HEALTH TIPS, GUIDES AND RELATIONSHIP ADVICE

Classification of Hypertension and How to Measure it?

Changes in stimuli from your body could affect the blood pressure .Complex interaction takes place between blood vessels, heart, kidneys and many different hormones. A decrease in stimuli could reduce the blood pressure. This article will tell you about the different classifications of blood pressure and levels of hypertension.
Rise in blood pressure can be due to different reason. Normally, when you are sleeping your blood pressure is lower as compared to when you are awake because while you are asleep your heart doesn’t have to work hard to pump the blood.

The reason why your blood pressure is lower when you are resting is that your body doesn’t demand oxygen rich blood at that time as compared to when you are awake and are involved in some physical activity.

Due to increase in the blood pressure, higher pressure is exerted on the arteries and the heart. This requires the heart to work harder than it does normally. Over a span of time heart gets enlarged but still fails to serve the purpose.
It is important to understand the importance of getting your blood pressure checked regularly but also to know how the blood pressure is measured.

The blood pressure is measured with the help of a device called sphygmomanometer also known as blood pressure cuff. The blood pressure is measured in mm of mercury also denoted as ‘mm Hg’. For example 120/80mmHg, here the first number denotes the systolic pressure; it is the pressure when the heart contracts to send the blood through arteries.
The second number is called the diastolic pressure; it is the pressure at which the blood flows back into the heart.  This is when the heart is relaxed after pumping the blood to the arteries, when the heart is filling up with more blood to pump.
Now in order to know how severe the hypertension is, you have to check under which category your hypertension lies.

Hypertension Classification for Adults:

1. Normal
Systolic: <120, Diastolic: <80
2. Pre-Hypertension: 
Systolic: 120-139, Diastolic: 80-99
3. Stage One Hypertension: 
Systolic: 140-159, Diastolic: 90-99
4. Stage Two Hypertension: 
Systolic: 160+, Diastolic: 100+

Hypertension can be cured with medicines and making the necessary modification in the lifestyle. Exercising regularly can help in curing the disease. It doesn’t matter under which category you fall, the most important thing is, to follow the instructions given by the doctor.