Over time, hypertension can damage the arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease. A blood pressure reading tells us how forcefully blood is being pushed against the artery walls. As a result, 46 percent of Americans now fall into the high BP range.Įvery time your heart beats, it creates pressure (blood pressure) that pushes blood through blood vessels, namely the arteries, which carry blood away from the heart to other parts of the body. In 2017, the American Medical Association, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association revised the guidelines for diagnosing hypertension. But it’s also because the “normal” range for blood pressure keeps dropping. This is partly because rates of obesity and diabetes, two conditions commonly associated with high blood pressure, continue to rise. But it’s probably too common an issue to faze them, considering that just under half of Americans now have hypertension, the clinical term for high blood pressure. Then they chalk it up to “ white coat syndrome ” and mark the numbers on my chart.Īt first, I was surprised by nurses’ nonchalance toward my high BP. They tell me that because I’m young and not overweight, my high reading is a bit perplexing. They ask if I’ve had any coffee that day (of course) and whether I’m nervous (not especially). I’m sure a lot of people have had similar experiences at the doctor’s office: Someone takes my blood pressure and says it’s a little high.
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