Blood pressure involves both how much blood your heart pumps every minute as well as the pressure exerted on the walls of your arteries by that blood.
As you age, your arteries lose some of their natural elasticity and are less able to accommodate the rush of blood. Plaques, which are fatty deposits on the artery wall, can also contribute to stiffening of the arteries. Blood pressure — particularly systolic blood pressure — naturally tends to increase with age. Because of this, there may be no identifiable cause for high blood pressure. However, there are some medical conditions that can cause someone to develop ISH.
These conditions often have effects on the circulatory system, which can damage blood vessels or contribute to artery stiffening. Some of these conditions include:. There are many types of anemia, but iron deficiency anemia is the most common.
Damage can be caused to your blood vessels as your heart works harder to pump blood to the tissues of your body in order to deliver sufficient oxygen. Diabetes happens when the amount of glucose in your blood is too high. Insulin normally controls blood glucose levels. Over time, high glucose levels in your blood can lead to a variety of problems, including those with the heart and circulatory system. Hyperthyroidism , or overactive thyroid, occurs when your thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormones than necessary.
This surplus of thyroid hormone can affect almost every organ in your body, including your heart and circulatory system. Because blood oxygen levels can drop when breathing stops, obstructive sleep apnea can strain your cardiovascular system and lead to increases in blood pressure. When high blood pressure is left uncontrolled, it can cause damage to your arteries. This can affect various parts of your body and can increase your risk for the following conditions:.
A blood pressure reading consists of two numbers — your systolic blood pressure and your diastolic blood pressure. But what do these numbers actually mean? The first number is your systolic blood pressure. The second number is your diastolic blood pressure. It can seriously hurt important organs like your heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.
The good news is that, in most cases, you can manage your blood pressure to lower your risk for serious health problems. High blood pressure can damage your arteries by making them less elastic, which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart and leads to heart disease.
In addition, decreased blood flow to the heart can cause:. High blood pressure can cause the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to burst or be blocked, causing a stroke. Brain cells die during a stroke because they do not get enough oxygen. Stroke can cause serious disabilities in speech, movement, and other basic activities.
A stroke can also kill you. Having high blood pressure, especially in midlife, is linked to having poorer cognitive function and dementia later in life. Adults with diabetes, high blood pressure, or both have a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease than those without these conditions.
Measuring your blood pressure is quick and painless. Talk with your health care team about regularly measuring your blood pressure at home, also called self-measured blood pressure SMBP monitoring.
Many people with high blood pressure can lower their blood pressure into a healthy range or keep their numbers in a healthy range by making lifestyle changes.
Talk with your health care team about. Learn more about ways to manage and prevent high blood pressure. In addition to making positive lifestyle changes, some people with high blood pressure need to take medicine to manage their blood pressure.
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What do your blood pressure numbers mean? The only way to know if you have high blood pressure HBP, or hypertension is to have your blood pressure tested. Understanding your results is key to controlling high blood pressure.
Note: A diagnosis of high blood pressure must be confirmed with a medical professional. A doctor should also evaluate any unusually low blood pressure readings. If your results fall into this category, stick with heart-healthy habits like following a balanced diet and getting regular exercise.
Elevated blood pressure is when readings consistently range from systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic. People with elevated blood pressure are likely to develop high blood pressure unless steps are taken to control the condition.
Hypertension Stage 1 is when blood pressure consistently ranges from systolic or mm Hg diastolic. At this stage of high blood pressure, doctors are likely to prescribe lifestyle changes and may consider adding blood pressure medication based on your risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ASCVD , such as heart attack or stroke.
At this stage of high blood pressure, doctors are likely to prescribe a combination of blood pressure medications and lifestyle changes.
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