Blood pressure, have you paid attention to it?

Hypertension is a systemic disease characterized by increased arterial pressure. Long-term hypertension can easily cause damage to important organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys.

Practices at home and abroad have proved that hypertension is a preventable and controllable disease. Lowering the blood pressure level of hypertensive patients can significantly reduce the probability of events such as stroke and heart disease, significantly improve the quality of life of patients, and effectively reduce the burden of the disease.

Diagnostic criteria

Without taking antihypertensive drugs, blood pressure was measured three times on different days, with systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg .

The patient has a history of hypertension and is currently taking antihypertensive drugs. Although his blood pressure is lower than 140/90 mmHg , he should still be diagnosed with hypertension.

Essential hypertension

How to measure blood pressure at home?

1. Selection of blood pressure monitor

At present, it is recommended to use an upper arm medical electronic blood pressure monitor that has passed international standard certification for self-testing of blood pressure at home, and calibrate it at least once a year. Electronic blood pressure measurement devices for other parts of the body, such as wrist blood pressure monitors and finger blood pressure monitors, are not recommended.

2. Preparation before blood pressure measurement

Avoid eating, smoking, drinking, coffee, bathing, etc. within half an hour before measuring blood pressure. Before measuring, stabilize your emotions to avoid the impact of tension on blood pressure. Rest comfortably and quietly indoors for at least 5 minutes before measuring.

3. Blood Pressure Measurement Method

The person being measured sits quietly at the table, sits up straight, puts his arm flat on the table, palm facing up, puts on the cuff, the center of the cuff should be at the same height as the heart, and the lower edge of the cuff should be 2~3cm above the elbow. Wrap the cuff tightly, and the arm and the cuff should be tight enough to insert two fingers. After preparation, turn on the blood pressure meter, and the blood pressure meter will automatically measure.

It is wrong to diagnose hypertension just by measuring blood pressure once, because human blood pressure is in dynamic change.

How can we prevent hypertension?

1. I know my blood pressure

Regular testing

At present, the phenomenon of younger patients with hypertension is very obvious. Knowing one's own blood pressure in time and early detection and intervention of "high blood pressure" are important links in preventing hypertension.

2. Develop good living habits

Keep exercising

Proper exercise can keep the body in good condition and help prevent high blood pressure. For people who are prone to high blood pressure, they can do walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, ball games and other sports.

3. Improve your daily diet

Reduce sodium and increase potassium

The Chinese Hypertension Prevention and Treatment Guidelines suggest that if the daily salt intake of hypertensive patients is gradually reduced to less than 5 grams per day, the systolic blood pressure will drop by 2 to 8 mmHg. Scientific eating habits and dietary combinations can keep blood pressure balanced. If the daily salt intake is less than 5 grams, the chance of developing hypertension will be much lower.

4. Create a good working environment

New healthy lifestyle

Middle-aged people are under the dual pressure of work and family for a long time, which leads to long-term mental tension, high blood pressure and the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Modern society advocates slow living to relax people's body and mind and stay away from diseases.