Keeping your heart healthy is vital at every age. Each year close to 1 million people in the United States die of stroke, heart disease, and other cardiovascular diseases. Meanwhile, a heart attack strikes more than 600,000 people each year.
February is American Heart Month, an ideal time to review how your blood pressure numbers affect this vital organ.
Controlling risk factors such as high blood pressure (hypertension) is essential to keeping your heart healthy, and the board-certified family physicians and medical experts at Macomb Medical Clinic in Sterling Heights, Michigan, are committed to helping you do that.
Blood pressure measurement consists of two numbers. The top number (systolic pressure), measures the blood pressure against the arteries when your heart beats. The bottom number (diastolic pressure) measures blood pressure between heartbeats.
Both numbers matter. Normal blood pressure is 120/80, and damage to the body occurs when either or both numbers are persistently elevated. Some of your organs' most delicate blood vessels are the most vulnerable to damage.
Delicate blood vessels that supply blood to the kidneys and the blood vessels in the eyes are at risk of damage. Your heart and brain are also at risk. Heart attack and stroke are major risk factors for uncontrolled high blood pressure.
It’s crucial to track your numbers through regular checkups and follow a plan to manage your blood pressure if it’s consistently elevated.
Here’s more detail about what your blood pressure numbers mean:
Blood pressure at or near 120/80 means your blood pressure is normal. Your heart and circulatory system aren’t under excess strain, and you aren’t at an increased risk of blood pressure-related health complications.
Sometimes, your top number, or systolic pressure, rises a bit, and your bottom number remains at 80 or below. While medication isn’t warranted at this point, your doctor may recommend regular monitoring.
A blood pressure reading of 130-139 or 80-89 is classified as stage 1 hypertension. At this stage, lifestyle changes are often effective in lowering blood pressure to a safer level. Your doctor makes recommendations based on your medical history and any existing risk factors.
Stage 2 hypertension is classified as a blood pressure that consistently measures 140/90 or higher. Stage 2 is often when patients need the support of medication to bring their blood pressure down, though in some cases, aggressive diet and lifestyle changes are enough.
Your doctor provides the most appropriate recommendations for your case.
A blood pressure of 180/120 is dangerous and requires immediate medical attention. You may experience symptoms such as blurry vision, headache, or chest pain.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can significantly impact your health. In addition to increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke, hypertension is the most common cause of kidney failure. It can also lead to vision loss, peripheral artery disease (PAD), and sexual dysfunction.
Because high blood pressure rarely causes symptoms outside of a hypertensive crisis, it’s up to you to work closely with a health care provider to assess your risk and attend regular checkups to monitor your blood pressure.
The longer high blood pressure is left uncontrolled, the higher the risk of negative health effects. Take steps to protect your heart today. Call Macomb Medical Clinic to schedule an appointment.
