Health by dratiffarid

Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps. High blood pressure is known as hypertension.

Have you been having headaches, dizzy spells or nosebleeds recently? You might be having hypertension. It’s important to know that you can have hypertension for years without any symptom. The above symptoms usually occur when hypertension has reached an advanced stage.

It is advisable to check your blood pressure every year after 20 years of age. Nowadays, it is a general practice to check your blood pressure whenever you go to the hospital. Always ask the doctor what’s the blood pressure that he recorded.

The normal blood pressure should be less than 120/80.

It’s important to know that if the upper value is between 120-139 and the lower value is between 80-89, it is a stage of pre-hypertension and not true hypertension. The difference is that you don’t need medications yet and lifestyle modifications will help.

If you have a blood pressure device at home, you can check it yourself.

Tips:

1) Avoid coffee, tea, chocolate and soft drinks before being tested. These are stimulants and can cause nervousness. Research has proven that it increases blood pressure by narrowing the blood pressure .

2) Don’t smoke prior to being tested. Nicotine narrows the blood vessels causing a transient increase in blood pressure.

3) Sit for at least 5 minutes before you check your blood pressure. Rest your arm at the level of your heart.

4) Go to the bathroom prior to checking your blood pressure. A full bladder can change your blood pressure reading.

5) Get two readings, taken at least 2 minutes apart, and average the results.