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Blood Pressure

By: Linda Brown There is not one magic number which represents normal blood pressure. Very often doctors and other experts cannot even come to a consensus on an ideal blood pressure range for an adult. However it is normall accepted that somewhere between 110/70 and 125/80 is considered to be an average blood pressure reading for an adult. Though someone with naturally-occuring low blood pressure may be more in the range of 100/60. A blood pressure reading of 140/90 is considered high. Though as a person ages, this falls into the more normal range for people.

Blood does not circulate in an even stream throughout the body. Instead, it moves about in a repeated series of spurts. Therefore, the result is that pressure peaks in the blood vessels just following a heart beat and then ebbs while waiting for the next one. This process occurs continually.

The two blood pressure numbers indicate the pressures when the forces are at their peak and at their lowest ebb. The more vigorous the arteries are, the more they resist the blood's force and, therefore, the lower the blood pressure reading. As a person ages it is normal to suffer a weakening in the elasticity of the arteries. Therefore, the figures tend to rise. However, the lower reading number should still not exceed 90 until that person is at least sixty years of age.

Many studies looking at blood pressure in both caucasian and black people have found there is a higher prevalence of hypertension (High blood pressure) in black people. This has resulted in further research to determine whether this is a result of racial differences or simply related to dietary and socioeconomic factors.

Some people afflicted with high blood pressure may find it impossible to determine a the cause. They may be fit with a very healthy lifestyle yet their blood pressure continues to be inexplicably high. The name for this is Primary or essential high blood pressure. However, if elevated blood pressure is a result of an underlying medical condition, the name for that is Secondary High Blood Pressure.

Nearly twenty-five percent of people in the Western world have high blood pressure. Many people don’t appreciate the danger of a condition that, if left untreated, can lead to a kidney failure, heart attack, or stroke. In fact, there are great numbers of people unaware of their high blood pressure and are walking around as if with a lethal time bomb counting down the time inside of them.