What is hypertension?
Hypertension is diagnosed when the systolic blood pressure (high pressure) is greater than 140 and/or the diastolic blood pressure (low pressure) is greater than 90 mmHg on three different days at rest (quiet).
What is normal blood pressure?
The normal blood pressure level for a healthy adult should be less than 120/80 mm Hg. If a blood pressure level is found to be above 140/90 mm Hg, further medical attention should be sought at a hospital.
How often should blood pressure be taken?
Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease that may endanger everyone’s health, so healthy adults should have their blood pressure measured at least once a year. Patients with hypertension should have their blood pressure measured frequently.
How is blood pressure measured?
The standard sphygmomanometer now commonly used in medical units at home and abroad is the mercury column sphygmomanometer. Electronic sphygmomanometers that meet international standards are easy to use and easy for patients and families to grasp. 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is useful for understanding changes in blood pressure throughout the day.
How many people have hypertension?
There are about 160 million people with hypertension in China, and one in five adults has hypertension.
What are the dangers of hypertension?
Chronic elevated blood pressure, no matter what the cause, or whether there are obvious conscious symptoms, can be harmful to health. It can cause hypertensive encephalopathy, coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, bleeding under the eyes, kidney failure, etc.
Does hypertension always have symptoms?
Not necessarily. Patients with hypertension often do not feel it in the early stages, and it often starts quietly and causes sudden events, which is known as the “silent killer” of human health. The absence of discomfort such as dizziness and headache does not mean that you do not have hypertension. The only way to know is to measure your blood pressure.
Do I need to take medication if I have no symptoms of hypertension?
Medication is required. Due to the absence of obvious symptoms, many people with hypertension refuse antihypertensive treatment or fail to take antihypertensive medication regularly, which leads to cardiovascular events.
What are the benefits of early control of hypertension?
The earlier hypertension is detected and the earlier it is treated and controlled, the less damage it can cause to the heart, brain and blood vessels, etc. Controlling blood pressure can lead to a 35-40% reduction in stroke; a 20%-25% reduction in myocardial infarction; and a 50% or more reduction in heart failure.
Who is at risk for hypertension?
People who are overweight and obese, have a high salt diet and drink too much alcohol are prone to hypertension; weight control, salt restriction and alcohol restriction are effective measures to prevent and treat hypertension.
What is the relationship between body weight and hypertension?
The proportion of overweight and obese people suffering from hypertension is 3 to 4 times higher than that of normal weight people.
How can I control my weight?
Increasing physical exercise is an effective measure to control weight. Exercise 3-5 times a week for 20-60 minutes each time is good for regulating blood pressure.
What are the ways to exercise?
The middle-aged people should choose walking, fast walking, jogging or fast running, swimming, hiking, etc.; the elderly people should play tai chi, do exercises, walking, and the amount of exercise should be based on the age and physical condition of the individual.
Why is it necessary to control sodium intake?
A high salt diet is an important risk factor for hypertension, and the prevalence of hypertension tends to be higher in areas with a high salt diet (such as the north).
What are the benefits of a low-salt diet?
A low salt diet for normal people can prevent the development of hypertension. A low salt diet in patients with hypertension improves the effectiveness of hypertension treatment. Salt restriction is a very cost effective measure to prevent cardiovascular disease.
How much salt should I consume per day?
The World Health Organization advocates an average salt intake of no more than 6 grams per person per day.
What is the salt intake in China?
The average daily salt intake of urban and rural residents in China is 12 grams per person, with the northern regions being higher than the southern regions. If the salt intake of our residents is reduced by half, it is estimated that 500,000 deaths from stroke, heart disease and chronic kidney disease can be reduced nationwide each year.
Is excessive alcohol consumption associated with high blood pressure?
Excessive alcohol consumption can increase blood pressure, and men who continue to drink alcohol have a 40% higher risk of hypertension than non-drinkers over a four-year period.
How can people with hypertension limit their alcohol consumption?
Advise people with hypertension to stop drinking alcohol. Healthy people who are used to drinking alcohol should limit their daily consumption to a small amount: less than 5 taels of beer, or less than 2 taels of wine, or less than 1 tael of white wine. The amount of alcohol consumed by women should be reduced by half. Highly potent alcohol is not recommended.
Is smoking associated with high blood pressure?
Smoking a cigarette can increase systolic blood pressure by 20-25 mmHg, and smoking can also affect the efficacy of antihypertensive drugs. People with hypertension should quit smoking.
Is stress related to hypertension?
Mental tension, anger, worry, and malignant stimulation of the environment can all lead to increased blood pressure. Reducing mental stress and maintaining a balanced mind can lower blood pressure levels.
What is the foundation of hypertension prevention and treatment?
A healthy lifestyle is the foundation of hypertension prevention and treatment, and it will benefit you for life.
What is a healthy lifestyle?
A healthy lifestyle includes: not smoking; adhering to a moderate amount of physical activity; eating a reasonable diet, appropriately limiting sodium and fat intake, and increasing vegetable and fruit intake; moderating alcohol consumption; maintaining a normal weight, and reducing weight in overweight and obese people; and having a balanced psychology.
How much can a healthy lifestyle reduce blood pressure?
Weight loss of 10 kg in obese people can reduce systolic blood pressure by 5-20 mm Hg; reasonable diet can reduce systolic blood pressure by 8-14 mm Hg; salt restriction can reduce systolic blood pressure by 2-8 mm Hg; regular physical exercise can reduce systolic blood pressure by 4-9 mm Hg; and alcohol restriction can reduce systolic blood pressure by 2-4 mm Hg.
What is the target value for antihypertensive treatment?
The target values for antihypertensive therapy are: less than 140/90 mm Hg in general hypertension; less than 150 mm Hg systolic in elderly patients; less than 130/80 mm Hg in high-risk patients such as those with diabetes or kidney disease.
Does hypertension require long-term medication?
Hypertension is a chronic disease and most patients need to take antihypertensive medication regularly for a long time to control their blood pressure.
Why does blood pressure not go down?
Theoretically, there is no question that blood pressure cannot be lowered. Generally, the reason for unsatisfactory blood pressure control is unscientific use of medication. Therefore, it is recommended that medication be used under the guidance of a doctor.
Can hypertension be cured?
There is no international drug that can cure hypertension. As long as you take them for a short period of time, you can achieve long-term, stable blood pressure reduction, and “no relapse” and “no rebound” antihypertensive drugs do not exist.
Is high blood pressure scary?
As long as the blood pressure is controlled in the normal range, the harm of hypertension will be greatly reduced, so there is no need to be afraid.