The American Heart Association and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's definition of blood pressure is the amount of force pushing against artery walls when the heart is contracting and when the heart is at rest. When this force reaches or exceeds a value of 140/90, it is high blood pressure, also known as hypertension; whereas good normal blood pressure is range of 115/75 to 120/80, according to the American Heart Association. Thus, regular high blood pressure is not good and poses a significant health risk for all types of people, according to the AHA.
Types
Blood pressure is taken from a measure of systolic and diastolic pressures. The systolic pressure is the top value in a reading and represents the pressure as the heart beats, whereas the bottom value is the diastolic pressure and represents the pressure as the heart relaxes between beats. Thus, using these values the AHA has defined two major types of hypertension, Type I and II. Type I is range between 140/90 and 159/99, whereas type II is a value 160/100 and greater. As the values increase so does the risk for blood pressure related health complications, according to the AHA.
Threat
A person with regular high blood pressure has a predisposition for a high risk of associated diseases such as ischemic heart disease, kidney disease, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease and heart attack, according to the AHA and NHLB. All individuals who have high blood pressure are at a high risk for these diseases, but individuals over the age of 50 have an even greater risk for the onset of these events if hypertension is not identified and treated promptly, according to the AHA.
Treatment
High blood pressure can be managed, reduced or prevented through the use of a variety of therapy options. The AHA recommends that a combination of treatment options be used in conjunction with one another to have the best effect on hypertension. Their recommended treatment options include anti-hypertensive medications, dietary modifications, regular exercise, decreased sodium intake, cessation of smoking and alcohol intake and weight management.
Effects
Utilization of the recommended high blood pressure therapy options have shown efficacy in the general population according to the AHA. The journal "Hypertension" in 2003 reported that when hypertension is properly identified and treated the occurrence of high blood pressure related health risks decrease over time. Specific events such as heart attacks, stroke and heart failure have been shown to significantly decrease in occurrence as reported by "Hypertension."
Lifelong Care
Once high blood pressure is identified and treated, it must be continually managed in order for it to remain depressed. Because the risk for high blood pressure and related diseases is much greater over the age of 50, it is recommended that healthy lifestyle choices and modifications be adapted early on in life, which can reduce the risk for the development of hypertension, according to the AHA and NHLB.
