Blood Pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of the body’s arteries1, the major blood vessels in the body. An artery is a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to tissues and organs in the body2.
Although it is normal for Blood Pressure to vary slightly throughout the day, your Blood Pressure should basically be stable3.
How
What
SYMPTOMS
The normal values for Blood Pressure are less than 120 (systolic) and less than 80 (diastolic) mmHg4.
mmHg - The abbreviation mmHg means millimetres of mercury5. Mercury was used in the first accurate pressure gauges and is still used in medicine today as the standard unit of measurement for pressure5.
REFERENCES:
1. World Health Organization (WHO). Hypertension. Aug 25, 2021. Accessed Apr 1,
2022. Available from
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension
2. National Cancer Institute. Dictionary of cancer terms. Artery. Accessed Apr
1, 2022. Available from
https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/artery
3. Berry J. How can I stabilise my Blood Pressure? May 23, 2021. Accessed Apr 1,
2022. Available from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321523
4. Rayner B, Jones E, Veriava Y, et al. South African Hypertension Society
commentary on the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association
hypertension guidelines. Cardiovascular J Africa 2019;30:184-187
5. American Heart Association (AHA). Understanding Blood Pressure readings.
Accessed Apr 1, 2022. Available from
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/understanding-blood-pressure-readings
The following factors may contribute to having High Blood Pressure1:
High Blood Pressure can harden arteries, decreasing the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart1. The elevated pressure and reduced blood flow can cause1...
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THE FOLLOWING FACTORS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO HAVING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:
Hypertension can be prevented by following a healthy lifestyle
