Have you ever stopped to understand exactly what blood pressure readings mean? National Blood Pressure Education Month is here. It’s a good time to find out more about what your blood pressure readings mean and why it’s so important.
Blood pressure readings look at the systolic and diastolic measurements as the blood travels through your arteries and veins. Systolic blood pressure is the extent of the force of the blood on the artery walls during a heartbeat. Diastolic blood pressure is the extent of the force of the blood between heartbeats. Systolic is the first number in a blood pressure reading, while diastolic is the second number.
High blood pressure increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease. It can also impact your vision. It’s important to get the numbers to a point the doctor recommends.
The Blood Pressure Categories
The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology recommend having blood pressure readings of 120 over 80 or lower. Once they go over 120 for systolic and are less than 80, the readings are in the “Elevated” stage and should be watched at home in a low-stress setting. Some people have what’s called “White Coat Syndrome” and anxiety at the doctor’s office increases blood pressure readings.
Stage 1 involves having a systolic reading of 130 to 139 or a diastolic reading of 80 to 89. Stage 2 increases that to 140 to 180 or a diastolic of 90 or higher. Medications may be recommended in either of these stages.
Hypertension is serious when the systolic reading is over 180 and/or diastolic is over 120. If the numbers suggest serious hypertension, tests to look for organ damage may be ordered. He will be given medications to get it under control.
What Do You Do if His Numbers Are Too High?
What happens if your dad has high blood pressure? He’ll definitely need to change his diet and get more exercise. If he’s overweight, weight loss is important, too. He may be given a prescription for medications to help lower his numbers. If he’s going to forget to take his medication or struggle with a new diet, talk to him about senior care.
He can have a caregiver stop by to help him with meals. He has a companion for daily walks or to cheer him on while he does the exercises his doctor recommends. He also has someone to remind him to take his medication. He’ll find that senior care is going to make his daily tasks easier to manage as he has someone there as often as he wants.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in San Marino, CA, please contact the caring staff at Home Care Help. Serving All of Los Angeles County. Call Us Today (888) 989-7388
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