What Do I Need to Know About My Blood Pressure?
	High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious condition, which often has no symptoms.  Hypertension is a major reason that people develop heart disease, eye damage, kidney failure, or a stroke.  It is a dangerous condition because it makes your heart work too hard.  As blood pressure gets higher, the risk of serious disease rises.  When blood pressure is under control, the risk of developing heart disease, kidney failure, eye damage, or stroke is lower.What do blood pressure numbers mean? Blood Pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries.  Blood pressure is usually stated as two numbers, for example 120/80.  The top number is called the “systolic” blood pressure.  This is the pressure inside the blood vessels when the heart squeezes and pushes blood through the body. The bottom number is called the “diastolic” blood pressure.  This is the pressure inside the blood vessels when the heart relaxes and gets ready for the next “squeeze”.  Hypertension is diagnosed by averaging three or more readings taken on three or more occasions. Why should I treat high blood pressure?  Your heart will beat about 100,000 times each day.  Just think that is 100,000 times a day that your heart would have to work too hard.  (Would you treat your car like that?) When blood pressure is too great, it can damage your vessels and restrict blood flow to your vital organs therefore reducing oxygen to those organs.  Without oxygen, the organs cannot function properly and can become diseased.  Why does my blood pressure fluctuate?  Blood pressures fluctuate because it is a “snap shot” of what is going on in your body at a particular time.  Things that influence these fluctuations are physician exertion, hydration, disease/illness process, and stress/anxiety.  If you smoke, how long has it been since you smoked a cigarette with also change your blood pressure.  Note: Blood pressure that is too low can also be dangerous.