Blood pressure is a measurement of how much blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries, MayoClinic.com reports. An inflatable arm cuff and a pressure measuring gauge is used to make two readings in millimeters of mercury. The first reading, the upper number, is called the systolic reading and measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. The second reading, the lower number, is called the diastolic number and measures the pressure in your arteries between heartbeats.
What Your Blood Pressure Readings Mean
Your blood pressure is normal if it is below 120/80 mm of mercury -- even better if it's about 115/75, MayClinic.com reports. Once your blood pressure rises above 115/75, your risk of heart disease begins to increase. If your systolic pressure ranges from 120 to 139 or your diastolic pressure ranges from 80 to 89, you are considered to have prehypertension, which tends to get worse as time passes. Should your systolic pressure range from 140 to 159 or your diastolic pressure range from 90 to 99, you are considered to have stage 1 hypertension. You are considered to have stage 2 hypertension if your systolic pressure goes up to 160 or more or your diastolic pressure reaches 100 or more.
Caffeine and Blood Pressure
Although caffeine has been known to increase blood pressure temporarily, especially in people who do not habitually take caffeine, researchers have not been able to find any consistent evidence that drinking from two to four cups of brewed coffee a day -- considered average consumption -- increases blood pressure by any significant degree for people who do not already have hypertension, the American Heart Association reports. There is no apparent harm in consuming one to two cups of coffee or its equivalent a day.
Causes of Hypertension
Most of the time, the cause of hypertension cannot be determined, Medline Plus.com reports. Cases such as these are called essential hypertension. There are also cases of hypertension called secondary hypertension, which are caused by medical conditions such as alcohol abuse, atherosclerosis and chronic kidney disease. Taking certain medications such as certain cold medications may also cause hypertension. You are more susceptible to high blood pressure as you grow older, and you have greater risk of hypertension if you smoke, are African American or obese, or have a family history of high blood pressure.
Treating Hypertension
You'll need to make a few changes in your lifestyle to lower your blood pressure. Changing your diet to one that is healthier, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet -- the DASH diet for short -- is usually the first step. Getting more exercise -- at least 30 minutes a day -- helps a lot, as does quitting smoking and maintaining an ideal weight. In conjunction with changes in your lifestyle, your doctor may recommend medication to control your blood pressure.
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