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Understanding Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is similar to high blood cholesterol
that is caused silently. High blood pressure does not have
any symptoms but it can cause heart disease and stroke. According
to the Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics 20007, there
were 269,000 patients who had high blood pressure that required
long-term follow-up by doctors. As a result, high blood pressure
is a problem that cannot be ignored.
What is BP?
The pressure caused by the heart pumping blood to all parts
of your body is called blood pressure. This allows blood to
circulate throughout the body. Normal BP is an indication of
good health.
Your blood pressure is made of two numbers, for example 120/80
mmHg that is "systolic BP/diastolic BP"
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Systolic BP
A measurement of the force while the heart pumps.
Diastolic BP
A measurement of the force at rest, between heartbeats.
Complications of High
Blood Pressure
If high blood pressure is left untreated for a long
period of time, the heart will experience extra workload,
which can lead to destruction of blood vessels, and
may eventually lead to:
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Strokes |
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Kidney failure |
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Retinal damage or even blindness |
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Heart disease |
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