High blood pressure is a health problem that affects millions of people all over the world. It can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other serious conditions.
Doctors measure blood pressure using two numbers: one is called the systolic number and the other is the diastolic number.
The systolic number is the top number in a blood pressure reading. It shows how much pressure is in your arteries when your heart is beating. The diastolic number is the bottom number and shows the pressure when your heart is resting between beats.
For a long time, doctors believed that it was very important to keep the diastolic number between 70 and 90. They worried that if it went lower than 70, it might be dangerous. But a new study says that might not be true.
Scientists from NUI Galway and other places looked at the medical data of over 47,000 people from around the world. They wanted to find out if having a low diastolic number really causes problems. Their findings were surprising. They found no strong evidence that having a diastolic number below 70 would hurt people with high blood pressure.
What they did find is that the systolic number—the top number—is still very important. If your systolic number is above 120, your risk of heart problems and stroke goes up a lot. This means that doctors might now focus more on lowering the systolic number, even if the diastolic number goes lower than before.
This could make treating high blood pressure simpler. Doctors can try to bring the top number down to between 100 and 130 without worrying so much about how low the bottom number goes. This may help patients avoid dangerous heart problems and strokes.
Even though medicine helps, making healthy choices every day is one of the best ways to prevent or manage high blood pressure. Keeping your body healthy makes a big difference.
If you want to reduce your risk of high blood pressure, try to keep a healthy weight. Extra weight puts more pressure on your heart. Eating healthy foods also helps—choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy. Try to eat fewer salty foods, because too much salt can raise your blood pressure.
It’s also a good idea to get regular exercise. Try to move your body for at least 30 minutes most days. Walking, swimming, or riding a bike are great options.
Drinking less alcohol can help too. If you drink, do it in moderation. Men should try to have no more than two drinks a day, and women just one. Smoking is also harmful—it damages your blood vessels and raises blood pressure. Quitting smoking can improve your heart health.
Stress is another thing that can raise your blood pressure. Try relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing to keep calm. And don’t forget to check your blood pressure often. Many people with high blood pressure don’t feel any symptoms, so regular check-ups are very important.
This study, led by researcher Bill McEvoy and his team, was published in the journal Circulation. It gives doctors a new way to think about treating high blood pressure, and it could help many people around the world live healthier lives.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about breakfast for better blood pressure management, and the gut feeling that lowers blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how the dash diet helps lower blood pressure, and how to eat your way to healthy blood pressure.
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