Blood Pressure

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE: 139/89 (known as prehypertension)
Maximum Allowable for those with Diabetes: 129/79
“Blood Pressure” is the force of blood against the walls of arteries.
“Hypertension” (140/90 and above) is caused when one’s blood pressure
stays elevated for long periods of time. Basically, if you have high blood pressure, it’s an indication your heart is working too hard. It also causes hardening of the arteries which is called “atherosclerosis.” If you have high blood pressure, your risk of heart disease and/or stroke increases significantly; and heart disease and stroke are the 1st and 3rd leading causes of death for Americans. High blood pressure can also cause other problems, such as heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness. The bad news is that most people have high blood pressure at some point in their lives. The good news is, a healthy lifestyle with the proper attention can bring your blood pressure down to acceptable levels where you are not “at risk.”