High Blood Pressure Range- What is Normal Blood Pressure Range and Which Blood Pressure Readings are Considered High?

Before understanding what is a normal blood pressure range and what is considered high blood pressure reading, let us first understand how blood pressure is measured.

As we know Blood pressure is the force of blood that pushes against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps out blood. In order for our body to function normally for as long as we live (We are supposed to live 140 Years), the blood has to push at certain pressure against the walls of the arteries so that there I no damage caused.

Depending on the physical activates we do our blood pressure fluctuates to meet the demand of the activity. Physical activities like running increases blood pressure as our heart has to function harder to meet the higher blood requirements of the running activity. A healthy heart can function well to meet the specific requirements of physical activities.
It is normal for the blood pressure to rise during a strenuous physical activity.

However, if the blood pressure constantly remains high that means the heart is constantly functioning harder. This not only affects the heart but affects the arteries also. This is dangerous because over a period of time the damaged or ruptured arteries may reduce or stop blood supply to vita organs like brain, kidney and eyes.

So what is normal blood pressure and when do we measure it?

As a benchmark we take blood pressure reading during resting position. Take 5-10 minutes of rest and take the blood pressure reading.

We take two readings to define blood pressure. Every heart beat is a rhythmic cycle of heart pumping blood and coming back to rest. The reading taken when it pumps blood is called systolic and the reading taken when it comes to rest is diastolic. As we can realize that the systolic reading will always be higher than the diastolic reading.

A systolic pressure reading below 120 mmHG (millimeter of Mercury) and diastolic below 80 mmHG is considered normal. Other interpretations are as under

Systolic mmHG Diastolic mmHG

Pre-Hypertension                    120-139        or     80-89
High Blood Pressure Stage 1    140-159        or     90-99
High Blood Pressure Stage 2        160+            or     100+

These ranges are for average adult above the age of 18 years.

You are considered to have High blood Pressure if consequent readings at rest over a period of a month or so are conssitently showing higher numbers.

Learn more about causes symptoms and home remedies for High Blood Pressure in the other related articles:

High Blood Pressure Range- What is Normal Blood Pressure Range and Which Blood Pressure Readings are Considered High?

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