The vast majority of people already know about high blood pressure and that it is dangerous to one’s health. However, that doesn’t mean that they also know what their readings are, or what these should be. Ask people about the normal blood pressure ranges and they will usually not be able to answer it correctly. It is confusing to understand what blood pressure is in terms of its ranges. People are usually happy enough with knowing simply whether their blood pressure is low, normal, or high, and they don’t want to know what all the different numbers are. However, it can be important to have at least a baseline of understanding about these.
What Is Blood Pressure?
When you have a blood pressure reading, it is a measurement of how hard the blood is pumped through your arteries and through your heart. When you take a reading, you will be presented with two numbers. The top number is the systolic reading and that is the first number you get. The second, or bottom number, is the diastolic measurement. Systolic pressure indicates the maximum pressure that has to be exerted by the heart while beating so as to pump blood in your arteries. The diastolic pressure is the pressure inside the arteries in between two heartbeats. The difference between the two readings is known as the pulse pressure, which is also significant because if it is more than 60 for those older than 60, it is a predictor of heart attacks or other cardiovascular problems. On the other hand, a pulse pressure of less than 40 could imply poor heart function.
What Are the Normal Blood Pressure Ranges?
Normal blood pressure ranges is around 120/80, which is the ideal reading. To indicate the normal ranges, a chart is often used to make this easy to understand. For systolic pressure, what is normal ranges from 90 to 120, while the diastolic pressure ranges from 60 to 80. For those who have hypotension or low blood pressure, systolic pressure ranges from 70 to 90, while diastolic pressure ranges from 40 to 60. Now, there is a zone that is known as the pre-high blood pressure range, where the systolic pressure ranges from 120 to 140, while diastolic pressure ranges from 80 to 90. Those who are in the pre-high blood pressure range are often warned to make the necessary lifestyle changes to bring their blood pressure down and to prevent them from going into the hypertensive range. For those with hypertension or high blood pressure, the systolic pressure ranges from 140 to 190, while diastolic pressure ranges from 90 to 100.
Remember that having normal blood pressure readings is vital to your overall health. You must, therefore, lead a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced, nutritious diet and regular exercise, in order to keep your pressure in those normal ranges. If you are not sure what your blood pressure currently is, then you should consider walking into your nearest pharmacy and having it checked for you. Most good pharmacies will do this for free and will also provide you with advice on the steps to take depending on your readings. Take this advice to heart, as it has the potential to save your life.
