Millions more people the world have high blood pressure. This news came earlier this week when the American Heart Association (AHA) changed the numbers which high blood pressure starts. many decades, doctors said high blood pressure started a reading of 140 90. The AHA has changed this and said the disease should be treated sooner. It said high blood pressure now starts a reading 130 over 80*. Blood pressure happens when your heart pushes blood your body too fast. If this pushing is too strong, it can put stress your heart and arteries. This can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Normal blood pressure is less than 120 80.
AHA doctors said health problems can happen the lower figures of 130 over 80. However, they said it is possible people to deal this level of blood pressure taking medicine. They said the new reading is, "a yellow light that you need to be lowering your blood pressure, mainly non-drug approaches". People with high blood pressure need to make healthy lifestyle changes. These include losing weight, exercising more, eating healthier food, avoiding alcohol and salt, quitting smoking and avoiding stress. The new reading 130 over 80 now means that nearly half (46 per cent) the adult population the USA has high blood pressure. This rose from 32 per cent using the old numbers.
