High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure refers to the physical pressure of blood inside your blood vessels. You can think of it like the air pressure in a car tyre.

Blood pressure readings commonly use two numbers, such as 120/80. The units are called millimetres of mercury (mmHg).

There are two numbers because your blood pressure changes according to the heartbeat. The larger number refers to the pressure as the heart beats and pushes blood around the arteries, known as systolic pressure. The smaller number refers to the pressure when the heart is relaxed, known as diastolic pressure.

There are many variations in blood pressure in the average human. It tends to be higher in the daytime than at night and higher in winter than summer. Blood pressure generally rises with age.

It also rises relative to our weight, so heavier people tend to have higher blood pressure. To lower your blood pressure, it's a good idea to lose weight.

High blood pressure places more strain on the heart, which has to do more work to pump sufficient blood around the body. The heart is forced to contract harder, leading to damaged blood vessels and organs, heart attacks and strokes.

Some people are more susceptible to high blood pressure, or hypertension, than others. Doctors say that to qualify as high blood pressure, the reading must be more than 140/90. This can change depending on individual circumstances. For example diabetics are considered to have hypertension when their blood pressure is greater than 130/80.

If your blood pressure is repeatedly higher than 160/110, you will likely be given prescription medication. Repeated readings of over 200/120 are potentially dangerous. If you are having problems with your vision or heart failure then you will be given emergency medical treatment.

In Australia around 10% of the population has hypertension. This percentage rises to 40-50% among people of at least 70 years of age.

One Australian study showed that one in three men and one in four women over the age of 25 had high blood pressure or were taking hypertension medication.

In 2011-12, 4.6 million (32%) Australians aged 18 and over had high blood pressure. More than two-thirds of these people (68%) had uncontrolled high blood pressure, which means that they were not taking medication. This is equivalent to 3.1 million Australians who were not receiving treatment for a potentially dangerous condition.

The data from 2011-12 shows that men were more likely to have uncontrolled high blood pressure than women (23.6% compared to 19.5% respectively). The proportion of Australians who had uncontrolled high blood pressure increased with age.

Geographically speaking the data makes for interesting reading. The proportion of people with uncontrolled high blood pressure was highest in Tasmania (30%) and lowest in Northern Territory (16%).

In 2011 it was found that the proportion of people with high blood pressure was higher among low-income households than high-income households. 37.7% of those with a household income of less than $55,000 had high blood pressure, compared to 27.2% of those with a household income of more than $120,000.

High blood pressure is an important health concern because it raises the risk of serious cardiovascular disease. This includes heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, stroke, and blindness.

While high blood pressure is more common in older people, the obese, and those with a family history of the condition, it can affect anyone at any age. No one is immune from hypertension.

In general, it is not possible to know whether you have hypertension until you have your blood pressure measured. Very high blood pressure can cause headaches and nosebleeds, but there are many other explanations for these complaints. Other rare symptoms include blurred vision, shortness of breath and female sexual dysfunction.

In fact, high blood pressure is sometimes called the "silent killer" because there are no obvious symptoms. The only way to know your blood pressure is safe is to visit your doctor for a test.

It is recommended that anyone with no risk factors for cardiovascular disease should have their blood pressure checked every two years. Those who have high blood pressure or risk factors should be checked more frequently. Ask your doctor for specific advice.

Most people with high blood pressure will never find out a precise explanation why. These cases are referred to as "essential" hypertension. Such cases are likely caused by genetic and lifestyle factors that combine to cause high blood pressure. High blood pressure can run in families due to genetics and shared environmental factors.

In less than 5% of cases, doctors are able to pinpoint a specific cause of hypertension. This may include kidney disease, hormonal imbalances, tumours, and narrow blood vessels.

Hypertension can also be brought on by a fatty, salty diet, a lack of exercise, stress, obesity, high alcohol intake, and smoking. Other causes include conditions that affect the tissues of the body, such as lupus, medications such as ibuprofen, and hormonal conditions such as Cushing's syndrome.

In order to diagnose high blood pressure you will need to have your blood pressure measured. Doctors will usually do this using an asphygmomanometer. You will be asked to wrap an inflatable pressure cuff around your upper arm and wait for a short time while the machine measures your blood pressure.

If your initial reading comes back high, you may be asked to do several more tests on other occasions. This is because your blood pressure varies naturally, so several tests will allow your doctor to get a more accurate idea of whether your blood pressure is high.

Doctors will always aim to reduce high blood pressure where possible in order to reduce the risk of complications. At first, they will recommend weight loss, reduced salt consumption, reduced alcohol intake, and exercise. If there is no effect after trying these measures you may be prescribed medication.

Over the years various natural remedies have been used to lower blood pressure, but there is no scientific evidence to prove that they have any effect. Some people try basil, cinnamon, cardamom, and garlic to lower blood pressure in the short term.

Another option is alternative therapies such as acupuncture, meditation, muscle relaxation and stress management. Studies show that these methods are effective in some people, albeit on a small scale. There is no evidence that they effectively lower your blood pressure over an extended period of time.

The next option is prescription medicine. There are a number of medications that doctors may prescribe to help you lower your blood pressure, but all of them work to relax and widen the blood vessels so that blood can flow easier.

Common blood pressure medications include:

• ACE inhibitors
• Angiotensin-2 receptor blockers (ARBs)
• Calcium channel blockers
• Diuretics
• Beta-blockers
• Alpha-blockers
• Renin inhibitors

It is incredibly important to live a healthy lifestyle and follow a balanced diet. This will help you to maintain a healthy weight, which is one of the most important factors in managing blood pressure.

A lower weight means lower blood pressure, less diabetes, less stress on joints and muscles, and less stress on the heart.

Diet is incredibly important, and medical professionals have come up with a set of guidelines for people trying to lower their blood pressure. It is as follows:

• Fruit, vegetable, and low-fat dairy products
• Less saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans-fats
• Wholegrain foods, fish, poultry, and nuts
• Less salt, sugar, and red meat

You should also try to increase your potassium intake. However, this does not apply to some people, such as those who have kidney problems or take certain medication. Bananas are a good source of potassium.

Other suggestions include cutting down on caffeine, reducing alcohol intake, and getting at least six hours of sleep per night.

Exercise is another important factor. You should get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week. This may include a brisk walk or swimming.

If you take part in a high-intensity physical activity, such as team sports or running, you don't need to exercise for as many hours per week.