Blood pressure is the force applied against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood through the body. The pressure is determined by the force of the heart, the amount of blood pumped and the size and resistance of the arteries. The force (blood pressure) may be higher when arteries are blocked by atherosclerosis, when blood is thicker (e.g. less water content or higher salt content) or when there are abnormal hormone levels.
What do blood pressure number indicate?
| Diastolic | Systolic | Pulse pressure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal range | 60-80 | 100-130 | 35-45 |
Blood pressure readings are given in two numbers. The top number is the maximum pressure your heart exerts while beating (systolic pressure), and the bottom number is the amount of pressure in your arteries between beats (diastolic pressure). The numeric difference between your systolic and diastolic blood pressure is called your pulse pressure. For example, if your resting blood pressure is 120/80 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg), your pulse pressure is 40 — which is considered a normal and healthy pulse pressure.
The pulse pressure may be abnormal even if the absolute blood pressure readings are within the ‘normal’ range.
- If the pulse pressure is below 40, it may indicate low heart power and/or very viscous blood (which is typical for diabetes patients)
- If the pulse pressure is above 40, it may indicate constricted arteries and atherosclerosis.
Possible signs and symptoms
Usually, no symptoms are present. Occasionally, there may be a mild headache. If, under high blood pressure, the headache is severe or symptoms below are experienced, please advise visiting the doctor immediately:。 Other symptoms include: fatigue, confusion, vision changes, crushing chest pain, heart failure, blood in urine, nosebleed, irregular heartbeat or buzzing in the ears.
Applied nutrition
Please refer to the section: applied nutrition for heart disease.