Blood pressure is the amount of outward pressure that your blood puts on the walls of your blood vessels. Thus a blood pressure check is the measurement of the pressure at which your heart pumps blood through you arteries. There are two numbers, a systolic and diastolic.
The systolic is the amount of pressure when your heart pumps the blood and is the higher value. The diastolic is the amount of pressure when your heart is recovering before it pumps again, this is the lower value.
TARGET BLOOD PRESSURE
140/80 mmHg or below for a “healthy person”.
130/70mmHg If you have kidney problems
WHAT IS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
One in every four (¼) adults suffers from high blood pressure, the combination of high blood pressure and kidney disease is very common.
High blood pressure is often called the “silent disease” because a person can have it without knowing.
Untreated high blood pressure can cause organ damage including kidney damage.
WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
Before taking medication and to supplement medication try to:
If you have high blood pressure you will most likely be put on medication to help control your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is consistently above their targets you will be offered tablet treatment (anti- hypertensive) the dose of which is increased to achieve your target blood pressure. You may need to take more than one type of blood pressure tablet Taking these medications regularly is very important in helping to slow the progression of diabetes complications. It is very important that you take your medication as prescribed and continue to do so, if you have any queries contact your healthcare team. As time goes by blood pressure can rise due to increasing age, weight, lack of exercise or genetic factors.
BLOOD PRESSURE MANAGEMENT
It is important to have blood pressure levels checked regularly to ensure that it is still at, or below the desired target for you.
Blood pressure measurement may be done at your local surgery by the nurse or Doctor, or you may be asked to self-monitor using a small home blood pressure machine.
The benefits to managing blood pressure are enormous; less diabetic complications such as heart disease, kidney disease and small vessel disease Even if you already have some complications from your diabetes there is still benefit. You can reduce the progression of your complications by effectively managing blood pressure.
