It is through measuring systolic and diastolic pressure that one's blood pressure can be determined. Systolic pressure occurs when your heart beats, and this is also the point when your heart pressure is at the highest. Diastolic pressure, on the other hand, is the moment your heart relaxes after every beat and your body has blood pressure at its lowest. Compared to a normal reading of 120/80 mmHg or below (with the first number being the systolic pressure and the second the diastolic pressure), you are considered to be suffering from high blood pressure if you have blood pressure records of 140/90 mmHg or above. High blood pressure is also sometimes called hypertension.

About Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is defined as the strength with which your blood pushes against the arteries' walls. Blood pressure rises whenever your heart beats, and blood pressure decreases when your heart is resting. These are the times when your blood pressure is at its highest and lowest. When there is a high blood pressure, your vessels become damaged because of the extra force involved in pushing blood through the system.

Illnesses Related to High Blood Pressure

Often, high blood pressure or hypertension has no visible symptoms, causing people to be surprised by sudden disorders concerning the kidneys or heart. Blood vessels of the eye can be affected by high blood pressure, causing altered vision. Heart size may also increase and may result in heart failure, which is fatal.

About Antihypertensives

Medicines called antihypertensives are used to counter high blood pressure. These medicines have been proven to decrease the chances of developing illnesses associated with high blood pressure such as stroke.

Prevention is Better than Treatment

People are recommended to lose excess weight and exercise regularly to prevent high blood pressure from occurring. As always, preventing the illness from happening is always better than any treatment.