I know this topic was just addressed, but the circumstances are different. I am a 20 year old female. In the past two years, I have lost 90 lbs. and currently fluctuate between 130-140 at 5'4". I exercise regularly and my diet is moderate. I do smoke a lot, and I do drink caffeine on a daily basis. I drink, on average, maybe once or twice a month. I experience migraines and recently my vision began blurring, although this may be due to my previous job working with computers. I also have dizzy spells maybe once every two weeks.
Now that medical history is out of the way, I've been monitoring my blood pressure over the past year. The highest it has been was 109/67, which was actually after invasive surgery.
Today I took it and the average reading was 83/54 with a pulse of 70. It's been this way for a while now. Should I be worried?
Sunday, January 25, 2009
What is Blood Pressure?
It is the pressure blood exerts against the walls of the arteries. The extent of pressure depends upon the strength and the rate of the heart’s contraction, the volume of blood in the circulatory system and the elasticity of the arteries. Two measurements are taken, the highest and lowest values for pressure which correspond to the two main stages in the pumping action of the heart.
A healthy (normal) blood pressure reading varies with age, activity, altitude and from person to person. Bearing in mind these qualifications, values between 100/60 and 140/90 are generally considered normal. A single blood pressure reading, unless very high or very low, should not be considered abnormal. An average of several readings taken on different days is generally used.
Hypertension or high blood pressure, is a condition in which a person’s blood pressure is persistently above normal. Although blood pressure varies from person to person and from time to time, 140/90 or above is considered abnormal when measured while the person is at rest. Normal blood pressure is about 120/80.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is itself a major disorder that requires treatment. Untreated, this sustained rise in blood pressure can damage the heart, blood vessels and kidneys. Other serious disorders that cause blood pressure to rise well above the normal level include congestive heart failure and head injuries.
Hypotension or low blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood pressure is reduced or below normal. Hypotension is considered by many patients to be a disorder that can cause various symptoms, including depression, lethargy, and fatigue.
A healthy (normal) blood pressure reading varies with age, activity, altitude and from person to person. Bearing in mind these qualifications, values between 100/60 and 140/90 are generally considered normal. A single blood pressure reading, unless very high or very low, should not be considered abnormal. An average of several readings taken on different days is generally used.
Hypertension or high blood pressure, is a condition in which a person’s blood pressure is persistently above normal. Although blood pressure varies from person to person and from time to time, 140/90 or above is considered abnormal when measured while the person is at rest. Normal blood pressure is about 120/80.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is itself a major disorder that requires treatment. Untreated, this sustained rise in blood pressure can damage the heart, blood vessels and kidneys. Other serious disorders that cause blood pressure to rise well above the normal level include congestive heart failure and head injuries.
Hypotension or low blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood pressure is reduced or below normal. Hypotension is considered by many patients to be a disorder that can cause various symptoms, including depression, lethargy, and fatigue.
High Blood Pressure Climbs In Winter
Falling temperatures in winter may cause an unhealthy rise in high blood pressure in elderly people, according to a new study linking cooler temperatures with higher blood pressure .
Seasonal variations in blood pressure have been noted for years, but few studies have looked at these temperature-related effects in one of the most at-risk populations: the elderly.
Now a large study from France has shown that blood pressure in elderly people varies significantly with the seasons, with rates of high blood pressure readings rising from 23.8% in summer to 33.4% in winter. Blood pressure increases were seen in both the systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) numbers.
"Elderly persons may be particularly susceptible to temperature-related variations in blood pressure," researcher Annick Alperovitch, MD, of the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale, in Paris, and colleagues write in the Archives of Internal Medicine. "Mechanisms that could explain the association between blood pressure and temperature remain undetermined."
Researchers say possible explanations of the cold weather effect include activation of the sympathetic nervous system (which helps control how the body responds to stress) and release of the hormone catecholamine, which may increase blood pressure by speeding the heart rate and decreasing the responsiveness of blood vessels.
Seasonal Variation In High Blood Pressure
In the study, researchers analyzed seasonal variation in blood pressure among 8,801 adults over the age of 65 in France over two years.
The results showed both systolic and diastolic blood pressures varied with the weather.
Overall, the average systolic blood pressure was 5 points higher in winter than in summer. But researchers say the temperature-related effects on high blood pressure were greatest among those 80 and older.
"Although our study does not demonstrate a causal link between blood pressure and external temperature, the observed relationship nevertheless has potentially important consequences for blood pressure management in the elderly," the authors write.
Researchers say the findings may help may explain the well-known seasonal variations in illness and death from stroke, blood vessel rupture, or aneurysm.
"Because the risk of stroke or aneurysmal rupture is highest in the elderly, improved protection against these diseases by close monitoring of blood pressure and antihypertensive medication when outdoor temperature is very low could be considered," they write.
Seasonal variations in blood pressure have been noted for years, but few studies have looked at these temperature-related effects in one of the most at-risk populations: the elderly.
Now a large study from France has shown that blood pressure in elderly people varies significantly with the seasons, with rates of high blood pressure readings rising from 23.8% in summer to 33.4% in winter. Blood pressure increases were seen in both the systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) numbers.
"Elderly persons may be particularly susceptible to temperature-related variations in blood pressure," researcher Annick Alperovitch, MD, of the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale, in Paris, and colleagues write in the Archives of Internal Medicine. "Mechanisms that could explain the association between blood pressure and temperature remain undetermined."
Researchers say possible explanations of the cold weather effect include activation of the sympathetic nervous system (which helps control how the body responds to stress) and release of the hormone catecholamine, which may increase blood pressure by speeding the heart rate and decreasing the responsiveness of blood vessels.
Seasonal Variation In High Blood Pressure
In the study, researchers analyzed seasonal variation in blood pressure among 8,801 adults over the age of 65 in France over two years.
The results showed both systolic and diastolic blood pressures varied with the weather.
Overall, the average systolic blood pressure was 5 points higher in winter than in summer. But researchers say the temperature-related effects on high blood pressure were greatest among those 80 and older.
"Although our study does not demonstrate a causal link between blood pressure and external temperature, the observed relationship nevertheless has potentially important consequences for blood pressure management in the elderly," the authors write.
Researchers say the findings may help may explain the well-known seasonal variations in illness and death from stroke, blood vessel rupture, or aneurysm.
"Because the risk of stroke or aneurysmal rupture is highest in the elderly, improved protection against these diseases by close monitoring of blood pressure and antihypertensive medication when outdoor temperature is very low could be considered," they write.
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