What is blood pressure and how is it measured?
Blood flows around the body in the heart and blood vessels. Blood pressure measures the force on the walls of the heart and blood vessels as the blood flows through them.
When blood pressure is measured, there are 2 readings:
- The top reading measures the systolic pressure, which is the force or pressure that the heart squeezes blood out to go around the body.
- The lower reading measures the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure of the blood as it flows back into the heart. This reflects how much resistance there is to blood flow around the body caused by blockage to blood flow. This would most likely be caused by cholesterol deposited in the blood vessels which are blocking them.
The importance of measuring blood pressure
Blood pressure needs to be measured properly. Before your blood pressure is taken you need to prepare yourself for when and where the blood pressure reading is to be done. The blood pressure should ideally be taken in the morning, after getting up and dressing, but before having any breakfast or medications, and in the evening when you are relaxing.
Top tips for measuring blood pressure:
- Don’t have anything to eat for 30 minutes before doing your blood pressure reading
- Don’t have any alcohol or caffeine for at least 1 hour before the blood pressure reading
- Go to the toilet and empty your bladder before doing the blood pressure reading
- Make sure that where you are going to take your blood pressure is quiet and calm, and neither too hot or cold
- Sit in a comfortable seat that supports your back for 5 minutes before taking your blood pressure
- Sit with both feet on the ground and not crossed
- Put your arm on a table or on the arms of the seat
- Make sure that the sleeves on the arm you are using is up enough so the blood pressure cuff is against your bare skin
- Make sure that the cuff is the correct size for your arm
- If the sleeve is very tight when pulled up, change into a t-shirt or vest to take the blood pressure
- Do not talk when taking your blood pressure. Instead close your eyes and think of a favourite place to help distract you from the squeezing of your arm
- When taking your blood pressure reading, it is advisable to take 2 or 3 readings at least 5 minutes apart
- It is also a good idea to write the readings down in a table.
Normal blood pressure readings
Blood pressure varies depending on whether the reading is being done in your home or in a clinic.
Normal blood pressure is defined by a blood pressure of systolic 105-139 and diastolic less than 85. Blood pressure is often written as systolic blood pressure/diastolic blood pressure e.g. 120/80.
High blood pressure and what causes it?
There are 3 stages of high blood pressure :
- Stage 1 high blood pressure – clinic blood pressure of 140/90 to 159/99 and home blood pressure of 135/85 to 149/94
- Stage 2 high blood pressure – clinic blood pressure of 160/100 to 180/120 and home blood pressure of 150/95 or higher
- Stage 3 high blood pressure (severe high blood pressure) – clinic blood pressure of over 180/120
In about 80 to 90% of people with high blood pressure, no cause is found, however we do know that some factors make high blood pressure more likely including:
- Gender – under the age 65, blood pressure is higher in men than women BUT after the age 65 blood pressure may be equal between men and women, OR women may have higher blood pressure
- Age – increases as you get older
- Ethnicity – being of African-Caribbean origin, or from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka
- Genetics – having a family history of high blood pressure
In the remaining 10 to 20% of people the causes can include:
- Lifestyle factors:
- Being overweight
- Not being active enough
- Being under stress
- Drinking too much alcohol (more than 14 units per week)
- Adding salt to food when eating
- Kidney disease
- Diseases affecting blood vessels
- Changes to the body during pregnancy
- Hormone changes
- Certain medication
Does blood pressure cause any symptoms?
Most people with high blood pressure will have no symptoms at all. Many people do not even know that they have high blood pressure. This is why you should have regular check ups with a GP to identify if you have any problems .
If symptoms do occur, they can include:
- Headaches
- Changes to vision
- Dizziness
How can you reduce your blood pressure?
Thankfully there is a lot we can do to reduce our blood pressure including:
- Reduce the amount of salt you add to food
- Reduce alcohol to below 14 units per week
- Reduce weight if you are overweight
- Reduce the caffeine in your diet
- Increase exercise
- Do more relaxation or mindfulness to reduce stress
- Stop smoking
If your blood pressure is high, your GP might suggest that you try the above changes BUT if these have not been successful, OR if your blood pressure is too high, your GP will suggest medication.
Medication for high blood pressure
The aim of medication for high blood pressure is to reduce the blood pressure to the normal level without causing side effects. There is not one single medication that works for everyone.
There are 6 main classed of medication for high blood pressure:
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors – these medications stop the body making Angiotensin II, a hormone that acts to raise blood pressure by moving water from the body into blood vessels, and tightening the blood vessels all of which cause blood pressure to rise.
- Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) – like the ACE inhibitors above, ARB’s also involve stopping the effect of Angiotensin II. However, whereas ACE inhibitors do this by reducing how much is made, ARB’s do this by blocking the Angiotensin II from working. They tend to be used if people have side effects on ACE inhibitor medications.
- Calcium-channel blockers (CCBs) – these work by reducing the amount of calcium that enters the cells in the heart and blood vessels. Calcium is required to make the heart and blood vessels contract. If there is less calcium, the blood vessels relax and this causes the pressure in the blood vessels to drop.
- Diuretics – these work by making the body pass more fluid through the kidneys. They do this by affecting the way water and salts are processed in the kidneys. They also can cause blood vessels to relax and widen, which also reduces blood pressure.
- Beta blockers – these are different to the medications above as they do not widen blood vessels or affect the fluid leaving the body. They work on blocking nerve signals to parts of the heart and blood vessels which causes the heartbeat to slow down and the force of the heartbeat to reduce. Together, this causes the blood pressure to reduce.
- Alpha blockers – like beta blockers, alpha blockers work on nerve impulses that cause the blood vessels to relax and dilate, which result in the pressure in the blood vessels being reduced.
Consequences of high blood pressure
If blood pressure is not controlled, it causes damage to the blood vessels and the heart, and can lead to:
- Heart attacks
- Stroke
- Angina
- Damage to the circulation
- Damage to the eyes
- Kidney damage
All of the above diseases are serious and can be life threatening. If you think you may have high blood pressure, please do not ignore it and make an appointment to see a GP!
At Private GP Extra we will review your blood pressure readings and together formulate the best management plan to get your blood pressure back to normal, and reduce the damage high blood pressure can do to your body. If tests are required, we can arrange them or write to your NHS GP to request that they be done. We can also prescribe medication, and monitor its effectiveness, to help prevent further damage to your body.
To make an appointment, please contact us on 0161 428 4464 or by email to info@privategpextra.com
Together we can help to keep you healthy!
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