Keep your blood pressure in check
High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease. High blood pressure is when the blood pressure in your arteries is elevated and your heart has to work harder than normal to pump blood through the blood vessels. It is important that you have your blood pressure checked regularly by your healthcare provider.
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is a measure of the pressure or force of blood against the walls of your blood vessels (known as arteries). Your blood pressure reading is based on two measures called systolic and diastolic. The systolic (top) number is the measure of the pressure force when your heart contracts and pushes out the blood. The diastolic (bottom) number is the measure of when your heart relaxes between beats. The table below defines varying blood pressure categories: low risk, medium risk, high risk. See your doctor or healthcare provider to get a proper blood pressure measurement.
Blood Pressure Categories Category:
Systolic/Diastolic (top number/bottom number)
Low risk: 120 / 80
Medium risk: 121-139 / 80 – 89
High risk: 140+ / 90
There are some exceptions to these categories.
If you have diabetes, the high-risk category for your blood pressure is slightly lower. Your blood pressure should be less than 130 / 80. Consult a healthcare provider if your blood pressure level is higher than 130 / 80 on more than one occasion.
Generally speaking, systolic blood pressure should be less than 150 for people over 80 years of age. But your healthcare provider will consider your overall health and medical conditions before deciding on the right blood pressure level for you.
What is low blood pressure?
Low blood pressure is when the pressure in your arteries drops and your heart is pumping your blood at a slower rate than normal through your blood vessels. Blood pressure levels below 120 / 80 may be considered normal unless you feel light-headed or dizzy. Your healthcare provider can help you determine if you have low blood pressure.
How do I check my blood pressure?
Make an appointment with your doctor or other healthcare providers to check your blood pressure. It is recommended that you get your blood pressure checked at least once every year by a healthcare provider. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure (or other related conditions), your doctor may recommend that you get it checked more often. Be sure to ask your doctor how often you should have your blood pressure checked.
What should I do if I have a high blood pressure reading?
If you have one high reading, you should have it checked at least two more times on separate days to determine if it is consistently high.
Keep a record of your blood pressure readings on a blood pressure tracking card or let the Blood Pressure Action Plan help you to track your blood pressure.. This record will help determine whether your blood pressure is within a healthy range.
What can I do to control my blood pressure?
High blood pressure can be caused by many factors. You can’t control some factors, such as age, ethnicity and gender. Other factors, such as diet, exercise and smoking can be addressed through lifestyle changes to reduce your risk for high blood pressure.
Have your blood pressure checked regularly as recommended by your healthcare provider.
If your doctor has prescribed medication for hypertension, take it as directed.
Reduce the amount of sodium you eat. High sources of sodium are found in many types of convenience and snack foods and smoked, salted, cured or canned meats and fish. Also, try to limit your use of salt in cooking and at the table. The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends that Canadians eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium (about 1 tsp / 5 mL of salt) a day total from processed foods and salt added during food preparation and at the table.
Eat a healthy, balanced, diet that
is lower in salt and fat (especially saturated and trans fats).
Be physically active for at least 150 minutes per week doing moderate- to vigorousintensity aerobic physical activity, in bouts of 10 minutes or more. Speak to your healthcare provider before starting a physical activity program.
Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. If you are overweight, losing even 5% to 10% of your weight can help to reduce your blood pressure as well as dramatically decrease your chances of having a stroke or heart attack.
Be smoke-free. If you smoke, speak to your doctor or healthcare provider about quitting. If you don’t smoke, minimize exposure to secondhand smoke.
If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to no more than 2 drinks a day, to a weekly maximum of 10 for women and 3 drinks a day to a weekly maximum of 15 for men.
Find healthy ways to manage your stress. Too much stress may increase your blood pressure. Research suggests that the way in which you manage your stress is very important. Avoid unhealthy stress coping mechanisms such as smoking, alcohol use, poor food choices, not being active, watching too much television and find relief instead with physical activity, socializing, laughter and healthy eating. Remember to take time out for yourself.
Measuring your blood pressure at home
Home monitoring can assist your doctor in diagnosing your blood pressure correctly. It is possible for your blood pressure to rise when you visit the doctor’s office because you may be anxious. However, your blood pressure can return to normal as you go about your daily activities. By getting your blood pressure measured often can help you determine if your blood pressure is in fact high. Alternatively, you may experience normal blood pressure when it is measured in the doctor’s office, but have high blood pressure in other situations. This is known as masked hypertension. If you are at increased risk of heart disease or stroke (e.g. if you have diabetes), it is important to find out if you have masked hypertension. If this is the case, your doctor may ask you to monitor your blood pressure at home.
It is important to make sure that your home monitor is taking correct measurements so your healthcare provider can get an accurate understanding of your blood pressure.
How to measure your blood pressure accurately Accurate readings also depend on how you prepare to take your blood pressure. Follow these steps to get the most accurate reading:
Do not smoke or drink caffeine (coffee, tea, cola and some sports drinks) for 30 minutes beforehand. Do not measure your blood pressure when you are upset or in pain.
Empty your bladder or bowel, if necessary.
Sit quietly with your feet flat on the floor and back resting against the back of a chair or a firm surface for at least 5 minutes before measuring and during measurement.
Use the same arm each time. Rem
ove bulky or tight clothing from your arm completely.
Wrap the cuff snugly around your bare upper arm (2 fingers should fit between the blood pressure cuff and your arm). The edge of the cuff must be 3cm above your elbow.
Place your arm on a table or a firm surface. The cuff must be at the level of your heart.
Do not talk or watch TV during the test.
Take one reading and record your blood pressure.
Bring a record of your readings to your next appointment with your healthcare provider.
Note: The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only. Source of information: Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada © 2017 | www.heartandstroke.ca