Blood Pressure Flashcards
Medical term for low blood pressure
Hypotension
Medical term for high blood pressure
Hypertension
Low blood pressure
90/60 mmHg or below
High blood pressure
140/90 or more
Normal blood pressure
120/80 mmHg
Define pre-hypertension
A person with blood pressure around 130/85 or higher are at a higher risk of high blood pressure and the risks that come with it
Causes of hypotension
- High fitness levels
2. Wrong medication dosages
Causes of hypertension
- Obesity/overweight
- Lack of exercise
- Too much salt/bad diet
- Age (0ver 65)
Risks of hypertension
- Increased risk of damage to blood vessels
- Therefore, increased risk of atheromas & atherosclerosis
- Increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks or stroke (etc)
Systolic pressure
The force at which the heart pumps blood around the body
Diastolic blood pressure
The resistance to blood flow in the blood vessels
Medicines used to treat hypertension
- Diuretics
2. Beta-blockers
Function of diuretics
- reduce volume of fluid in blood vessels
- therefore lowers blood pressure
Function of beta-blockers
- inhibit adrenaline hormone
- therefore, heart beats slower and with less force so blood pressure decreases
Action taken if someone’s blood pressure is high
- Retake reading after 10 minutes of complete rest or the next day
- If still high, tell them potential risks of high BP…??
- Suggest for them to change diet/exercise regime
- Refer to GP