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BLOOD PRESSURE BASICS. What is Blood Pressure?. The force of blood pushing against artery walls. What is an Average Blood Pressure? Reading?. The top number is the systolic pressure: the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls at the moment the heart pumps out the blood. **
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What is Blood Pressure? • The force of blood pushing against artery walls
What is an Average Blood Pressure? Reading? • The top number is the systolic pressure: the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls at the moment the heart pumps out the blood. ** • The bottom number is the diastolic pressure: the of the blood when the heart relaxes.
Ideal Blood Pressure A simple way to remember: Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg. Teens may have lower blood pressures because of their age and their height. 90/60 might not be low for a teen.
HYPERTENSION • Blood pressure is normally high when: • You are exercising or excited. • Blood pressure drops back down to normal when you stop exercising or you calm down. *What causes blood pressure to remain high all of the time? *Narrow arteries – tense or constricted, hardened, or clogged *Too much blood volume Sodium holds water in your body, increasing the amount of blood.
How Much of a Health Problem is High Blood Pressure? • What percentage of older adults end up with high blood pressure? • 50-75% • Do teenagers ever get high blood pressure? • Yes, about 10% have pre-hypertension and 3-10% actually have high blood pressure.
What Causes High Blood Pressure? • Make a list of all the causes that you and your partner can think of. • How many did you get? • Genetics • Age • Lack of exercise • Using tobacco • Heavy use of alcohol • Unmanaged, chronic stress • Too many processed foods: a high sodium diet • Lack of fruits and vegetables: too little potassium • A high percentage of body fat: body composition problems
How Much Sodium Do We Need? • 500 mg. or _______ teaspoon • 1/4 tsp. • How much do most of us eat? ______ tsp? • 4000-6000 mg. or 2-3 tsp. • What is a safe level? _________________ • 1500 mg is the recommended amount. • 2400 mg. is the maximum amount noted.
The Silent Killer • Why is hypertension called the silent killer? • It has no symptoms. • How can you find out if your blood pressure is high? • Measure it on a regular basis.
What Problems Does Hypertension Cause? • Heart Failure • The heart overworks, pumping against high pressure 24/7. It wears out early. • Stroke • Arteries burst, usually in the brain. Or they may harden, defending against the high pressure. • Kidney Damage
Where is Most Sodium Found in Our Diets? • From processed and restaurant foods, we get: • 75% • From the salt we add to food and the sodium which occurs naturally in food, we get the remaining: • 25%