What is Blood Pressure?

Blood Pressure (BP) is a measure of the force that the circulating blood exerts on the walls of the major blood vessels (arteries) of the body. The pressure wave is transmitted along the arteries with each heartbeat and is felt as the pulse in the peripheries. There are two components to blood pressure. The systolic pressure is created when the heart contracts pumping blood in to the blood vessels. It is the higher of the two values. The diastolic pressure is produced as the heart relaxes and fills with blood again.

How is Blood Pressure Measured?

Blood pressure is measured using a blood pressure measuring device. These are technically called sphygmomanometers or just manometers. The older ones used mercury, which are now outdated. The ones now in use are aneroid manometers and electronic Blood Pressure Monitors. Blood Pressure is read in a unit called millimeters of mercury (mmHg). It is written as the systolic blood pressure upon the diastolic blood pressure. The technique of measuring Blood Pressure is described here.

What is Normal Blood Pressure?

A blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg is generally regarded as normal. But the normal blood pressure has been a subject of research and debate over the years. This is mainly because the health outcomes of uncontrolled hypertension are dependent on several other factors including age, sex, race, living habits and co existing morbidities.

What is High Blood Pressure?

High Blood Pressure or Hypertension is persistently high levels of blood pressure which may result in harmful effects on the individual’s health. Traditionally a blood pressure above 140/90 mm of mercury has been termed as hypertension. However this is disputed nowadays as evident from the American and European versions of Classification of High Blood Pressure.

What are the causes of high blood pressure?

In 90 to 95 percent of cases the exact cause of high blood pressure is unknown. This category in which no obvious cause can be determined is referred to as Primary or Essential Hypertension. Most people with hypertension come in this category. This only means that some unidentified genetic and / or environmental factors play a role in the genesis of the hypertension in the majority of cases. In the remaining 5 to 10 percent of cases some underlying pathology can be identified and is referred to as Secondary Hypertension. These are the Causes of Secondary Hypertension.

What are the dangers of high blood pressure?

Hypertension is the most important Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor. Cardiovascular diseases are diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The major conditions in this group are coronary artery heart disease, stroke and hypertensive heart disease. Among these, hypertension by itself is a risk factor for the other two.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death world wide. 16.7 million people die every year of cardiovascular diseases, which is 30% of the global mortality. Coronary Artery Heart Diseases lead the list with 7.2 million deaths followed by Stroke which causes 5.5 million deaths.

The major risk factors that lead to the development of coronary as well as cerebrovascular diseases are hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking and alcohol use. Among these risk factors, uncontrolled hypertension as a risk factor makes the largest contribution in the development of these diseases.