What is high blood pressure (hypertension)?
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries (blood vessels). Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). Your blood pressure is recorded as two figures. For example, 150/95 mmHg. This is said as '150 over 95'.
- The top (first) number is the systolic pressure. This is the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts.
- The bottom (second) number is the diastolic pressure. This is the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between each heartbeat.
What is high blood pressure
High blood pressure is a blood pressure that is 140/90 mmHg or above each time it is taken. That is, the blood pressure is 'sustained' at 140/90 mmHg or above. High blood pressure can be:
- just a high systolic pressure, for example, 170/70 mmHg.
- just a high diastolic pressure, for example, 120/104 mmHg.
- or both, for example, 170/110 mmHg.
However, it is not quite as simple as this. Depending on various factors, the level at which blood pressure is considered high enough to be treated with medication can vary from person to person.
Blood pressure of 160/100 mmHg or above
This is definitely high. All people with a blood pressure that stays at this level are usually offered medication to lower it (described later).
Blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or above but below 160/100 mmHg
This is sometimes called 'mild' high blood pressure. Ideally, it should be lower than this but for many people the risk from mild high blood pressure is small, and drug treatment is not indicated. However, certain groups of people with blood pressure in this range are advised medication to lower it. These are people with:
- a high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (see below), or
- an existing cardiovascular disease (see below), or
- diabetes, or
- damage to the heart or kidney (organ damage) due to high blood pressure.
Blood pressure between 130/80 and 140/90 mmHg
For most people this level is fine. However, current UK guidelines suggest that this level is too high for certain groups of people.
Treatment to lower your blood pressure if it is 130/80 mmHg or higher may be considered if you:
- Have developed a complication of diabetes, especially kidney problems.
- Have had a serious cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, TIA or stroke.
- Have certain chronic (ongoing) kidney diseases.
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Amanda, about 1 year
You can get a free fact sheet - "How to measure blood pressure" from this <a href="http://www.blood-pressure-monitoring.org">Blood Pressure</a> resource - http://www.blood-pressure-monitoring.org along with information about choosing an accurate <a href="http://www.blood-pressure-monitoring.org/blood-pressure-monitors.htm">blood pressure monitors</a>
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