Question
I take hypertension medication and monitor my blood pressure. But what is taken into account normal seems to maintain changing. What numbers do you suggest?
Oh The most up-to-date guidelines use a reading below 120/80 mm Hg as normal (see below). But this just isn’t a magic number to guide what a person should strive for. Instead, it is best to contemplate the proper blood pressure range that most accurately fits your personal circumstances, with the overall goal of aiming for the bottom acceptable upper and lower numbers.
So the large query is what is appropriate? No one size suits all. This depends upon many aspects, including the presence of other chronic conditions, reminiscent of heart disease or kidney disease. For example, if you may have coronary artery disease, you don’t need your diastolic pressure (the underside number) to fall below 50 to 55 mm Hg.
|
Blood pressure categories |
|||
|
Type of blood pressure 
|
Systolic mm Hg (top number) |
|
Diastolic mm Hg (lower number) |
|
normal |
Less than 120 |
And |
Less than 80 |
|
high |
120 – 129 |
And |
Less than 80 |
|
High blood pressure (hypertension) stage 1 |
130 – 139 |
or |
80 – 89 |
|
High blood pressure (hypertension) stage 2 |
140 or more |
or |
90 or more |
|
Hypertensive crisis (seek the advice of your doctor immediately) |
More than 180 |
and/or |
More than 120 |
Other aspects that influence what you and your doctor select as your personal blood pressure goal include your age, overall health, and whether you experience unintended effects from medications. Since most studies have linked negative outcomes with high systolic pressure (the highest number), you are prone to focus more on that number.
A significant goal is to take care of a systolic pressure of 110 to 119 mm Hg, so long as you’re feeling well and haven’t any lightheadedness on standing. As people age, they often change into more sensitive to the drop in blood pressure that happens after they stand or sit upright. For some, this will likely mean accepting a better systolic reading to avoid fainting and collapsing. Even in case your systolic blood pressure hovers around 120 mm Hg, attempting to lower it even barely could make a difference in your risk of a serious heart event.
In a recent study, researchers found that lowering systolic blood pressure by 5 mm Hg reduced the chance of death from heart attack, stroke, or heart failure by about 10 percent. Lowering blood pressure doesn’t necessarily mean you would like more medication. Lifestyle changes like exercising, eating plant-based foods wealthy in potassium and calcium, and shedding extra kilos if you happen to’re chubby may also help lower your numbers.
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