Blood Pressure: Normal Range, Symptoms and How to Control It

The difficulty with high blood pressure is that it runs quietly. Most people find out during a visit for something else entirely — which is why getting it checked beats waiting for symptoms.

What the two numbers mean

A reading has two numbers, such as 120/80.

• The top one (systolic) — pressure as the heart beats
• The bottom one (diastolic) — pressure between beats, while the heart rests

The ranges

One high reading settles nothing. Rushing in, a cup of tea, stress, even sitting in front of a doctor will push it up. A diagnosis comes from several readings across different days.

Measuring properly at home

1. Avoid tea, coffee, smoking and exercise for 30 minutes beforehand.
2. Sit quietly for 5 minutes with your back supported.
3. Keep both feet flat on the floor; do not cross your legs.
4. Rest your arm on a table at heart height.
5. Put the cuff on bare skin, not over a thick sleeve.
6. Do not talk while it is measuring.
7. Take two readings a minute or two apart and use the average.

Measured carelessly, a reading can come out far too high or too low — and medication decided on that basis does real harm.

Symptoms

Usually there are none. When pressure climbs very high, some people notice:

• Pain at the back of the head
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Breathlessness
• Nosebleeds

The absence of a headache tells you nothing about your blood pressure. That misunderstanding is the most common one there is about this condition.

Who is more at risk

• A family history of high blood pressure
• Excess weight, particularly around the middle
• A high-salt diet
• Very little physical activity
• Long-running stress and short sleep
• Smoking and alcohol
• Diabetes or kidney disease
• Older age

Lifestyle changes that help

• Cut salt — pickles, papad, namkeen and packaged food carry the most of it
• Walk briskly for 30 minutes on most days
• Even a modest drop in weight shows up in the reading
• Eat more fruit, vegetables and pulses
• Sleep 7-8 hours
• Limit alcohol; stop smoking

Simply stopping the habit of adding salt at the table is enough to make a visible difference for many people.

About medication

Whether medication is needed depends on your readings and your other conditions, and that is a doctor’s call. The commonest mistake is stopping the tablets once readings look normal — when the readings are normal because of the tablets. Any change belongs with your doctor.