Blood pressure is one of the most basic diagnostic parameters. Pressure testing is usually one of the first things your doctor does during a visit, but you can successfully monitor it yourself at home. What are the norms for blood pressure, and what can increased or decreased values indicate? What is considered high blood pressure? We’ll try to cover this topic for you today. Keep reading!
Normal blood pressure
Blood pressure norms vary depending on age and other factors. Otherwise, the results will be interpreted for children, adolescents and adults.
Other standards are also assigned to the elderly and those suffering from diabetes or kidney diseases. Normal blood pressure should be:
- in newborns – 102/55 mm Hg
- in children – 110/75 mm Hg
- in adults – 120/80 mm Hg
However, certain ranges are accepted in which the correct pressure can be found, because usually the so-called white fusion syndrome. This means that patients get sick with the examination, which naturally increases their pressure. Systolic (first value) is usually in the range of 90-135 mm / Hg, and diastolic (second value) in the range of 50-90 mm / Hg.
High blood pressure
We already talk about hypertension when the systolic pressure exceeds 140 mm Hg or the diastolic pressure is higher than 90 mm Hg. However, this is still mildly elevated blood pressure. Then we are dealing with moderate hypertension, and above 180 mm Hg for systolic pressure and 110 mm Hg for diastolic pressure we are talking about severe hypertension. In the vast majority of cases, the disease is primary, which means that it is impossible to isolate one specific cause that causes an increase in blood pressure.
Symptoms of hypertension are considered to be:
- tightness in the head
- dizziness
- fatigue
- epistaxis
- sleep disturbance
- nervousness
- ailments of the heart – pounding, feeling of pressure or tightness around the heart
- dyspnoea
In the case of high blood pressure, drug treatment is necessary. For people with slightly elevated pressure, a basic change in habits is enough – limiting the salt in the diet, more frequent physical activity, quitting smoking, consuming less alcohol, reducing stress.
Low blood pressure (hypotension)
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), low blood pressure occurs when women fall below 100/60 mm Hg and men below 110/70 mm Hg.
It is not classified as a disease, although it is a fairly common phenomenon. It appears most often in young people and applies to slim women of slight build. The underlying causes of hypotension are insufficient fluid intake taking psychopharmacological, diuretic and vasodilator drugs pituitary or adrenal cortex failure and genetic background. Too low pressure can lead to dizziness, excessive sweating, shortness of breath or constant drowsiness and tiredness. Physical activity and body massage help in this case. If dizziness is very troublesome – slower insertion from a chair or bed.
