What is Hypertension?
Blood pressure is the pressure that occurs when blood pushes against the walls of the body’s arteries, as it travels from your heart to other parts of the body. When you have hypertension, this pressure is higher than normal and over time can damage the arteries and weaken the heart. Hypertension increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the United States. Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only about 1 out of every 4 individuals with hypertension actually have their condition under control.
Blood Pressure Categories
Blood pressure is gauged with two measurements. The first is systolic pressure, which measures the pressure in your arteries as your heart beats. The second number is diastolic pressure, which measures the pressure between heartbeats.
Normal Blood Pressure is < 120 over < 80
Elevated Blood Pressure is 120-129 over < 80
Stage 1 Hypertension: a person reaches 130-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic
Stage 2 Hypertension: a person reaches ≥ 140 systolic or ≥ 90 diastolic
Diabetes and High Blood Pressure
Individuals with diabetes, particularly Type 2 diabetes are prone to develop hypertension. In fact, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop high blood pressure as those without the disease. Even more alarming, a person living with both diabetes and high blood pressure is 4 times more likely to develop heart disease.
Treating Hypertension
The good news is that hypertension can be treated with both lifestyle changes and medication, if necessary. Losing excess weight; giving your heart a little workout with moderate exercise, limiting salt, and quitting smoking can all help lower your blood pressure. If it’s still high, your doctor will likely prescribe one of many effective medications to manage your condition.
You Need to Know Your Numbers
If you’re someone living with hypertension or with both diabetes and high blood pressure, it’s important to measure your blood pressure regularly. This way you can gauge how effective new medication is working, how losing weight impacts your hypertension, and if you and your doctor need to find alternative treatments. Hypertension should not be taken lightly. For those with diabetes, it’s a lot easier to measure your BP than it is to test your blood sugar. So do it!
