Technically, blood pressure is the pressure in the arteries, the arteries. Danger, excitement or anger cause it to rise rapidly, we suddenly have the feeling of being at 180, as a common saying goes. “The fact that our blood pressure rises in acute stressful situations is a natural and vital reaction that prepares the body for quick action – the heart is ready for more work in a very short time,” says Thomas Weber, senior physician at the Department of Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine Clinic Wels-Grieskirchen. “In the best case, we relax again afterwards and the blood pressure drops to a normal level.” Blood pressure also fluctuates over the course of a day. “It’s usually higher in the morning than in the afternoon, and it’s lowest at night when we’re sleeping,” says the blood pressure expert. Genetically determined, but also influenced by factors such as obesity, smoking and lack of exercise, blood pressure can be too high over a long period of time. “Then he needs treatment.”
When is blood pressure too high?
The level of blood pressure is given in millimeters of mercury with “mmHg”, for example “120/80 mmHg”. “The first number denotes the systolic pressure, i.e. the value in the ejection phase of the heart,” explains the blood pressure expert. “In return, the second indication stands for the diastolic pressure in the filling phase of the heart chambers.”
According to the Austrian Blood Pressure Consensus 2019, the optimal blood pressure range is below 120/80 mmHg. Values above 140/90 mmHg are referred to as high blood pressure: “Medical treatment is recommended here,” says Weber.
High blood pressure is primarily dangerous because of its complications. “If the left ventricle has to work under excessive pressure for a long time, its walls can thicken and cardiac insufficiency develops.” Increased blood pressure can lead to vascular calcification, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Kidney failure and even dementia are often caused by long-standing high blood pressure.
The basis of treating high blood pressure is a healthy lifestyle. “Weight reduction in overweight, sufficient exercise and a reduction in salt consumption can sometimes even normalize blood pressure, but must be carried out consistently,” explains the cardiologist. “If that doesn’t produce enough effect, drugs are available.”
Minimally invasive catheter interventions are also gaining in importance. “For example, nerve cords in the renal arteries can be sclerosed, which reduces the body’s own stress hormones and thus lowers blood pressure,” says Thomas Weber.
You can do this yourself:
To prevent high blood pressure from developing in the first place, Johannes Föchterle, specialist group representative for special internal medicine subjects at the Medical Association for Upper Austria, advises on the following points:
Make sure you exercise regularly (half an hour every day is better than four hours on weekends)
- Avoid being overweight
- Avoid too much salt
- Only moderate alcohol consumption
- Do not smoke
Here are some things to keep in mind when measuring your blood pressure at home:
- Measure in the morning and evening. Anyone who takes medication should measure before taking it, says Johannes Föchterle.
- Before the measurement, come to rest and relax ten minutes beforehand.
- The measurement cuff should be placed at heart level. This is especially important for meters with wrist cuffs, so rest your hand on a pad or table.
- Carry out two measurements within one minute! The second value is your reference value for entries in the blood pressure passport.
- Document all measurements in a separate passport or notebook.
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