Cebu City -- Many of us know that when we visit a doctor for any type of consultation, the nurses will perform the initial assessment by measuring our blood pressure before leading us to the doctor’s room. This initial evaluation helps the doctor understand the current situation of our health before proceeding with the diagnosis and treatment. 

A blood pressure kit or machine is used to assess possible hypertension by either wrapping a calf or a machine around your upper arm while getting the readings from your artery.

In this article, let us understand the meaning of your blood pressure readings and the suggested diet in case you are hypertensive. 

What do the blood pressure readings mean?

Whether or not you have a blood pressure kit at home, knowing the readings of your blood pressure at your next doctor’s visit is good because it allows you to gauge if you are in the healthy or unhealthy range.

Let us look at the five blood pressure categories from the American Heart Association that are good to take note of, and the meaning of systolic and diastolic:

*Source from American Heart Association.

What is systolic and diastolic?

During a blood pressure test, the nurse would mention the first and second readings to you while recording the findings on an assessment paper. However, you might wonder what these two numbers are. They are your systolic (the first number) and diastolic (the second number). 

Systolic measures the blood pressure exerted when the heart beats. Diastolic measures the blood pressure exerted when the heart is resting. 

The importance of blood pressure readings

When listening to the readings given by the nurse, do take note of the number itself as it will help you assess yourself for possible hypertension at an early stage. Both the first and second number readings are of equal importance plus a quality medical history taking as these help your physician to assess and diagnose you properly. 

It is also vital to know that the blood pressure reading would increase if a person is nervous or did a strenuous activity such as a run or brisk walk before the procedure. To ensure its accuracy, allow a 10–15-minute rest period before taking the reading. 

What happens if your blood pressure is high?

Normal blood pressure should be less than 120 mm Hg systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic. That would indicate that your heart is in a healthy range. However, when the blood pressure reading goes above the said range, it may be an early stage of hypertension. This is the time when you need to pay attention your diet and lifestyle to prevent its further increase. It might be better to see your primary care provider the soonest so lifestyle modification can be started.

If the blood pressure is not controlled, it could lead to more serious health problems such as heart attacks, aneurysms, and even heart failure. Do visit your doctor immediately especially if you start experiencing symptoms like chest pains, shortness of breath, and numbness of extremities. 

Understanding it early

With the dangers of COVID-19 today, understanding your blood pressure readings would help you assess your health status. This is not self-diagnosing, but rather a way to help maintain your health and wellbeing and prevent the development of coronary disease and its related complications. 

Suggested diet for hypertension

As the cases of hypertension increase over the years, a diet was developed for use to help decrease the occurrence of hypertension This diet is referred to as DASH diet or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. 

So, what is DASH diet? It is a healthy eating plan created to prevent high blood pressure. This diet includes food items that are rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which is said to be the nutrients that help regulate blood pressure. 

The said diet is generally low in sodium and saturated fat. It is rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and includes fat-free or low-fat dairy products. 

To know more about the diet or to have a specific diet designed for you, you can talk to a nutritionist-dietitian to have a diet design specifically for you. // By ND II Suzzette Jade M. Salado, RND and Jewelle Chua, The Memoriter Writing Service intern