High blood pressure essay example

Blood pressure (BP) is defined as the amount of pressure exerted, when heart contract against the resistance on the arterial walls of the blood vessels. In a clinical term high BP is known as hypertension. Hypertension is defined as sustained diastolic BP greater than 90 mmHg or sustained systolic BP greater than 140 mmHg.

Very high blood pressure can lead to rupture of an artery and internal bleeding. Blood pressure is measured by using an instrument called sphygmomanometer. Two readings of blood pressure are taken: systolic pressure (when the heart is contracting and pumping out blood), and diastolic pressure (when the heart relaxes and fills with blood).

People with high blood pressure, in most cases, are unaware they have it unless they have their blood pressure measured. This condition in the unaware person may be slowly causing serious damage and putting them at risk of sudden death from stroke or heart disease. for You!

For example, a young person may have blood pressure of 110/75 but at the age of 60 years it could be 145/90. High blood pressure is called hypertension. High blood pressure is caused by the constriction (narrowing) of very small arteries (called arterioles) which results in increased resistance to blood flow.