Know your numbers: What your blood pressure readings mean.
Having your blood pressure taken is the only way to check for hypertension, or high blood pressure-a dangerous, often symptomless condition known as the “silent killer.”
Blood pressure numbers are a measure of the pressure of blood against your artery walls. The top number, called systolic pressure, is a measurement of the pressure when your heart beats. The bottom number, or diastolic pressure, is the pressure when the heart is resting between beats.
A normal blood pressure reading is less than 120 over 80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury).
If your blood pressure is 120 to 139 over 80 to 89 mm Hg, you have prehypertension. Your blood pressure needs to be watched carefully to make sure it doesn’t develop into high blood pressure. Lifestyle changes can help you control it.
Sometimes, lifestyle changes aren’t enough. Your healthcare provider may need to prescribe medication to help you get your blood pressure under control, especially if your blood pressure is consistently at 140 over 90 mm Hg or higher, which means you have high blood pressure and you face a greater risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, vision loss and hardening of the arteries.
Everyday things you can do to lower your blood pressure
- Take a brisk walk or do some other physical activity for a total of at least 30 minutes.
- Plan your meals and snacks to include eight to ten servings of fruits and vegetables and two servings of low-fat milk. These foods are packed with the minerals that help control blood pressure.
- Avoid adding salt to your food at the table, use herbs and spices for seasoning, and limit processed foods.
- Count your calories if you need to lose weight. Shedding even just a few pounds can help.
- Stop smoking.
- Limit alcohol to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.
For more information, please contact the Midwest Region Laborers’
Health & Safety Fund at 800-218-2253.
Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association; US Department of Health & Human Services
