instadoc_247

The blood pressure is more like the pressure in the aorta and large arteries (vessels carrying blood), like the brachial artery, which is the one at your elbow and is used for BP measurement.

The instrument used is A SPHYGMOMANOMETER .

Blood pressure is reported as SYSTOLIC / DIASTOLIC in mmHg (millimeter of mercury).

The systolic is the pressure when the heart contracts, and the diastolic is the pressure when the heart is "filling up".

Some people on BP medication check randomly and are often advised by certain who are usually not medical practitioners, to discontinue their medications once a certain value is attained. Often times, these patients, without knowing, Â even need to continue these medications so that the blood pressure is maintained at a normal level. I recommend you rather take sensitive instructions as this from your doctor.

I would not go into the details of hypertension here now because that is a major topic on its own, so I would reserve it for another time.

However, I would just state here what the values of your blood pressure should look like at certain given time.

It is important to note that the systemic blood pressure rises with age, and so does the risk of developing a heart attack, stroke, heart failure, among other things. Hence the need to have your blood pressure checked; also because hypertension does not show symptoms until complications set in.

So let us cut to the chase.

The systolic is the upper, and diastolic is the lower as earlier stated.

Optimal : 120/80 mmHg
Normal : 130/85mmHg
High Normal : 130- 139/85-89mmHg
Mild hypertension: 140- 159/ 90-99mmHg
Moderate : 160- 179/ 100-109mmHg
Severe : 180/110mmHg

Isolated systolic hypertension:
Grade 1 : 140-159/ <90 mmHg
Grade 2 : 160/ 90 mmHg

If you are on antihypertensive medications, according to the British hypertension society guidelines, optimal target blood pressure values are:

Clinic measurements:
No diabetes ;140/85 mmHg
With Diabetes ;130/80 mmHg
Mean day time ambulatory or home measurement :
No diabetes ;140/85 mmHg
With Diabetes ;130/75 mmHg

MY CHOLESTEROL LEVEL IS HIGH
SHOULD I BE WORRIED?

The body actually needs cholesterol to carry out some of its functions, like maintenance of the cell membrane integrity and production of some hormones in the body; but when it is present in excess (hypercholesterolemia), it becomes worrisome.

It is no longer strange that some people like to check their cholesterol level even though they may not understand what the details of the laboratory investigation imply.

When you go for a cholesterol test, usually a simple total cholesterol test or a fasting lipid profile may be carried out after a 12- hour fast.

Commonly, you would be asked to carry out the fasting lipid profile in order to treat or prevent diseases such as hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. Measurement of total (plasma) cholesterol is not sufficient for comprehensive assessment.

The fasting lipid profile would comprise of measurement of total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides. For the purpose of this discussion, we would emphasize the LDL and HDL.

Low density lipoproteins (LDL):

It is also known as “bad cholesterol†because it delivers cholesterol to the body tissues. Therefore, excess of it is bad because more cholesterol ( lipid) would line the blood vessels and cause problems. If the blood vessels are faulty, they will not be able to deliver sufficient blood, consequently nutrients, to the tissues and organ.

Continue reading..

https://www.instadoc.ng/posts