High blood pressure, Hypertension Overview: manage high blood pressure, manage hypertension, control high blood pressure

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Management - What it is

Blood pressure is the force created by the heart pump to move blood around the body. Blood carries nutrients and oxygen to all parts of the body. High blood pressure, or hypertension, refers to a condition in which the blood is pumped around the body at a higher pressure.

According to the Singapore National Health Survey (1998), 27.3% of Singaporeans between the ages of 30 and 69 years, suffer from hypertension. It is one of the major risk factors for coronary artery disease and stroke. Untreated hypertension can also cause heart failure and renal failure. Hypertension is the most important risk factor for development of intracerebral bleed.

In general, blood pressure fluctuates with the time of day, physical activity and emotions. Therefore, blood pressure has to be taken under resting conditions and on more than one occasion. Normally, your blood pressure will increase if:

Your blood volume is increased by too much salt intake which retains more water in the body.
Your blood vessels become more rigid due to atherosclerosis, a process where fatty substances are deposited in the blood vessel walls.

The different categories for blood pressure is listed below.

Categories of Blood Pressure (BP) Levels in Adults Age 18 Years and Above

	Blood Pressure Level (mmHg)
Category	Systolic BP (mmHg)	Diastolic BP (mmHg)
Normal BP	< 130	< 80
High - Normal BP	130 – 139	80 – 89
Grade 1 Hypertension	140 – 159 *	90 – 99
Grade 2 Hypertension	160 *	100
Isolated Systolic Hypertension*	140	< 90