What Is Hypertension?
Hypertension, commonly called high blood pressure, is a dangerous health condition that often shows no symptoms. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for serious health problems and traumas like a heart attack and stroke, so it's important to keep blood pressure levels healthy. But how do you know if you have high blood pressure if it doesn't generally cause symptoms? You need regular blood pressure screenings with your doctor.
Measuring Blood Pressure
Your doctor can measure your blood pressure levels using a blood pressure cuff, wrapped around your upper arm while you sit relaxed in a chair. A stethoscope will be placed beneath the cuff while it is pumped up, and the doctor will record your blood pressure reading.
Get the Results
Normal blood pressure is defined as 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg), says the U.S. National Library of Medicine. High blood pressure can be diagnosed if your blood pressure is consistently 140/90 mmHg or higher. You may also be diagnosed with a condition called pre-hypertension, which is defined as blood pressure between 120 and 139/80 to 89 mmHg.
In people who have chronic diseases, like diabetes or kidney disease, hypertension is diagnosed when blood pressure is lower--at 130/80 mmHg, says the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Getting Multiple Readings
You'll need several appointments to truly diagnose high blood pressure because a number of factors can influence the reading, such as caffeine intake, exercise, stress or anxiety. Just one reading doesn't give an accurate picture, but consistent high blood pressure readings will do so. Your doctor will probably take your blood pressure three or four times to get a good idea of your levels before diagnosing you with hypertension.
