{"id":2404,"date":"2016-08-22T13:05:43","date_gmt":"2016-08-22T18:05:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/multi.nycnewsnetwork.com\/nyforseniors\/?p=2404"},"modified":"2016-08-22T13:05:43","modified_gmt":"2016-08-22T18:05:43","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-about-blood-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/nyforseniors\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-blood-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need To Know About Blood Pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is Blood Pressure?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blood pressure is the highest and lowest amounts of force the heart places on the blood vessels. It is measured by two pressures:<\/span><\/p>\n

Systolic pressure<\/strong>, which is the pressure the heart puts on the vessels during each heartbeat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Diastolic pressure<\/strong>, which is the pressure of the heart between beats. <\/span><\/p>\n

When blood pressure is measured, the systolic pressure is the higher number on top and the diastolic pressure is the lower number on the bottom. Together, they tell you whether your blood pressure is healthy. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Blood Pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n

Category<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Systolic<\/strong><\/p>\n

mm Hg (upper #)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n\n

Diastolic<\/strong><\/p>\n

mm Hg (lower #)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Normal<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

less than <\/span>120<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

and<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

less than <\/span>80<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Prehypertension<\/strong><\/td>\n120 \u2013 139<\/strong><\/td>\nor<\/td>\n\n

80 \u2013 89<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

High Blood Pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Hypertension) Stage 1<\/strong><\/td>\n

140 \u2013 159<\/strong><\/td>\nor<\/td>\n\n

90 \u2013 99<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

High Blood Pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Hypertension) Stage 2<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

160<\/strong> or higher<\/span><\/td>\nor<\/span><\/td>\n100<\/strong> or higher<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hypertensive Crisis<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Emergency care needed)<\/strong><\/td>\n

Higher than <\/span>180<\/strong><\/td>\nor<\/span><\/td>\n\n

Higher than <\/span>110<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

(Source: <\/span>American Heart Association<\/span><\/a>) <\/span><\/p>\n

High Blood Pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n

When blood vessels overstrain, the blood pressure rises, causing high blood pressure. This causes the walls of the blood vessels to become overstretched and damaged.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the <\/span>American Heart Association<\/span><\/a>, long-term effects of high blood pressure can include: <\/span><\/p>\n