"High Blood Pressure: Tips for Prevention and Management"
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 3 adults in the United States has high blood pressure. High blood pressure is also called hypertension. It is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States.
Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is called diastolic pressure.
One of the most popular blood pressure measuring instruments is the sphygmomanometer. This instrument is easy to use and can be found in most drug stores. However, it is not as accurate as some of the other instruments available.
Another popular blood pressure measuring instrument is the tonometer. This instrument is more accurate than the sphygmomanometer, but it is more expensive.
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Your blood pressure reading has two numbers. The top number is your systolic blood pressure. The bottom number is your diastolic blood pressure. Usually, your blood pressure is written as the systolic blood pressure over the diastolic blood pressure, such as 120/80 mmHg.
High blood pressure is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher, or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher, or both.
Prehypertension is when your systolic blood pressure is between 120