Blood pressure: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox diagnostic | {{Infobox diagnostic | ||
| name = Blood pressure | | name = Blood pressure | ||
| image = | | image = Blood pressure monitoring.jpg | ||
| alt = | | alt = | ||
| caption = A healthcare worker measuring blood pressure using [[sphygmomanometer]]. | | caption = A healthcare worker measuring blood pressure using [[sphygmomanometer]]. | ||
Revision as of 11:03, 18 December 2024
| Blood pressure | |
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| Pronunciation | |
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| Reference Range | |
| Calculator | |
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| ICD-10-PCS | |
| ICD-9-CM | |
| MeSH | D001795 |
| OPS-301 Code | |
| Other Codes | |
| MedlinePlus | 007490 |
| eMedicine | |
| LOINC | 35094-2 |
| HCPCS-L2 | |
Blood pressure is a measurement used in medicine. In the body, the arteries carry blood away from the heart. As blood travels through the arteries, it presses against the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure measures how hard the blood is pushing against the walls of the arteries.<ref name=aha>
Understanding Blood Pressure Readings(link). {{{website}}}. American Heart Association. 2014-08-04.
</ref>
Usually, "blood pressure" measures the pressure in larger arteries delivering blood to body parts other than the lungs, like the brachial artery in the arm. Blood pressure is usually measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
There are two numbers in a blood pressure. The first is the systolic pressure. It measures how hard the blood pushes against the walls of the arteries when the heart is in systole (beating and pushing out blood). This is when the pressure against the walls of the arteries is highest. The second number is the diastolic blood pressure. It measures how hard the blood pushes against the walls of the arteries when the heart is in diastole (resting between beats and not pushing out any blood). For example, in the picture on this page, the pressure on the walls of the arteries is 122 mmHg when the heart is beating, and 65 mmHg when the heart is resting. This blood pressure would be written as "122/65" and read as "122 over 65."
Mean arterial pressure is a person's average blood pressure. Pulse pressure is the difference between the systolic and diastolic pressures.<ref name=aha/>
To measure blood pressure, doctors use a device called a sphygmomanometer.
Normal Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is usually lower for children and gets higher as a person gets older.<ref name=aha/>
For healthy adult humans, the systolic blood pressure should be below 120, and the diastolic blood pressure should be below 80.<ref>Pesola GR, Pesola HR, et al. 2001,
The normal difference in bilateral indirect blood pressure recordings in normotensive individuals, American Journal of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 19(Issue: 1), pp. 43–5, DOI: 10.1053/ajem.2001.20021, PMID: 11146017, Full text,</ref> However, blood pressure can be very different for each person. Blood pressure also changes naturally during the day (in a circadian rhythm). It gets lower during sleep and gets higher when a person gets up. It is lower when a person is resting and higher during activity.<ref name=hbp>
What is High Blood Pressure?(link). {{{website}}}. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. 2012-08-02.
</ref> Many other things - like stress, disease, drugs, and what a person eats - can change blood pressure.<ref name=hbp/> Even the stress of having blood pressure taken can make it higher. This is called "white coat hypertension."<ref>
Home Blood Pressure Monitoring(link). {{{website}}}. American Heart Association.
</ref> Blood pressure is a key component of a person's overall health. Both high and low blood pressure can pose significant health risks.
High Blood Pressure
Main article: Hypertension
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a condition where the force of the blood against the walls of the arteries is consistently too high. Hypertension is a common condition and affects about one in every three adults in the United States<ref>
High Blood Pressure(link). {{{website}}}. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Accessed 2023-05-03.
</ref>. It is often referred to as the "silent killer" because it frequently presents no symptoms until it has caused significant damage to the heart and arteries<ref>
The Facts About High Blood Pressure(link). {{{website}}}. American Heart Association.
Accessed 2023-05-03.
</ref>.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to serious complications, including heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease<ref>,
Age-specific relevance of usual blood pressure to vascular mortality: a meta-analysis of individual data for one million adults in 61 prospective studies, Lancet, Vol. 360(Issue: 9349), pp. 1903–13, DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(02)11911-8, PMID: 12493255,</ref>. Regular monitoring and appropriate treatment can help control blood pressure and reduce the risk of these complications.
Low Blood Pressure
Main article: Hypotension
Hypotension, or low blood pressure, occurs when blood pressure is consistently lower than normal. This can lead to insufficient blood flow to the heart, brain, and other vital organs<ref>
Low Blood Pressure - Hypotension(link). {{{website}}}. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Accessed 2023-05-03.
</ref>. Symptoms of hypotension may include dizziness, fainting, and in severe cases, shock<ref>
Low blood pressure (hypotension)(link). {{{website}}}. Mayo Clinic.
Accessed 2023-05-03.
</ref>.
While low blood pressure might seem desirable, especially in light of the risks associated with high blood pressure, it can be dangerous if it drops too low. Extremely low blood pressure can deprive the body's organs of the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly.
