Because the limits for what counts as high blood pressure have changed, you might suddenly have it even if you’ve never had it before.
Having high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, does not typically cause any apparent symptoms; but, if it is not managed, it can raise a person’s chance of having a heart attack, heart failure, renal illness, stroke, or dementia. This is due to the fact that having a higher blood pressure places additional pressure on the heart and blood vessels.
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The guidelines for monitoring blood pressure are not regularly brought up to date. The American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and nine other health groups altered the numbers for the first time in 14 years in 2018. This was done so that people with high blood pressure could deal with their problems much earlier.
In order to accomplish this goal, the phrase “pre-hypertension” has been eliminated, and the cutoff point for making a diagnosis of hypertension has been reduced from 140/90 to 130/80 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg). The other modification that has been made is that the new recommendations do not differentiate between individuals who are larger or smaller than the age of 65. According to these findings, more than 75 per cent of males aged 55 and older now have high blood pressure.
We have discussed the significance of monitoring your blood pressure at home quite a few times in our articles. We agree with the new guidelines, which say that people should use home blood pressure trackers to take regular readings of their own blood pressure.
It is estimated that one in three people have high blood pressure, yet of those who do, approximately one in three are unaware that they have a problem. Having your blood pressure measured on a regular basis is the only way to determine whether or not there is a problem. This becomes even more crucial as you get older because the effects of leading an unhealthy lifestyle tend to build up over time, which can lead to an increase in your blood pressure.
On the market today are a variety of digital devices that are simple to operate. People think that upper-arm blood pressure monitors are more accurate than wrist monitors. This is why both the American and British Hypertension Societies encourage people to use upper-arm monitors.
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Smart blood pressure monitors provide the advantage of storing all of the readings and preserving a historical account in a convenient app. This makes it possible to immediately observe any patterns or trends, which can assist you in making adjustments to your lifestyle in a more expedient manner. You can also easily talk to a doctor about the results of the test by clicking a button. This will give you a more complete picture of your health as a whole.
These new rules were implemented in part with the intention of raising awareness of hypertension. The ability to frequently measure, and more crucially, monitor blood pressure over time is a proven way to help you manage your heart health. While self-checking is not a replacement for consulting a doctor, it is an established way to help you manage your blood pressure.
