What Are High Blood Pressure and Prehypertension?

What Are High Blood Pressure and Prehypertension?

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. Blood pressure rises  and falls throughout the day. When blood pressure stays elevated over time, it’s called high blood pressure.

The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension. High blood pressure is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard and contributes to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). It increases the risk of heart disease  and stroke, which are the first and third leading causes of death among Americans. High blood pressure also can result in other conditions, such as congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease

A blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high. About two-thirds of people over age 65 have high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, then you have prehypertension. This means that you don’t have high blood pressure now but are likely to develop it in the future unless you adopt the healthy lifestyle changes.

Risk factors you can control:
1. High blood pressure
2. Abnormal cholesterol
3. Tobacco use
4. Diabetes
5. Overweight
6. Physical inactivity
7. Age (55 or older for men; 65 or older for  women)
8. Family history of early heart disease (having a father or  brother diagnosed with heart disease before age 55 or having a mother or sister diagnosed  before age 65).

People who do not have high blood pressure at age 55 face a 90 percent chance of
developing it during their lifetimes. So high blood pressure is a condition that most people will have at some point in their lives.
Both numbers in a blood pressure test are important, but for people who are age 50 or older, systolic pressure gives the most accurate diagnosis of high blood pressure.
Systolic pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading. It is high if it is 140 mmHg or above.

Hypertension can almost always be prevented, so these steps are very important even if you do not have high blood pressure.

1. Maintain a healthy weight
Check with your health care provider to see if you need to lose weight.
If you do, lose weight slowly using a healthy eating plan and engaging in physical activity.


2. Be physically active
Engage in physical activity for a total of 30 minutes on most days of the week.
Combine everyday chores with moderate-level sporting activities, such as walking, to achieve your physical activity goals.


3. Follow a healthy eating plan
Set up a healthy eating plan with foods low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol, and high in fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy foods such as the DASH eating plan.
Write down everything that you eat and drink in a food diary. Note areas that are successful or need improvement.
If you are trying to lose weight, choose an eating plan that is lower in calories.


4. Reduce sodium in your diet
Choose foods that are low in salt and other forms of sodium.
Use spices, garlic, and onions to add flavor to your meals without adding more sodium.


5. Drink alcohol only in moderation
In addition to raising blood pressure, too much alcohol can add unneeded calories to your diet.
If you drink alcoholic beverages, have only a moderate amount—one drink a day for women, two drinks a day for men.


6. Take prescribed drugs as directed
If you need drugs to help lower your blood pressure, you still must follow the lifestyle changes mentioned above.
Use notes and other reminders to help you remember to take your drugs. Ask your family to help you with reminder phone calls and messages.