Everybody is familiar with the term ‘high blood pressure’, which usually has a negative association with health. You may become conscious with your blood pressure level when you are already diagnosed with hypertension. However, unless diagnosed, you wouldn’t really care what is the normal blood pressure range.

Knowing the normal range of blood pressure is basic information that is essential in taking care of your health. It can help you stay fit, and know if you are already at high risk for having high blood pressure. So give yourself a beneficial introduction to the basics of blood pressure.

Blood Pressure Glossary

Blood pressure is defined as the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries. It is written as two numbers. First, is the systolic pressure, which is pressure that is measured while the heart beats. Second, is diastolic pressure, which is pressure that is measured when your heart relaxes in between beats.

Number Works

The reading is typically written with the systolic reading above the diastolic. There are also times that it is written in a way that the systolic comes before the diastolic.

The unit of measurement used is ‘millimeters of mercury’, written as ‘mmHg’. For example, you have a reading of 100/80 mmHg; this is spoken verbally as “100 over 80.”

The Safe Zones

To start off, children have different normal blood pressure values. You may ask, why is it important to measure your child’s blood pressure. This is due to the fact that recent studies show that it is recommended to screen content blood pressure starting the age three, for healthy children.

It also follows that you need to screen earlier than three, especially if your child has special conditions as being premature, small, or is taking medicines that affect blood pressure.

Obesity has become quite a popular case with children today. Due to the reign of videogames and television as modern kids’ pass time, they begin to have a lack of exercise, and physical inactivity predominates. Along with that, hypertension and pre-hypertension develops too.

At age three, the normal limit would be 107/69. When your child undergoes kindergarten physical exam, you’d want his blood pressure to be under 109/69. At age ten, the normal limit is 117/75.

The contentnormal blood pressure for adults can be anything as long as the systolic measure is less than 120, and the diastolic pressure less than 80.

Red Alert

For children, any reading higher than the given limits for their corresponding age group is considered abnormal. It is recommended that you seek medical help right away.

For adults, if you systolic reading falls under 120-139, and you diastolic reading from 80-89, then you are already having Prehypertension. If your systolic reading hits 140+ and your diastolic 90+, then you are for diagnosis of Hypertension.

Blood Pressure Changes

Changes in blood pressure may be due to different factors. These factors include your diet and your lifestyle activity. If you have a predominant family history of hypertension, then you are at high risk of having it too.

Another factor is if you are taking medications, because some medicines have side effects of lowering or increasing blood pressure. If you are under going specialized treatments, like psychotherapy, anger management, and the likes, then there might be notable change in your blood pressure too.

You can measure your own blood pressure by buying a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope. There are also types with an electronic monitor, which show digital readings. There are also charts available that can easily show you if your reading falls into the normal category or not. These are widely available in pharmacies, or medical stores everywhere.

You can have healthy blood pressure levels by having a healthy lifestyle, and taking supplements to help you maintain a low level of blood pressure.