A few days ago, you measured your blood pressure and don’t know if your results are within what is considered healthy? Blood pressure is a parameter that measures the force exerted by the heart against the arteries when pumping blood in our body....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
If our blood pressure results are within the range that has been established as normal, we should not worry. However, if the pressure in your arteries is higher or lower than normal, you should see your doctor as this could be a sign that you are developing a health problem.
But how can I know if the pressure in my arteries is fine or if it is considered to be higher or lower than normal? Is a blood pressure of 140/80 normal? If you want to know the answers to your questions, keep reading this article where I will give you information on some of the things you should know about blood pressure.
What is blood pressure and how is it measured?
Blood pressure is a measure that reflects the force exerted by the blood flow pumped by the heart on the walls of the arteries. This parameter is measured with the help of an electronic sensor or stethoscope, together with a cuff that will squeeze the patient’s arm to exert pressure. This device will result in two types of blood pressure values:
Systolic pressure: this parameter measures the pressure exerted by the heart as it pumps blood.
Diastolic pressure: this is the parameter that measures the pressure when the heart rests between beats.
At present, there is no strict value that can define normal blood pressure. However, according to MedlinePlus, the blood pressure values considered healthy are between 120 mmHg for the systolic part and approximately 80 mmHg for the diastolic part.
According to the same medical library, when either of the two figures is a little less than those mentioned above, it is also within the normal range. However, if these values are too high or too low compared to what I have defined as normal, the patient could be in one of the following situations:
Prehypertension: the blood pressure is slightly above normal. In this case, the systolic is between 130 and 140 mmHg and the diastolic is between 85 and 89 mmHg.
Type 1 hypertension occurs when one of the two values exceeds the healthy range (140-159 mmHg systolic or greater than 90 mmHg diastolic).
Type 2 hypertension occurs when blood pressure levels are significantly higher than normal (between 160 mmHg systolic and/or 100 mmHg diastolic).
Hypotension: blood pressure is lower than normal (approximately 100/60 mmHg).
Is a blood pressure of 140/80 normal? Here is the answer:
Now that we know how to interpret the values given by the devices that measure blood pressure, we can answer the initial question: “Is a blood pressure of 140/80 normal?
A blood pressure of 140/80 is not normal, so if these have been your blood pressure results, I must tell you that they are not within what is considered healthy. In fact, if we go back to the cases I have explained in the previous section, when the systolic pressure is between 140 and 159 mmHg, I am talking about values that indicate high blood pressure.
However, I cannot state categorically that you are suffering from stage 1 hypertension, as although these figures are high, they are just within the limit set by specialists.
If you have measured your blood pressure at home and have obtained these figures, it is important that to find out more conclusively whether you have high blood pressure or not, you go to your doctor to have your blood pressure measured again so that he or she can diagnose this disease more accurately.
Causes and symptoms of high blood pressure
I have already mentioned that high blood pressure occurs when blood pressure values are above normal. Although there are no exact causes for this medical condition, there are some factors that increase the risk of hypertension:
Abnormal hormone levels.
Imbalance between the amount of water and salt in the kidneys.
Changes in the structure of both arteries and blood vessels.
Consumption of certain medications such as those prescribed for asthma or the contraceptive pill.
Chronic kidney disease.
Genetic inheritance.
Poor nutrition.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
obesity.
Stress and anxiety.
Although they often do not manifest themselves clearly, there are some symptoms of high blood pressure that we can recognise more easily:
Migraines
Weakness and dizziness
Blurred vision
Chest and/or stomach pain
Fever
Difficulty breathing
Very rapid pulse
Nausea and vomiting
Nosebleeds
Dizziness
If your values are 140/80 mmHg and you have some or several of the symptoms we have mentioned, the best thing to do is to see a doctor for a better diagnosis.
This article is purely informative. I do not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatment or make any kind of diagnosis. Consult a doctor if you have any type of condition or discomfort.
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