PixelParrot
Well-known member
High Blood Pressure: What You Need to Know to Improve Yours and Live a Longer, Healthier Life
For many of us, as we get older and become more health-conscious, our lives seem to be reduced to numbers - how many more years can we expect; our body mass index; our percentage of visceral fat; the density of our bones; how quickly we can run; how often we exercise; our levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol; our resting heart rate; our overnight blood oxygen level; how many steps we take in a day; how many hours we sleep; how fast we are shrinking; how often we get up to pee. For me, that includes my vascular age as calculated by my smart scales.
Blood pressure (BP) is one of those numbers that definitely belongs in the "you should give a toss" column. If this gets too high for too long, it can weaken and narrow your arteries and other blood vessels, damage your internal organs, and encourage blockages, bulging, bleeding, and bursts. The consequences are dire: heart attack or heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, vision problems, or dementia.
Low blood pressure is no joke either, as it can cause dizziness and fainting, making it more likely that you'll realize something's wrong.
At 62 years old, I've had high blood pressure since my early 50s - probably much longer given that alcohol, stress, and excess weight are risk factors. So, I take medicine every day: one little capsule of ramipril, originally 5mg and now 2.5mg.
Hypertension is responsible for more than 10 million deaths a year, with almost 1.4 billion adults worldwide affected. Globally, over 600 million people are not getting treatment, either because they don't know they need it or don't want to. It's often described as a silent killer, but in developed countries, you're unlikely to struggle to get your blood pressure tested.
Testing takes about 10 minutes if done properly (which it often isn't). You'll get your results immediately, which is usually enough to tell you everything's broadly OK - although sometimes not much explanation comes with them. Doctors and practice nurses have tried to explain this stuff in the past, but patients' eyes glaze over.
Blood pressure is always expressed as two numbers: systolic pressure (the force exerted within your arteries when your heart contracts) and diastolic pressure (the pressure recorded while your heart relaxes). Systolic is higher than diastolic, listed first; you'll see these separated by a slash in writing or "over" in speech.
You might know that blood pressure was first measured over 300 years ago - on horses. Reverend Stephen Hales stuck glass tubes into the animals' arteries with enlightening but fatal results. It wasn't until 1856 that a French surgeon, Jean Faivre, first measured blood pressure in a human during an amputation.
There's some fuzziness about what constitutes ideal blood pressure, but in the UK, it's defined as between 90/60 and 120/80. "Slightly raised" BP ranges from 121/81 to 134/84, while "high" starts at 135/85.
The NHS offers medication or a serious talk about lifestyle if you reach these levels. Doctors mostly focus on systolic pressure, but high diastolic pressure can also damage your heart and blood vessels. To be considered normal, for example, your systolic must be 120 or less, while your diastolic must be 80 or less.
If it hits 180/120, you're in hypertensive crisis territory - severe hypertension. At this level, you should get straight on the phone to your GP if symptoms like chest pain or breathlessness occur.
Hypertension starts at 140/90 in a medical setting, due to what's called the "white coat effect" - readings are often higher because they're taken in a stressful context or rushed. Ideally, you should have been sitting peacefully for five minutes before your blood pressure is taken.
Is it really worth measuring? My blood pressure mostly hovers just over or under 120/80 level, but after taking an extremely thorough "body scan" with Neko Health, which includes having my moles checked and four pressure cuffs fitted (one on each arm and leg), I had an average blood pressure of 125/72 - slightly elevated.
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to lowering your BP. Lifestyle changes can definitely help, starting with quitting smoking or drinking if you do either, losing weight if that's not already the case, getting plenty of exercise (aerobic and resistance-based), and reducing salt intake.
Research has shown that isometric exercises like planks can lower blood pressure, but a new project called Isofitter is using wall squats - where you simply stand with your back to a wall and sink down until your hips and knees are bent. This was previously found to be more effective than other types of exercise at lowering BP.
While there's no magic bullet for managing high blood pressure, being aware of the risks and taking proactive steps can make all the difference in maintaining good health and living a longer, healthier life.
For many of us, as we get older and become more health-conscious, our lives seem to be reduced to numbers - how many more years can we expect; our body mass index; our percentage of visceral fat; the density of our bones; how quickly we can run; how often we exercise; our levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol; our resting heart rate; our overnight blood oxygen level; how many steps we take in a day; how many hours we sleep; how fast we are shrinking; how often we get up to pee. For me, that includes my vascular age as calculated by my smart scales.
Blood pressure (BP) is one of those numbers that definitely belongs in the "you should give a toss" column. If this gets too high for too long, it can weaken and narrow your arteries and other blood vessels, damage your internal organs, and encourage blockages, bulging, bleeding, and bursts. The consequences are dire: heart attack or heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, vision problems, or dementia.
Low blood pressure is no joke either, as it can cause dizziness and fainting, making it more likely that you'll realize something's wrong.
