UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEALTH TEST: BLOOD PRESSURE

WHAT YOUR HEALTH TEST RESULTS MEAN: BLOOD PRESSURE

from the article 'Decoding Your Health Test Results'
By Alice Lesch Kelly, Special to Lifescript
Published April 11, 2011
Reviewed By Edward C. Geehr, M.D.

Your doctor ordered a blood test. But do you understand the results? Or if you’re bordering on a heart attack, diabetes or underactive thyroid? We asked the experts to explain those critical numbers – and what they say about your health...

You look and feel great, but are you really in tip-top health? Routine medical tests can tell you – if you know how to interpret the results.

“A person who understands the significance of tests and results is better able to make decisions about their care,” says cardiologist Janet Wright, M.D.

Read on to find out which tests you need, what’s being measured and the next steps to take if you don’t ace the exam.

1. Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is simply a measurement of the force of blood pushing against artery walls as your heart pumps blood through the body.

Your doctor will read off two numbers. The top, or systolic, is the pressure that occurs when your heart beats. The bottom, or diastolic, measures pressure when your ticker rests between beats.

If your blood pressure is higher than normal, you have hypertension, which “damages arteries, leading to strokes, kidney failure, blindness and heart attacks,” Wright says.

What’s optimal: 120/80 mmHg. (That stands for millimeters of mercury, which is used to measure blood pressure.)

What’s not: A top number over 140 or a bottom number higher than 90 indicate high blood pressure.

A systolic number of 120-139 or a diastolic of 80-89 suggests pre-hypertension, which means you’re likely to end up with high blood pressure if you don’t exercise more or change your diet.

Some people have low blood pressure, but this is a problem only if it causes fainting or dizziness.

MY THOUGHTS

I don't think I have heard this health explained quite as clear as this.  Hope this helps you gauge how healthy or sick (I hope not) your blood pressure is.