6
5
Categories for Blood Pressure Levels in Adults
This monitor comes equipped with a Risk Category
Indicator to visually indicate the assumed risk level of
each reading based upon these standards. See page
20 for more information on this feature.
It is important that you consult with your physician
regularly. Your physician will tell you your normal
blood pressure range as well as the point at which
you will be considered at risk.
For reliable monitoring and reference of blood pressure,
keeping long-term records is recommended.
ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE
What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted on the artery
walls while blood flows through the arteries. The
pressure measured when the heart contracts and
sends blood out of the heart is systolic (highest)
blood pressure. The pressure measured when the
heart dilates with blood flowing back into the heart
is called diastolic (lowest) blood pressure.
Why Measure Your
Blood Pressure?
Among today’s various health problems, those
associated with high blood pressure are very common.
High blood pressure dangerously correlates with
cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, blood pressure
monitoring is important for identifying those at risk.
BLOOD PRESSURE STANDARD
The
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
and the National Institutes of Health
have developed
a blood pressure standard that identifies areas of low-
and high-risk blood pressure. This standard, however,
is a general guideline as an individual’s blood pressure
varies among different people, age groups, etc.
For adults 18 and older who are not on medicine for high blood
pressure, are not having a short-term serious illness, and do not
have other conditions, such as diabetes and kidney disease.
To determine category of risk when systolic and diastolic readings fall
into two areas, use the higher of the two numbers for classification.
There is an exception to the above definition of high blood
pressure for people with diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
A blood pressure of 130/80 mmHg or higher is considered high
blood pressure for those individuals.
Systolic (mmHg) Diastolic (mmHg)
Stage 2 Hypertension
>160 >100
Stage 1 Hypertension
140~159 90~99
Prehypertension 120~139 80~89
Normal <120 <80
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