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High blood pressure means the pressure inside the blood vessels (called arteries) is too high. As the heart pumps against this pressure, it must work harder. Over time, this causes the heart muscle to thicken. Because there are often no symptoms with high blood pressure, people can have the problem without knowing it.
Here are the hypertension categories:
- Normal: Systolic (top number) 120 or lower, diastolic (bottom number) 80 or low
- Prehypertensive: Systolic (top number) 120-139, diastolic (bottom number) 80-89
- High (hypertensive): Systolic (top number) 140 or higher, diastolic (bottom number) 90 or higher
Exercise is powerful medicine. Walking briskly for 30 minutes to 45 minutes, five or six days a week, can lower your blood pressure up to 10 points.
High blood pressure means the pressure inside the blood vessels (called arteries) is too high. As the heart pumps against this pressure, it must work harder. Over time, this causes the heart muscle to thicken. Because there are often no symptoms with high blood pressure, people can have the problem without knowing it.
Here are the hypertension categories:
- Normal: Systolic (top number) 120 or lower, diastolic (bottom number) 80 or low
- Prehypertensive: Systolic (top number) 120-139, diastolic (bottom number) 80-89
- High (hypertensive): Systolic (top number) 140 or higher, diastolic (bottom number) 90 or higher
Exercise is powerful medicine. Walking briskly for 30 minutes to 45 minutes, five or six days a week, can lower your blood pressure up to 10 points.
