Hypertension dialogues – Remember when … ?
From bukisa.com
Blood pressure between 120/80 to 140/90 is considered normal. 140/90 to 160/105 is considered mild hypertension. The upper figure is the systolic pressure (the pressure when the heart contracts). The lower figure is the diastolic pressure (the pressure as the heart relaxes between beats).
The severity of high blood pressure is ranked according to the diastolic (lower figure) reading. A diastolic reading of 105 to 120 is considered moderately severe. A constant reading greater than 120 is severe hypertension.
Simon Foster
Response:
It’s a pleasure to read an article about high blood pressure that doesn’t try to scare the life out of you if you have blood pressure reading over 120/80. Healthy blood pressure is a range – not a fixed number. Remember when ok blood pressure was 100 plus your age? Now the ‘one-size-fits-all’ rule of 120.80 has resulted ion a billion dollar bonanza for international distributors of blood pressure lowering medications. We don’t hear them complaining!
