Blood Pressure - Know Your Numbers!

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects about 30% of adults and if untreated, increases risks for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and dementia.  Often the cause of high blood pressure is due to many factors, including a combination of lifestyle and genetic factors.

Blood pressure is the force exerted per unit area on the walls of arteries and it is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).  The measurement is expressed as two numbers:  (1) systolic pressure - the amount of pressure in arteries as the heart contracts, and (2) diastolic pressure – the amount of pressure that remains in arteries between beats with the heart is relaxed. 

Classification of Blood Pressure	Systolic/Diastolic Pressure
Normal	< 120/80 mm Hg
Prehypertension	120-139/80-89 mm Hg
Hypertension – Stage 1	140-159/90-99 mm Hg
Hypertension – Stage 2	≥ 160/100 mm Hg

It is normal for blood pressure readings to fluctuate during a 24-hour period.  Don’t eat, smoke or drink caffeine or alcohol within 30 minutes prior to a measurement.  It is also best to sit down for at least 5 minutes prior to a measurement.

Lifestyle Strategies for Reducing Blood Pressure

If your blood pressure is above the normal range, diet and lifestyle can have a significant impact in achieving optimal levels.  If lifestyle changes are recommended by your doctor as primary treatment, it is important to maintain these changes for 6 to 12 months for the best results.

Lifestyle modifications that have been shown to lower blood pressure include maintaining a healthy weight, consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and low in sodium, participating in regular physical activity, and limiting alcohol consumption.  Stress management is also beneficial for managing blood pressure. 

The National Institutes of Health published the following summary of the impact of lifestyle changes on blood pressure.¹  The effects of implementing these modifications are dose and time dependent and could be greater for some individuals.

Lifestyle Modification	Recommendation	Approx. Systolic Blood Pressure Reduction
Weight reduction	Maintain normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2).	5-10 mm Hg/22 lbs
Adopt DASH eating plan	Consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy with a reduced content of saturated and total fat.	8-14 mm Hg
Dietary sodium reduction	Reduce dietary sodium intake to no more than 2,400 mg/day.	2-8 mm Hg
Physical activity	Engage in moderate aerobic physical activity such as brisk walking (≥ 30 min/day most days of the week).	4-9 mm Hg
Moderation of alcohol consumption	Limit consumption to no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women.	2-4 mm Hg
	Total approximate reduction from all factors	21-45 mm Hg

While each of these separate lifestyle modifications has only a small impact on blood pressure, adopting all of them over time could make the difference between hypertension – stage 2 and normal blood pressure levels. 

Untreated high blood pressure can be very dangerous.  Over time, the increased force on the blood vessel walls may cause damage that promotes the development of atherosclerotic plaque.  As the plaque deposits increase, they narrow the space inside the blood vessel through which blood flows, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Visit your health care practitioner regularly to monitor your blood pressure or buy a blood pressure monitor to take your own readings at home.  You can find easy to use, automated blood pressure monitors at your local pharmacy or online.

Next week:  all about inflammation and its effect on heart health.  Plus, foods that will help you reduce inflammation every day.

Reference

¹ From the National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National High Blood Pressure Education Program: The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, NIH Publication No. 04-5230, August 2004.