Hypertension
If the heart has to work harder and longer, it tends to become larger. Eventually, the heart muscles stretch too much or get too thick, and the blood supply from the coronary arteries becomes inadequate. The heart no longer functions, blood is not pumped into the back and the heart fails.
Electronic blood pressure measuring devices are becoming the norm now mercury is being phased out because of its hazardous nature. A cuff that inflates is wrapped around your upper arm and kept in place with Velcro. A tube leads out of the cuff to a rubber bulb.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). A typical normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg, or “120 over 80.” The first number represents the pressure when the heart contracts and is called the systolic blood pressure. The second number represents the pressure when the heart relaxes and is called the diastolic blood pressure.
Blood pressure readings are expressed as two numbers, such as 140/90 mm Hg. The top number, 140, refers to systolic blood pressure and 90 refers to diastolic blood pressure. Both of these numbers are important. More than half of all persons age 65 have hypertension. In many, only the systolic blood pressure will be elevated. This is often refered to as isolated systolic hypertension. Treating high systolic blood pressure in older patients significantly decreases the risks for stroke, heart attack, and cardiovascular death.
Hypertension does not cause problems over days, weeks, or even months; rather, it causes problems over many years, and it can affect your entire body. By adding strain to the blood vessel walls, hypertension makes them more likely to develop a buildup of fat and cholesterol — also known as “hardening” of the arteries. This, in turn, puts extra strain on your heart as it pumps blood through the narrowed arteries. Many people do not experience any symptoms of hypertension or related discomfort, so they find it easy to ignore their condition. However, this significantly increases the chances of having kidney disease, a heart attack, a stroke, or other heart and blood vessel problems. Getting this condition under control may add years to a person’s life.