At 62 years old, I've had high blood pressure since my early 50s - probably much longer given that alcohol, stress, and excess weight are risk factors. So, I take medicine every day: one little capsule of ramipril, originally 5mg and now 2.5mg.
Hypertension is responsible for more than 10 million deaths a year, with almost 1.4 billion adults worldwide affected. Globally, over 600 million people are not getting treatment, either because they don't know they need it or don't want to. It's often described as a silent killer, but in developed countries, you're unlikely to struggle to get your blood pressure tested.
Testing takes about 10 minutes if done properly (which it often isn't). You'll get your results immediately, which is usually enough to tell you everything's broadly OK - although sometimes not much explanation comes with them. Doctors and practice nurses have tried to explain this stuff in the past, but patients' eyes glaze over.
Blood pressure is always expressed as two numbers: systolic pressure (the force exerted within your arteries when your heart contracts) and diastolic pressure (the pressure recorded while your heart relaxes). Systolic is higher than diastolic, listed first; you'll see these separated by a slash in writing or "over" in speech.
You might know that blood pressure was first measured over 300 years ago - on horses. Reverend Stephen Hales stuck glass tubes into the animals' arteries with enlightening but fatal results. It wasn't until 1856 that a French surgeon, Jean Faivre, first measured blood pressure in a human during an amputation.
There's some fuzziness about what constitutes ideal blood pressure, but in the UK, it's defined as between 90/60 and 120/80. "Slightly raised" BP ranges from 121/81 to 134/84, while "high" starts at 135/85.
The NHS offers medication or a serious talk about lifestyle if you reach these levels. Doctors mostly focus on systolic pressure, but high diastolic pressure can also damage your heart and blood vessels. To be considered normal, for example, your systolic must be 120 or less, while your diastolic must be 80 or less.
If it hits 180/120, you're in hypertensive crisis territory - severe hypertension. At this level, you should get straight on the phone to your GP if symptoms like chest pain or breathlessness occur.
Hypertension starts at 140/90 in a medical setting, due to what's called the "white coat effect" - readings are often higher because they're taken in a stressful context or rushed. Ideally, you should have been sitting peacefully for five minutes before your blood pressure is taken.
Is it really worth measuring? My blood pressure mostly hovers just over or under 120/80 level, but after taking an extremely thorough "body scan" with Neko Health, which includes having my moles checked and four pressure cuffs fitted (one on each arm and leg), I had an average blood pressure of 125/72 - slightly elevated.
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to lowering your BP. Lifestyle changes can definitely help, starting with quitting smoking or drinking if you do either, losing weight if that's not already the case, getting plenty of exercise (aerobic and resistance-based), and reducing salt intake.
Research has shown that isometric exercises like planks can lower blood pressure, but a new project called Isofitter is using wall squats - where you simply stand with your back to a wall and sink down until your hips and knees are bent. This was previously found to be more effective than other types of exercise at lowering BP.
While there's no magic bullet for managing high blood pressure, being aware of the risks and taking proactive steps can make all the difference in maintaining good health and living a longer, healthier life.
Blood pressure isn't just about numbers, it's about living with intention 
. Think about it, when was the last time you took care of your internal organs? 
Your arteries, heart, kidneys - they're all connected to how well you live 
. It's not just about the scale, it's about feeling the weight of your own body 
. We should be more mindful of our health, rather than just focusing on numbers 
. Remember, every small step counts, whether it's quitting smoking or exercising regularly 
. Don't wait until you hit 180/120 - take care of yourself now 
!
I totally agree with you about getting your blood pressure checked! It's like, so important to know what's going on inside our bodies, right? 
Have you tried them? 
and I've been tracking my blood oxygen levels with my smart scale since it came out. I have to say, it's crazy how much data we're expected to analyze to take care of our bodies 
. I mean, who needs all those numbers? Let's just focus on moving more, eating better, and getting enough sleep 
. And yeah, it's good that there are resources available for people with high blood pressure, but can't we just prioritize prevention over treatment? We should be focusing on maintaining healthy habits rather than relying on medication or invasive procedures 
.
... like literally. 10 million deaths a year from it? That's wild! And what's with these numbers, like systolic and diastolic, it sounds like some kinda secret code 
. I mean, who needs to know that much about their blood vessels? It just feels like the medical industry is trying to control us, ya know? 
And what's up with the "white coat effect" thing? Sounds like they're saying we're all gonna get messed up test results just 'cause our doctor's office is stressful 
. But for real, quitting smoking, losing weight, and exercising are good tips... but what about the meds? Are those just ways to keep us hooked on the system? 
.
what's ur experience with bp? does anyone have any tips on how to lower ur numbers naturally? 
... 62 and still dealing with it since my 50s? That's crazy! We need to focus on lifestyle changes not just meds 
Exercise like squats (yes, wall squats!) can actually lower BP... but I'm not sure if my current Netflix binge is a good enough substitute for cardio 