Blood pressure readings comprise two numerical values; a systolic "top" value and a diastolic "bottom" value. These two values combined are used to categorize people into one of four blood pressure categories as defined by a 2007 scientific statement in the American Heart Association journal "Circulation." The four categories---normal, pre-hypertension, type I hypertension and type II hypertension---are used to classify people into particular degrees of increasing negative health risks related to increasing blood pressure readings.
Four Categories
Blood pressure readings are defined by a specific range of values. The term hypertension is often used interchangeably with high blood pressure or any value that is greater than what is categorized as being a normal reading. According to "Circulation," a normal blood pressure reading is a value of 120/80 or less, whereas hypertension is further broken down into three categories: pre-hypertension valued at a range between 120/80 and 139/89, type I valued at a range of 140/90 to 159/99, and type II valued at anything greater than 160/100.
Importance
Blood pressure is a necessary health measure to consistently monitor because of the negative health-related risks that are associated with abnormal readings. "Circulation" reports that one-fourth of the adult population in the United States has hypertension---roughly 65 million people---placing these people at a greater risk for the development of cardiovascular disease, heart failure, stroke and cerebrovascular disease. It is especially prevalent in the adult population over the age of 50 where hypertension is strongly correlated with an increase in age.
What You Can Do
Hypertension or the development of hypertension may be prevented or reduced back to the normal range of values in certain cases as a result of proper identification and treatment. The American Heart Association journals "Hypertension" and "Circulation" both recommend that a combination of anti-hypertensive medication with certain lifestyle modifications can be effective in this regard. The recommended modifications to be undertaken as a whole in order to be most effective are weight loss, cessation of smoking, decreased alcohol intake, decreased sodium intake and regular physical exercise. Thus, both journals report that by using this treatment approach to manage blood pressure, hypertensive-related heart failure decreases by more than 50 percent; prevalence of stroke, 35 to 40 percent; and risk for heart attack, 20 to 25 percent.
