If you liked this article, click "Follow" on the top right. Thank you for your support and encouragement, I hope to bring you a comfortable reading experience.
Blood pressure refers to the pressure exerted on the walls of arteries as blood flows through them. Blood pressure is represented by two numbers, systolic and diastolic.
Systolic blood pressure refers to the highest pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts, and diastolic blood pressure refers to the lowest pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxed.
Generally, we use millimeters of mercury (mmHg) to represent units of blood pressure. For example, 120/80 mmHg represents a systolic blood pressure of 120 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure of 80 mmHg.
1. What is high blood pressure?
Hypertension is a sustained increase in blood pressure in the arteries beyond the normal range.
High blood pressure can increase the burden on vital organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys, leading to serious complications such as arteriosclerosis, aneurysm, myocardial infarction, stroke, and renal failure.
Therefore, timely detection and control of blood pressure is essential for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
2. What are the new diagnostic criteria for hypertension?
The latest standards issued by mainland China have lowered the diagnostic criteria for hypertension in adults from 140/90 mmHg to 130/80 mmHg.
This means that if your systolic blood pressure is between 130~139 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure is between 80~89 mmHg, then you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure.
This standard is basically consistent with the guidelines of the United States, Europe and other countries and regions, and is also in line with the epidemiological characteristics and evidence-based medical evidence of mainland populations.
The implementation of the new standard means that the number of patients with hypertension in mainland China will increase significantly, and many people who were originally considered normal or normal high values will be included in the category of hypertension.
This is of positive significance for raising people's awareness of the dangers of hypertension and promoting early intervention and prevention.
At the same time, the new standard also proposes more stringent and individualized antihypertensive goals and treatment regimens, aiming to reduce the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.
If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, do not panic or ignore it, but actively cooperate with the doctor to evaluate and treat.
Depending on cardiovascular risk stratification and comorbidities, doctors prescribe appropriate antihypertensive drugs and dosages.
At the same time, guide you to lifestyle improvements, including weight loss, smoking cessation, alcohol restriction, low-salt diet, increased exercise, etc.
You should also regularly monitor your blood pressure, give feedback to the doctor in time, and adjust the treatment plan.
Third, the harm of hypertension
High blood pressure is when the pressure in the blood in the arteries exceeds the normal range and does not descend. The harm of high blood pressure mainly has the following aspects.
High blood pressure damages the walls of arteries, leading to hardening, narrowing or rupture of the arteries, increasing the burden and damage to vital organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys.
This leads to serious complications such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and renal failure.
High blood pressure affects the blood supply to the eye, causing damage to the retina, choroid, or optic nerve, leading to blurred vision, blindness or other visual impairments.
High blood pressure can sometimes rise suddenly to extremely high levels, leading to hypertensive emergencies, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.
High blood pressure is a chronic condition that cannot be ignored and requires prompt detection and treatment to reduce the risk of developing life-threatening complications.
Ways to control high blood pressure include lifestyle improvements and taking blood pressure medications. Specific treatment options should be tailored to the individual's circumstances and the guidance of the physician.
Lifestyle changes include weight loss, salt and fat intake, increased calcium and potassium intake, increased exercise, smoking cessation, alcohol restriction, stress reduction, etc.
These measures can lower blood pressure, prevent complications, and improve cardiovascular health.
Taking blood pressure medications, choosing the right medication or combination of medications based on an individual's blood pressure level, cardiovascular risk, and other health conditions.
Follow your doctor's advice when taking medication, monitor your blood pressure regularly, adjust your dose or change your medication in time to avoid side effects or drug interactions.
Other auxiliary treatments, such as head massage, foot massage, tea therapy, acupuncture, meditation, yoga, etc., can relieve the symptoms of high blood pressure, relax the body and mind, and strengthen immunity.
However, these methods are not a substitute for drug treatment, they can only be used as a supplement.
summary
The new diagnostic criteria for hypertension are to better protect our cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health, so that we can detect and treat hypertension in time and avoid unnecessary complications and harms.
I hope that everyone can pay attention to their blood pressure and actively take effective measures to reduce the risk of hypertension and enjoy a healthy life.
If you have any questions or suggestions about this article, welcome to leave a message in the comment area, I will reply to you as soon as possible.