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Blood pressure
Bloodpressureisthepressureofthebloodinthearteriesasitispumpedaroundthebodybythe heart.Bloodpressuredoesnotstaythesameallthetimeitchangestomeetyourbodysneeds. Itisaffectedbyvariousfactorsincludingbodyposition,breathingoremotionalstate,exerciseand sleep. Ifbloodpressureremainshigh,itcanleadtoseriousproblemslikeheartattack,stroke,heart failureorkidneydisease.Anothernameforhighbloodpressureishypertension. Measuring blood pressure Bloodpressureisusuallymeasuredbyaninstrumentcalledasphygmomanometer.Itisbestto measurebloodpressurewhenyouarerelaxedandsittingorlyingdown. Bloodpressureisrecordedastwonumbers,suchas120/80.Thelargernumberindicatesthe pressureinthearteriesastheheartsqueezesoutbloodduringeachbeat.Thisiscalledthe systolic blood pressure.Thelowernumberindicatesthepressureastheheartrelaxesbeforethe nextbeat.Thisiscalledthediastolic blood pressure. Blood pressure varies Bloodpressurechangestomeetyourbodysneeds.Ifareadingishigh,yourdoctormaymeasure yourbloodpressureagainonseveralseparateoccasionstoconfirmthelevel.Yourdoctormayalso recommendthatyoumeasureyourbloodpressureathomeorhavea24-hourrecordingwitha monitordevice.Thiscanbeusefulifgoingtotheclinicmakesyourbloodpressurerise. High blood pressure Thereisnoidealbloodpressurereading.Thefollowingfiguresforclinicbloodpressurescanbe usedasaguide: Normalbloodpressurelessthan120/80 High-normalbetween120/80and140/90 Highequaltoormorethan140/90 Veryhighequaltoormorethan180/110.

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Highbloodpressureusuallydoesnotgivewarningsigns.Youcanhavehighbloodpressureand feelperfectlywell.Theonlywaytofindoutifyourbloodpressureishighistohaveitchecked regularly. Have your blood pressure checked regularly Ifyourbloodpressureisnormalandyouhavenopersonalorfamilyhistoryofhighblood pressure,acheckeverytwoyearsandduringroutinevisitstoyourdoctorisrecommended.Ifyour bloodpressureishigh-normal(orhigher)oryouhaveapersonalorfamilyhistoryofhighblood pressure,strokeorheartattack,itisbesttohaveitcheckedmorefrequently.Beadvisedbyyour doctor. Controlling high blood pressure Ifbloodpressureremainshigh,itcanleadtoseriousproblems.Youwillbemoreatriskofthese problemsifyousmoke,areoverweight,arephysicallyinactive,havediabetes,havehighblood cholesterol,aresociallyisolatedorsufferfromdepression. Lifestylechangesareveryimportanttohelpcontrolhighbloodpressure.Somepeoplemayalso needmedicationtocontroltheirhighbloodpressure. Youcanhelploweryourbloodpressurebymakinglifestylechanges(evenifyoutakemedication). Suggestionsinclude: Achieveormaintainyouridealbodyweight.

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Bephysicallyactive. Limityouralcoholintake. Quitsmoking. Decreaseyoursalt/sodiumintake.

Be active every day Establishormaintainatleast30minutesofmoderateintensityphysicalactivityonfiveormore dayseachweek(150minutesaweekminimum).Thiscanbedoneinsmallerboutsof10minutes orlonger,ifthisismoreconvenient. Moderateintensityphysicalactivityisactivitythatcausesamoderatenoticeableincreaseinyour depthandrateofbreathingwhilestillbeingabletowhistleortalkcomfortably.Thismayinclude briskwalking,cycling,low-pacedswimmingoranythingthatyouenjoythatrequirestheuseof yourmajormusclegroups. Sometypesofexercises,suchasliftingheavyweightsandbodypresses,canactuallyraiseyour bloodpressure.Theseshouldbeavoidedifyouhavehighbloodpressure.Checkwithyourdoctor beforestartinganewactivityorincreasingyourlevelorintensity.Beactivesafely.Buildupyour levelsofactivitygradually. Enjoy healthy eating Healthyeatingisparticularlyimportantincontrollinghighbloodpressureandreducingyourriskof heartdisease.Enjoyingavarietyoffoodsfromthedifferentfoodgroupsisthekeytohealthy eating. Healthyeatingisaboutchoosingmainlyplant-basedfoodssuchas: Vegetables,fruitsandlegumes(driedpeas,driedbeansandlentils) Wholegrainbreadandcereals Moderateamountsofleanmeats,poultry,fishandreducedfatdairyproducts Moderateamountsofpolyunsaturatedandmono-unsaturatedoilsandfats.

Reduce your salt intake Reducingsaltintakecanalsohelpcontrolhighbloodpressureorhelpavoidhighbloodpressure altogether.Toreduceyoursaltintake: Eatplentyofvegetables,fruitandlegumes(forexamplechickpeas,kidneybeans,baked beansandlentils). Chooselowsalt,wholegraincerealfoodssuchasbreakfastcereals,bread,pasta,noodles andrice. Avoidseasonings,processedfoodsandtakeawayfoods(whicharehighinsalt). Avoidaddingsalttocookingoratthetable.

Take medication if required Thereisalargevarietyofmedicinesavailabletolowerandcontrolhighbloodpressure.Your doctormightcallthemantihypertensives. Thesemedicinesdonotcurehighbloodpressurebuttheydocontrolit.Onceyoustarttotake medicinestocontrolyourbloodpressure,youwillprobablyneedtotakethemfortherestofyour life;however,thedoseofthesemedicinesmaychangeovertime. Ifyouneedtotakemedication,yourdoctorwilladviseyouonthecorrecttypeofmedicineandthe dose.Twoormoredifferentmedicinesareoftenneededtogetgoodcontrolofbloodpressureand tokeepanysideeffectstoaminimum. Youneedtomakesurethatyoutakeyourmedicinesregularly.Somethingsthatmayhelpyou remembertotakeyourmedicinesinclude: Takethematthesametimeeachday. Useaweeklypillbox. Markitonacalendaroraskfamilyandfriendstoremindyou. Alwayscarryalistofyourmedicinesandtheirdoseswithyou.

Other things you can do

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Youshouldalso: Limitalcoholintaketonomorethantwodrinksaday(men)oronedrinkaday(women). Beanon-smoker. Achieveandmaintainahealthyweight. Takeanybloodpressuremedicationexactlyasprescribed.Dontstoporchangeyour medicationunlessadvisedtodosobyyourdoctor.

Where to get help Yourdoctor Yourlocalcommunityhealthcentre HeartFoundationTel.1300362787 Forinformationonquittingsmoking,calltheQuitlineTel.131848 MedicinesLineTel.1300888763

Things to remember

Highbloodpressure(hypertension)canleadtoseriousproblemslikeheartattack,stroke orkidneydisease. Highbloodpressureusuallydoesnothaveanysymptoms,soyouneedtohaveyourblood pressurecheckedregularly. Lifestyleisveryimportantinhelpingtocontrolhighbloodpressureanditsassociatedrisks. Askyourdoctorforadvice.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

HeartFoundation

Copyight 1999/2009StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel(www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)at nocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth.Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthe copyrightareprohibitedwithoutpermission. ThisBetterHealthChannelfactsheethaspassedthrougharigorousapprovalprocess.Forthelatestupdatesandmore informationvisitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.

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