causes, including:

• Pregnancy

• Malnutrition

• Infections, such as septicemia

• Dehydration

• Medication

Symptoms of hypotension include headaches and lightheadedness. Some people always have low blood pressure readings, which is not usually a problem. It’s important to seek medical assistance in case of low blood pressure readings with symptoms such as dizziness or headache. 

In summary

It’s important to maintain normal blood pressure readings as much as possible to maintain health and well-being. An elevation in blood pressure readings may be a sign of high blood pressure. 

The best ways to maintain normal blood pressure are by staying physically active, eating healthy food, and managing stress. It’s also possible to prevent high blood pressure by following these healthy lifestyle steps. 

If you have any signs and symptoms indicating blood pressure elevation, schedule a virtual appointment with a HealthTap virtual doctor. A HealthTap doctor will discuss your symptoms, help you determine if your blood pressure is normal or high, and help you develop a treatment plan if needed.