What is Healthy Blood Pressure?
Chapa-De Indian Health Auburn Grass Valley | Medical Clinic
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force with which your blood pushes against the walls of your blood vessels. Blood vessels are how your blood flows through your body. When your heart beats, it pushes blood through your blood vessels and sends it to the tissues and organs in your body that need oxygenated blood to function. Making sure your blood pressure stays at a healthy level is critical to your overall health.
What is considered high blood pressure?
When our blood pressure gets too high, it can be dangerous to our health. High blood pressure is when the force that your blood is pushing against the walls of your blood vessels is too high. This is dangerous because it forces your heart and blood vessels to work harder than they typically need to. Over time, cholesterol begins to build up in the blood vessels, and you become at greater risk for heart failure.
How can you monitor your blood pressure?
The best way to prevent health problems from high blood pressure is to regularly check and monitor your blood pressure. You can purchase, or borrow from Chapa-De, an at home blood pressure monitor if you would like to check your blood pressure more frequently than you visit a doctor. Reading your blood pressure is simple if you know what to look for. Click HERE to read more about at home monitoring of your blood pressure.
When you check your blood pressure you will see two numbers. The top number refers to the systolic pressure in your heart. Systolic pressure is the pressure that occurs when blood is pumped out of the heart. The second number refers to the diastolic pressure in your heart. Diastolic pressure occurs when you heart rests between beats. Click HERE to read more about monitoring your blood pressure.
What is healthy blood pressure?
A healthy blood pressure range is under 120 for systolic pressure and below 80 for diastolic pressure. However, blood pressure varies by person. Here are some general ranges for monitoring your blood pressure:
- Elevated: Systolic is 120-129 and diastolic is less than 80
- High Blood Pressure (Stage 1): systolic is 130-139 or diastolic is 80-89
- High Blood Pressure (Stage 2): systolic is 140 or higher or diastolic is 90 or higher
- Hypertensive Crisis: systolic is higher than 180 and/or diastolic is higher than 120
- Click HERE for more information about knowing your numbers.
Please keep in mind that a medical professional must diagnose high blood pressure. If you are concerned about your numbers, consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Who has high blood pressure?
Many health factors increase our chances of getting high blood pressure. While genetics can play a role, here are some contributing factors to high blood pressure that you can control:
- Smoking and secondhand smoke
- Diabetes (Click HERE to read about our Diabetes Prevention & Wellness Programs)
- Being overweight or obese
- High cholesterol
- Unhealthy diet (high in sodium, low in potassium, too much alcohol)
- Lack of physical activity (Click HERE to view our upcoming exercise classes)
- Click HERE to read more about risk factors for high blood pressure.
At Chapa-De, we offer a Diabetes Program, as well as overall health and nutrition counseling and exercise classes. If you are unsure of how to maintain good blood pressure, or if you are seeking help improving your diet or fitness level, please call our Auburn location at (530) 887-2810 or our Grass Valley location at (530) 477-8545 or visit us online at chapa-de.org.
What is Healthy Blood Pressure?
Chapa-De Indian Health Auburn Grass Valley | Medical Clinic
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Chapa-De Indian Healthcare Auburn Grass Valley